Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Heart's Blood
    Heart's Blood
    Heart's Blood
    Audiobook16 hours

    Heart's Blood

    Written by Juliet Marillier

    Narrated by Ruth Urquhart

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Whistling Tor is a place of secrets, a mysterious, wooded hill housing the crumbling fortress belonging to Anluan-a chieftain whose name is spoken throughout the region in tones of revulsion and bitterness. A curse lies over Anluan's family and his people, and the woods themselves hold a perilous force whose every whisper threatens doom.

    Then the young scribe Caitrin appears in Anluan's garden, admiring the rare plant known as heart's blood. Retained to sort through entangled family documents, Caitrin brings about unexpected changes in the household, casting a hopeful light against the despairing shadows.

    But even as Caitrin brings solace to Anluan, and the promise of something more between them, he remains in thrall to the darkness surrounding Whistling Tor. To free Anluan's burdened soul, Caitrin must unravel the web of sorcery woven by his ancestors before it claims his life-and their love . . .
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateOct 16, 2018
    ISBN9781977373465
    Heart's Blood
    Author

    Juliet Marillier

    Juliet Marillier holds advanced degrees in music and languages, and has had a lifelong passion for both Celtic music and Irish folklore. She is the author of the internationally acclaimed Sevenwaters trilogy, Wolfskin, Foxmask and The Bridei Chronicles. She resides with her family in Perth, Western Australia.

    More audiobooks from Juliet Marillier

    Related to Heart's Blood

    Related audiobooks

    General Fiction For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      For The Wolf

      Jun 16, 2021

      ⏵ RELEASED 17 JUNE 480 pages | Paperback/ebook/audiobook ⏵ Author Hannah Whitten ⏵ Publisher Orbit Books Wolves run through fairy tales, flashing a tooth here, a tail there. But if you pick this up expecting to see familiar motifs popping up, you’ll

      1 min read

    • Article

      Jay Kristoff

      Sep 8, 2021

      MOST NOVELISTS HAVE AT LEAST ONE book in a drawer that represents an early effort, a text that will never be offered up to a wider readership. In the case of Jay Kristoff, this book was a tale of bloodsuckers he wrote in 2008. “It was right at the ta

      3 min read

    • Article

      The Stiperstones

      Jan 26, 2024

      The Stiperstones
      3 min read

    • Article

      A Brief Ghostly Encounter…

      Nov 30, 2020

      A Brief Ghostly Encounter…
      7 min read

    • Article

      A Close Encounter With A Lion

      May 25, 2023

      My Dear Baker Mrs Oswell and myself thoroughly enjoyed our stay with you and your charming wife in June. It was a true pleasure for us both to renew old times and friendship. We trust that your trip to India will be a pleasant one, and the ship you a

      6 min read

    • Article

      Lonesome Pine

      Oct 8, 2021

      Lonesome Pine
      5 min read

    • Article

      In Search Of Sanctuary

      Jan 5, 2024

      In Search Of Sanctuary
      16 min read

    • Article

      A Bit Of TLC

      Mar 17, 2022

      Sam Llewellyn sails a 30ft ketch he rescued from dereliction It was a bright, breezy day in the yard. There was the sound of power tools and voices asking other voices to pass the paint, and could they borrow a wrench, and had they finished with the

      3 min read

    • Article

      I Met Myself Coming Back

      Oct 6, 2022

      I Met Myself Coming Back
      6 min read

    • Article

      Five Poems

      May 1, 2019

      “My arm is so brown and so beautiful,” is a thought I haveas I’m about to turn off the lamp and go to sleep.I look at it a moment in the soft glow, and see it, briefly,as though it belonged to someone else. A reddishkind of brown, like a toasted almo

      7 min read

    • Article

      Forgive Us Our Trespasses

      Jun 3, 2021

      Forgive Us Our Trespasses
      4 min read

    • Article

      Community Of Peers

      Feb 10, 2021

      After the war, I travelled to a village in the south of the province. It was my intention to vacation for the weekend in an unknown land. I followed a small river that was alternately green beneath the foliage of the forest and blue while it coursed

      6 min read

    • Article

      The Stories Of Us

      Nov 24, 2023

      The Stories Of Us
      7 min read

    • Article

      Stop Hating on Adjectives!

      Jun 12, 2019

      A common admonition in creative writing pedagogy is, “Cut as many adjectives as possible.” I propose that this rule springs from mere prejudice. The post Stop Hating on Adjectives! appeared first on The Millions.

