Black Spring

June 17, 2013
Croggon (the Pellinor series) returns with an homage to Wuthering Heights, trading the English moors of the original for the remote northern wilds of Elbasa, a land of powerful wizards and strict rules concerning vendetta. In language and pitch, the pastiche is spot on: the mincing southern fop (Hammel, in Croggon’s tale) and the pragmatic serving woman with hidden depths (Anna, standing in for Brontë’s Nelly) are captured in detail and in general through their narrative voices. It’s a fantasy setting, but Croggon maintains the north/south, high/low, and male/female class divisions Brontë explores; Lina, born a witch, takes the place of Catherine, while “swarthy” Damek il Haran has his analogue in Heathcliff. The plot, in its essentials, is identical. And therein lies the potential rub: the story does not have its own inherent propulsion. The conflict is patterned, not driven—it isn’t discovering something new. Does it matter? In a tale as well written as this one, probably not. Devotees of Brontë’s original work will still enjoy Croggon’s amplification of the story’s supernatural elements. Ages 14–up. Agent: Jenny Darling and Associates.

August 18, 2012
Black Spring is a dark, gothic tale inspired by Wuthering Heights. In this fantasy version of 19th-century England, some people are born with magical powers. However, only the male babies who show signs of magic are allowed to grow to become wizards—witch babies are slaughtered. Lina’s eyes show all who look at her that she is a witch, but her father refuses to have her killed. She spends her childhood in the more tolerant South before moving to the desolate North. Unhappy with the witch in the North, the King forces Lina’s family to take in one of his illegitimate children—Damek. Lina and Damek, although they initially dislike one another, become devoted to each other to the point of obsession. When a traveller is killed in their town, the Vendetta starts bringing bloodshed and desperation to the people of the village. What I enjoyed most about this book was the way in which small pieces of information about this magical, bleak world were revealed. The story sticks closely to the basic plot of Wuthering Heights, and as such I found myself waiting for