      7 min read

    • Article

      TALL, WIDE, and Piercing Eyes

      Mar 1, 2019

      TALL, WIDE, and Piercing Eyes
      7 min read

    • Article

      Iran

      May 5, 2022

      When I saw the bush, I could hardly contain my delight. It rose from the grainy sweep of sand before me like a towering will-o’-thewisp, part-fern, part-wishful phantasm. Shade pooled from its roots in delicious, wasteful abandon. Could it be real? F

      3 min read

    • Article

      Hook, Line And Sinker

      Oct 18, 2018

      Hook, Line And Sinker
      4 min read

    • Article

      Autumnal Adrenaline

      Sep 17, 2020

      Autumnal Adrenaline
      5 min read

    • Article

      It Happened to Me…

      Mar 24, 2022

      It Happened to Me…
      7 min read

    • Article

      Thrill Of The Chase

      Apr 29, 2021

      INTERREGNUM Jim Ring Writesideleft £9.99 When it was safely below, the four of us crowded round the wheel. ‘Course, sir?’ shouted Crawford, wiping some of the rain off his face. ‘We can’t do anything to windward in this weather without the jib. Where

      4 min read

    • Article

      Guided To Grainger’s Grave

      May 19, 2022

      SEND FORUM SUBMISSIONS TO THE EDITOR: DRSUTTON@FORTEANTIMES.COM Last night I found a smudge of lipstick on my Covid mask. I don’t drink or suffer memory lapses and have no recollection of any intimate encounter that might have created this crimson bl

      5 min read

    • Article

      The Broken Mirror

      Sep 2, 2022

      GONE WERE THE CAMPERS and the counselors. Gone were the Civilian Conservation Corps cabins. Gone were the horses and the corral, the mess hall and the bathhouse. Tall grass and brambles grew in the field between the mountain and the river. Only the m

      3 min read

    • Article

      Two Poems by Phillip B. Williams

      Dec 15, 2017

      The masters are yet dead. Wanting to be human,I tried to rewrite The Waste Land. The canon’s reachcasts ruinous light. The masters’ pens breachthis page where, above, my own hand spectates. Babylonrisen, exorcism in reverse, whose nature upended now?

      6 min read

    • Article

      Sometimes The Gods Can Be Cruel

      Oct 27, 2023

      Sometimes The Gods Can Be Cruel
      7 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Heart's Blood

    4/5

    387 ratings39 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      A good story, a bit slow paced. A good narrator
    • 5/5

      a good romance that doesn't make the female lead a damsel.
    • 4/5
      The best Beauty and the Beast retelling I have ever read.
    • 5/5
      A true writer - seems i must write myself to add an additional 7 words to the original comnent.
    • 5/5
      I'm not sure Heart's Blood actually stands with my other five star books in terms of how much I loved it, but it's the first of Juliet Marillier's books I've read (the other two being Wildwood Dancing and Cybele's Secret) that I felt genuinely excited about and eager to read, once I'd started. I ended up loving it quite a lot, with 'just a few more pages' syndrome and, near the end, excited little eeps and sighs. I'd hoped to enjoy Marillier's work more than I did, so it was lovely to thoroughly enjoy this, and that's probably inflated my rating an extra star.

      I do have reservations about it -- the narrator, the main character, was not very well differentiated from Marillier's other narrators. There was the same tone, the same inclinations... There were differences in the characters, and they're certainly not carbon copies, but it didn't come through in her tone.

      I was also a little put out by how quickly I realised the true identity of a certain character, and how long it took the main character to realise the same.

      But, yes, for the most part, I loved it. It's an inventive retelling of Beauty and the Beast, it has a disabled protagonist, the issues of abuse which hover around it like a cloud from the very first pages are well-handled... I could believe in the situation, whole-heartedly: I enjoyed the setting, and the supporting characters, and believed in how they related to each other. For the first half of it, I couldn't predict what was going to happen, and I couldn't predict the way Marillier was going to reinterpret the story.

      If there's to be a series, as I've seen suggested, then I'll definitely buy any subsequent books. But it does stand alone, too: it has a proper resolution, and the end is hopeful and suggesting the future without requiring follow-up, as such.
    • 5/5
      The young scribe Caitrin fleeing from the cruelty of her relatives, comes to the crumbling fortress of Whistling Tor, a place of dark secrets. Anluan, the chieftrain, whose name is spoken with revulsion and bitterness, is crippled by a childhood illness. A curse seems to lay on the fortress and it's inhabitants. Caitrin fell in love with anluan, but can she untangle the web of sorcery?
    • 3/5
      Well written, plot with many layers and elements. A nice book for people in need of a fantasy, romantic escape.
    • 5/5
      Was surprised to hear the copyright of the novel is 1972. Beautiful story that has elements of several fairy tales--Beauty and the Beast; Sleeping Beauty (or Briar Rose and its curse of 100 years; and even Cinderella (Caitrin treated cruelly and as a drudge by her hateful distant female relative). I enjoyed how Caitrin grows up and comes into her own, and the narrator is fabulous!
    • 5/5
      I'm not sure why I placed a hold on this book, but I'm so glad I did. It's got a lovely fairytale quality, and my only real quibble was that I found the central mystery easier to solve than the characters did. But even with that, it was a fantastic book to curl up with, and I'd definitely recommend it if you're a fan of Tamora Pierce. It's not really YA, but the main character is 18, and the story feels like something I would have deeply loved as a teen too.
    • 4/5
      18-year old Caitrin has recently lost her father and distant relatives have come to take over the house and to “take care” of Caitrin in her time of grief. Well, Cillian is abusive and Caitrin’s sister has left to marry a travelling musician, and Caitrin can’t take it anymore. She leaves and finds herself in Whistling Tor. The village seems fine, though they aren’t used to outsiders visiting, but she soon heads up the mountain (despite warnings of the odd goings-on there) to see if she can land herself a job as a scribe, which her father was, and which she, herself, trained as. Once there, she is a bit taken aback by the head of the house (and cheiftan of the area, though most don’t see him as a leader). As she gets to know the people there, she soon learns that things are odder, still. I may have known this (I likely did!) when I added it to my tbr, but it’s been long enough that I didn’t remember (until looking at tags assigned and perusing a few other reviews after I finished reading it) that this was a retelling of “Beauty and the Beast”. I didn’t catch it while reading, though I see traces of it, knowing after the fact.Anyway, I really enjoyed it. I quite liked the characters. I did – sort of – figure out the twist earlier on. Well, it flitted through my head as a possibility, then disappeared again. But, that didn’t take away from my enjoyment of it, at all.
    • 5/5
      Running from an abusive family member, Caitrin finds refuge at Whistling Tor. Nothing is quite what it seems, however, and Caitrin has to trust her instincts to know who is a friend and who is an enemy. It has a flavor of Beauty and the Beast to it which was fun. While not all the dialogue is perfect and there are sometimes just too many words, it was a very enjoyable and page turning story. One of my favorite things was the sense that even though some of the characters were in difficult situations not of their own making, they still had a choice regarding their actions. They could choose to resist evil, even if they could not free themselves. Some sensitive topics are dealt with (mild sexual content, rape, abuse, torture and murder) but in a manageable way so that I think this book would be appropriate for older teens.
    • 5/5
      I had to read this book in small increments, just because I wanted it to last a long time. Marillier works her magic again. This book includes a breath-taking detail of Irish country life and scenery, a small touch of fantasy, and a heart-wrenching, beautiful romance. Caitrin's metamorphosis from an anxiety-ridden child into a can-do woman is a great tonic to anyone suffering from the helpless woman/fearless feminist dichotomy so present in lit today.
      The romance is subtle, slow, and delicious. It's filled with small touches and smiles that make for a beautiful story. The scene in which Caitrin and Anluan meet for the first time was so good I had to go back and read it again! Enjoy this book slowly, and savor every minute of it!
    • 5/5
      Remembering once again why Juliet Marillier is my favorite author!!! I really hope she continues with this story line - there are so many wonderful possibilities and I love these characters. So much strength and courage - I needed that reminder.
    • 4/5
      Juliet Marillier is an author I've read before- namely of the Sevenwaters series. She is immensely fond of Gaelic culture and history and she uses it well in this book. Caitrin, a scribe on the run from her abusive family, stumbles upon work and shelter in the strange and foreboding Whistling Tor under the chieftan Anluan, a man reviled by his people. Among the sparse, motley staff of the ruined fortress, she finds her strength, her courage, and a bigger puzzle to solve: what is the terrible curse on Whistling Tor and its chieftans, and how can it be reversed?Though it wasn't recognizable to me immediately, this book is essentially a Beauty and the Beast story. I would hesitate to call it a retelling, exactly- there's a castle, its reclusive lord and strange, magical staff. But Caitrin is no prisoner, and in fact most believe she will vanish from the castle sooner rather than later. Her family's past is complicated, as is Anluan's, and the threats they face are more numerous and more varied than a village mob rallied by pretty-boy Gaston. I believe Heart's Blood is a really lovely addition to the fairy tale genre that adds an interesting perspective on the standard story, and I'd recommend it to any fan of Beauty and the Beast as well as anyone with a fondness for Celtic fantasy.
    • 3/5
      Caitlin is a girl running from her home because she was being abused by her aunt and her son, her only talent is words. She can read and write both English and Latin; at the times, a girl with education was a very rare thing; so destiny leads her to a little town, with a creepy palace hovering about it, surrounded with hunted woods called Whistling Tor. She decides to get the job as a scribe to the owner of the palace, though she heard a lot of creepy stories about the palace and the “creatures” living there with the ill chief.

      What enchanted me till now in the book is the cold Gothic atmosphere, the creepy mirrors and dark magic lurking in the corners of the palace with woods filled with suffering ghosts, waiting for release from the curse that Caitlin might be able to break.

      The last time I edited this review it was [Friday, July 1, 2011]. Now, after so many months [even before July], I still can't bring myself to finish this book!

      It's [Thursday, December 22, 2011] and it's been 2 years since I'm going back and forth to it. It's not that the story isn't good. It's just freaky, long and cold.

      Some parts are just plain long and unnecessary. A huge part of me is yelling: "Just get to the point!"

      I will finish it eventually, don't know when exactly though. I really want to see how the story will end and what will happen to "The Hosts". And will the beast finally admit to having feelings for beauty? And will beauty finally begin to be braver and quicker?!
    • 5/5
      This was the first novel I've read by Juliet Marillier, but it certainly won't be the last if her others are as good as this book. I loved the loose retelling of "Beauty and the Beast" with its warm and believable characters.
    • 2/5
      This was a good story. Unfortunately, parts of it were not well written. The first thing that annoyed me was a ridiculously overwrought reaction early in the story - "O no! The mirror is EVIL! I can't go NEAR it! Take it AWAY! I don't want to be in the same ROOM with it! Dear ME! *faints*". And that might even have been okay if the author showed us the character's reaction, instead of just having her tell us over and over how horrible it was. That problem - too much telling, not enough showing - kept coming up periodically throughout the book.

      Which is a shame, because I actually enjoyed the story once I got used to the style in which it was written. The main character is a bit of a Mary-Sue, but fairly likable, and the love interest has an interesting backstory. There was a neat little mystery to work out, although it became obvious to me a while before the characters figured it out.

      Interesting variation on Beauty and the Beast.
    • 3/5
      Nice romance fairytale. I'm absolutely partial to stories on the line of the Beauty and the Beast, but this one flows nicely, the characters are very likeable, the setting and atmosphere just right. Anyway, the first part of the book is very soft and captivating; the second half focus on Caitrin who, dint of luck by dint of luck, finds the resolve to take her destiny in her own hands, and act upon it. Yes, of course nothing original here, and surely you can predict how things will unfold...also, the fact that the protagonists love to over-explain is a bit of a downside, because it slows the pace of the narrative towards the climax of the story. Redundancy aside, I looked for an easy, romantic and emotional fairytale, with good narrative and a well-crafted fantasy backdrop: I wasn't disappointed.
    • 4/5
      Caitrin is a scribe running away from her past when she stumbles into a strange, enchanted city. At the heart of this place filled with whispering townspeople and strangle ghosts in the woods is Whistling Tor - the home of Anluan, master and cripple. He hires her for a summer, but when war seems to be on the horizon, Caitrin must be able to overcome her fears in order to help save this place she starts to call home.

      I love this book. Marillier is such a talented writer for these re-imagined fairy tales. This story pays a near-perfect homage to Beauty and the Beast. It is absolutely beautiful because it takes the story but makes it completely new. I don't say that lightly. We can see the shell of the original fairy tale, but these characters, the situation, the struggles are all new. Beautiful.

      The characters are written so well. I love how Caitrin is a strong woman. Not through physical strength, but through her convictions.
      Marillier does such a wonderful job writing a woman who can be strong without punching idiots left and right. Usually strong women in books end up as a stereotypical "kick-ass" heroine who asserts her strength by actual muscle and playing ball with the big boys. Here, Marillier accomplishes it by letting Caitrin face her fears and stick to her convictions. She doesn't run away when the chips fall, she doesn't shirk her duty even though she bone-scared. And she presses on forward. Strength in the subtlety. A rare find in books these days.

      I love how Anluan is not the stereotypical beast, but rather a cripple. A homage to the true story of a man who is no longer a man, reduced to something else. I love the way the relationship develops. Not the ridiculous insta-attraction, but something slow and sweet from care to friendship to love. It is so real, so raw.

      And though these two are the main characters, I loved every single character in this book. Fleshed out, important side characters.

      I loved how the two main characters were given time to face their fears alone on their two feet before the war begins. Their strength isn't goopy, sappy, imagined strength from the ohmigahd power of love! (sarcastic). Rather, it's found within themselves first. They fix themselves first before falling into something so deep and committed as a relationship. It's a relationship done right..

      Perhaps the only weakness in the story is the amount of history that was thrown at us in the beginning - but that is also fairly necessary for reader understanding, so it's fine. But I had a little trouble sifting through what was important and what was extraneous. Ah well, that's history for you.

      Four and a half stars because it was so, so lovely. I haven't read a beautiful fairy-tale adaptation like this is a while. I rounded down (and didn't give it that last 0.5 star) because even thought it was beautiful and I have pretty much nothing but compliments and declarations of love for this book.... it didn't give me the shivers, if that makes sense. It didn't make my heart ache as much as I hoped. Despite the brilliant story and wonderful characters, I wish there were more parts that made me gasp and hurt and love and hate. But that isn't something that one can just prescribe to an author. But it is a requirement for that last 0.5 star for me.
      Very highly recommended for anyone who loves a slow, beautiful romance with a bit of a fairy tale twist.
    • 3/5
      This historical fantasy was a bit of a disappointment for me. It's the first book I've read by Juliet Marillier, although I've thought about starting one of her series several times (they always have fabulous covers!). The setting is medieval Ireland, and the tale combines elements of Beauty and the Beast with Celtic folklore. The book is dense and it took me a long time to finish. There are lots of details and scenes of everyday life. At the center of the book is a really interesting plot and likable romantic leads, but for me, all of that got lost within dull surroundings. I guess I like my fantasy a little more action-oriented. The romance, too, builds very slowly. At times Heart's Blood reminded me of a Patricia McKillip novel, with its Celtic mythology and romantic storytelling, but where McKillip seems to choose each word carefully for the utmost lyrical impact, Marillier uses twenty words where five would do. If you like your fantasy dreamy and long-winded, this one's for you. Personally, I don't know if I would read another book by this author or not. Two and a half stars.
    • 5/5
      I originally reviewed this book on my blog - The Cosy Dragon. For more recent reviews by me, please hop over there.Caitrin is running from the past, yet the future she is running into is even worse. Beset by ghosts and demons both real and imagined, can Caitrin do something useful with her life, and end up with the man she loves?From the first couple of words, Marillier suckers the reader in. I found myself wanting to read on just to find out what Caitrin was fleeing from - whether I would be told that or not I waited breathlessly to find out.The text seems a little stilted in the first couple of pages, but I was positive that it would improve. It's something after reading the three books of the Sevenwaters trilogy I was sort of expecting to find. It didn't bother me significantly though, because Caitrin had already pulled me in! I think it was a slightly easier read than those three books, but no less enjoyableThere are some early beautiful descriptions of the garden. Marillier has done a great job of landscaping the area for her reader while also striking a balance with history and the characters. I can imagine that a lot of research into Irish history went into this book, and it's been utterly worth it.There are two hooks in the reader - the material Caitrin is researching (and that she is interested in) and also what is happening in the present. It's wonderful to see the character development of all the living characters, and also of some of the Host. Marillier deals nicely with rape, murder and torture - the reader isn't overwhelmed. The reader can face fears with Caitrin as she blossoms back into the independant woman she should be.The use of mirrors providing further insight into the past is fascinating. The change in perspective from Caitrin to Nechtan really works well, and after an initial stumble, I found myself accepting the mirror premise. It hasn't been overused in the text, and that's what I think makes it work.I read parts of the book aloud, and found that a couple of sentences in the passages I was reading were too long! I also struggled with the legitimate Irish names, which defied my attempts at pronunciation. However, my audience of 1 didn't care, and the text flowed smoothly and had a lovely rhythm about it.This is a brilliant novel, just what I was hoping to read after the poor quality of 'Wit'ch Fire'. It had me reading past my bedtime because I had already spent the whole day reading it! I'd recommend this book for teenagers and adults. There is some very brief sexual content, but it's not enough to make the book unsuitable for younger readers.
    • 4/5
      Caitrin is on the run, and anywhere will do. Overcome by grief after her father’s death, she was taken advantage of and mistreated by her distant cousins after her sister married and moved away. When she finally fled, it was her precious writing box she took, for both she and her father were scribes. During her flight she arrives at Whistling Tor, a fiercely guarded Irish town. She learns that the chieftan is a recluse and the villagers are afraid of what goes on on the hilltop where he lives. Hearing that he is in need of a scribe Caitran travels up the hill and meets some unlikely companions on the way. Caitrin learns how the chieftan, Anluan, is bound to the hilltop by the actions of his ancestor, for to leave would cause his unusual army to run amok and bring death and destruction on the area. As Caitlin and Anluan's relationship develops she realises that only through her love and determination can break the curse can be broken and set Anluan and his people free. A great read.
    • 3/5
      Heart's Blood is far from being an unique novel. Almost all characters seem familiar to you, and the storyboard is a variation of "Jane Eyre". But it is nicely written and entertaining, an easy read.
    • 5/5
      As I've mentioned on an occasion or seventy, I am a BIG fan of Juliet Marillier and count her Daughter of the Forest not only as my favorite fairy tale retelling, but among my favorite books, period. Because of this, I am always just about equal parts excitement and trepidation when I start a new book by her. A part of me knows it's never going to measure up to the pedestal I keep Daughter of the Forest on, and part of me doesn't care because I know it's going to be so frakking good anyway. So I went into Heart's Blood, which had been on my wishlist for eons, knowing I was going to be let down and that I was still going to love it. It's such a strange way to read a book...Heart's Blood is a very full and complete story - as her tales always are - easily standing on its own two feet outside of its Beauty and the Beast bones. In fact, many readers may not even recognize it outright as a B&B tale, it's so well-developed beyond that. Marillier is at the top of my list of authors to recommend both to people looking for a fairy tale retelling and people who think they'd never like or want to read a fairy tale retelling. The elements are there for those who love the tales, but her stories are so much more than a simple fairy tale, always. Her world-building is thoughtful and skillful, and beyond her gorgeous writing, her handling of a story is sure to please so many different types of readers, looking for so many different things. Her stories are atmospheric and lush, very vividly detailed and lovingly rendered - the types of stories to escape into, to sigh over, and to push rabidly on every reader to cross your path.In addition to her world-building, Marillier shows a real mastery of character-building. As with her other works, Heart's Blood demonstrates great character growth for so many of the characters, right down to the minor ones. Marillier can really make you grow to love someone in such a short time-frame, she is just so very good at building a character. They can be introduced in the end of the book and still you root/fear/feel for them. But beyond letting you love them, she gives each of them, right down to the most minor, the chance to become a round character and have their moment to shine. Marillier doesn't deal in cardboard characters, and hallelujah, if that is not every reader's dream... So you can only imagine that if her minor characters are full and realized, her main characters are practically touchable. Caitrin and Anluan are no exception, and I really feel as if, were I to climb some random Irish hill with a castle at the top, I'd find Anluan pacing unevenly yet stormily about the courtyard...That said, I felt there were some... missing links. Missed connections, I guess... I felt like Caitrin and Anluan should have loved each other, that they were absolutely meant to love each other, but I couldn't quite see how they did. It was like, there's something there and they're made for each other, but within the actual text of the story, it was never really put out there, not fully. It wasn't given enough of a foundation, beyond the reader's expectation. It was close, so close, but there was just something a little off, some teensy but key moments where the romance buds and blooms, and I don't know, maybe they happened offstage, but I needed them (because I'm living vicariously, dammit!). I'm sure I'm being hard on Marillier because I know just how goddamned well she can build a romance and make me believe every palpable, heart-rending, fluttery moment of it. But still...But this is really a tiny drawback, because even Marillier slightly off her game is leagues beyond what you'll get from many authors out there. Something I came to realize as I finished this book was that I trust Marillier implicitly. I'll go wherever she wants to take me, because I know she's going to make it worthwhile. Heart's Blood is fantastic as a Beauty/Beast retelling, of course, but so much more than that. It adult moments, but it's not gratuitous; it can be dark, but it's never without hope. Marillier understands balance and she understands longing, and it's a very honest story. Marillier is always honest and doesn't toy with her readers, and I've come to respect and trust her immensely because of that. Her writing is very authentic and real-feeling, always. Even when that may be uncomfortable. And above all, her stories fulfill something deep inside of the reader, and I love her for that.
    • 3/5
      Caitrin, a female scribe, is fleeing her home when she arrives at Whistling Tor. This mysterious estate is home to Anluan, who was crippled by a palsy as a child, and his mysterious attendants. The people of the village tell Caitrin that Whistling Tor is under a curse -- but Caitrin has heard that Anluan is looking for a scribe, and she is in need of work. When she arrives at the Tor, she finds that Anluan is unfriendly and his people are indeed mysterious, but she feels safe there all the same. Part of Anluan's hostility is due to the fact that he is sure she will leave after a few days, but Caitrin pledges to stay through the summer and complete the work of organizing his library and transcribing his Latin texts into the common tongue. As she progresses with her work, Caitrin comes to believe that there might be something in the texts to break the old curse upon Whistling Tor -- but before she can find it, threats from without and within endanger both Caitrin's life, and the survival of all at Whistling Tor.This Beauty and the Beast story didn't do much for me, in terms of romance -- I just didn't feel the spark of attraction between Caitrin and Anluan for most of the book. I will say, however, that in terms of character development, both Caitrin and Anluan grew and changed over the course of the story, and I was interested in the ways that they were developing. There was a point where I felt conflict was manufactured, rather than naturally occurring, and Caitrin's actions at that point seemed forced.My other complaint is about the names -- the setting of the book is Ireland, presumably some time in the late middle ages, and many of the character names are completely unpronounceable . . . and there is no glossary. It's a small thing, but each new name left me wondering how it was pronounced, which took me right out of the story.So, all in all, I probably wouldn't recommend this one unless you are a die-hard fan of this author or this sort of fantasy story.
    • 5/5
      This is a new approach on one of my favourite stories: Beauty and the Beast. Our hero, Caitrin, runs from home and finds an enchanted castle with a strange lord. But the similarities with Disney stop there and we enter a world with Juliet’s name all over. As always, beautiful storytelling, amazing characters and a misterious magical ambiance only Juliet Marillier can provide for.The only downside is that I found it a little predictable, I found myself wanting to scream the answers at Caitrin, but she eventually got there by herself.Thank you dear Juliet for sharing your stories with us.
    • 3/5
      Not my favourite of Juliet Marillier's but still, it doesn't disappoint. Heart's blood is another fairytale retelling of how Caitrin, a young scribe flees from her past and ends up at Whistling Tor. There she finds hope, confidence and love - in herself, as well as others.As what you would expect from Marillier; an engaging storyline, beautiful writing and believable characters. The story is basically told from Caitrin's perspective, and the method worked pretty well. Though, I find myself hoping to know more about the denizens of Whistling Tor.The story started out slow at first and I stopped a couple of times, only to pick up later again after coercing myself that I spent good money on the book. I'm glad I did that and I was eventually immersed in it. I have to say that my favourite character, even though both Caitrin and Anluan are wonderful protagonists, is Eichri - the sinner unrepentant. I'm not going to say much about him, so you have to read the novel to find out for yourselves!
    • 4/5
      A re-working of the Beauty and the Beast yet with all the added things you expect from a Marillier book: - the attention to detail, the well rounded characters, intrigue and something of the mystical. Caitrin is a scribe who is fleeing her abusive relatives and finds work at the mysterious Whistling Tor. Caitrin needs to reach within herself to bring peace to the residents and perhaps find love with the afflicted Anulan. Enjoyable.
    • 4/5
      I think Juliet Marillier's most successful books are the ones that follow traditional fairy tales the closest. Heart's Blood and Daughter of the Forest are the best of hers I've read so far.And as far as fairy tale retelling goes, Marillier is probably the best at it. She has that special ability to take a centuries-old tale and fill it with interesting new characters, historical details, original and always very atmospheric setting - and voila, a great story that doesn't feel like an old tired rip-off at all.Heart's Blood is a fresh take on Beauty and the Beast and probably the best retelling of this story I've come across. The plot is familiar - a pretty girl, a beastly-looking man, a curse, a flower, an enchanted castle. You all know it. But the characters are fresh - Caitrin is a scribe escaping from her abusive relatives, Anluan is a young man suffering from palsy whose family was cursed years ago. The story is set in Ireland. Whistling Tor is an enchanted, misty place full of sleepless ghosts...The main challenge of any Beauty and the Beast retelling is to make us believe in a deep connection and love between a pretty girl and a beast. I remember reading Robin McKinley's version and never feeling why and when the two main characters fell in love. Not so in Heart's Blood. The way Caitrin and Anluan's relationship is written makes you truly believe in their love for each other. And even more, in their mutual sexual attraction. No small fit, considering that Anluan is pretty much a cripple.There is also this great way these two communicate I found very appealing - they do not try to change each other, but help one another to overcome their weaknesses and hang-ups, to realize how much they have to offer, to become more confident, stronger. Very touching.My only problem, the usual with all Juliet Marillier's books, is that she tends to be too wordy. Very often I feel like whatever needs to be said could have been said in fewer words. I found myself particularly frustrated in the end of the story, when all exciting stuff started happening and it was slowed down by wordiness. I skim-read a lot at that point to get to the juicy stuff.I see that Heart's Blood is the first book Whistling Tor series. I wonder what else is there to say about this place. What future books are going to be about? Does anyone know?
    • 5/5
      I recently finished one of the most captivating novels I’ve read in a long time. Have you ever had that experience where, upon picking up a novel, you find yourself reading it during every spare moment? Before work, on your lunch break, afterwards; on and on until you’ve turned the last page and your eyeballs are weeping while your head is throbbing, but the story was just so entrancing you just didn’t care? It’s a feeling that doesn’t happen all the time, but when it does, it’s magic. For me, the enchantment came in the form of Juliet Mariller’s latest novel, Heart’s Blood, which, interestingly enough, is at its core the essence of the fairytale Beauty and the Beast.Readers, I loved this book so much, I married it. No, no, just kidding. But in all seriousness, the book is now my favorite interpretation of B&B, which is saying a lot. I grew up enraptured with Robin McKinley’s Beauty. In fact, McKinley helped launch me on the path leading to the fairytale genre or, as I like to call such works, “fractured fairytales.” McKinley is somewhat of a B&B expert, having written not one, but two interpretations of the classic tale. In addition to those, her latest novel, Chalice, has traces of the B&B story in it (and, imo, it’s a fabulous book that I’m hoping to re-read again soonish). I’ve never had something I’ve held close to my heart for a long time usurped so completely by a new, shinier toy. My favorites list usually remains pretty stagnant. I mean, in my Top Five for both books and movies, nothing new has hit the list for either since 2006 (and it’s weird to have a new item on both lists in one year, but that’s another story). Everything else has been cherished above all else for quite a long time, some of it even dating back to junior high. I’m not trying to imply that Heart’s Blood made it to my Top Five list because it didn’t (neither did McKinley, though another fractured fairytale author, Gail Carson Levine, has the honor of having written the only children’s book to make it onto my Top Five list for Ella Enchanted, which was the aforementioned jhs favorite that never let go), but it did leapfrog over McKinley and is one of my favorite books in the “fractured fairytale” genre right now. I’m still reeling from this read. I didn’t pick up another book for about a week after reading this one because Marillier’s characters were still so vivid in my mind’s eye and it took me even longer to be able to articulate a semi-coherent review (though I’m still gushing, aren’t I?). Believe it or not, this was my first time reading one of Marillier’s novels. I first heard about both her and Shannon Hale last year on a forum discussing fairytale authors worth reading. I bought a couple of books written by each author, but started Hale’s catalogue of titles first (which was good at the time because I got to meet her twice last year thanks to the National Book Festival in DC and a local stop on her tour). I can’t believe I’ve waited so long to start reading her novels! What have I been waiting for? Now my only qualm is the fact that I probably won’t have time to read another one before April or May due to obligations, new eagerly-awaited releases coming this month, and ARCs I’d actually like to read ahead of time for once. I mean, this week alone I’m supposed to finish the rest of Frank Beddor’s The Looking Glass Wars before the new Alice in Wonderland movie comes out, not to mention starting The Poacher’s Son by Paul Doiron for the Barnes & Noble Forums First Look Club because I’m already behind. I even have to put off reading my favorite author, Jodi Picoult’s, latest book that hit stands today (House Rules), but that’s neither here nor there, so those books will come in other posts.Anyway, enough blather about nothing. What you really want to know is what made this book so good that it turned me into a drooling idiot, right? As much as I love the world of fairytales, I appreciate it even more when an author does something new and innovative within the story’s framework. It’s one reason I prefer using the term “fratured” and love such versions of a tale above more straight-forward retellings of a classic story. What I like about Heart’s Blood is that while the story’s core is B&B, it’s also so much more. The main character, Caitrin (a name I love, btw), is running away from a dark secret after the death of her beloved father and finds herself seeking sanctuary at Whistling Tor, the estate of Irish chieftain Anluan. She is able to work as a scribe and is there voluntarily, not a prisoner or part of a deal. Even Anluan, our “beast” character, is significantly different from the traditional portrayal of a monstrous, spoiled brat. He wasn’t transformed by a magical spell/curse. Instead, he victim to a childhood illness that caused his face to be sort of lopsided and the right side of his body to malfunction. The problems Caitrin and Anluan face are unique as well as Marillier intertwines Irish history and the coming of the Normans into the story. Even the “curse” is something realistic that doesn’t seem too far removed from reality. In fact, it has nothing to do with bringing the “beauty” and the “beast” together, but is part of a different, larger plot that encompasses the bulk of the story in a refreshing way.I really love what Juliet Marillier did with Heart’s Blood and hope you will as well. It was one of the most thrilling books I’ve read in the past year and truly kept me engaged as a reader. [EDIT: On a design note, I loved the way the “t” looked in the cover title, though the font itself was a little too rough around the edges for me. I much prefered the font used at the beginning of each chapter (and the “t” was, again, especially unique). I’d really love to find out more about the chapter font.]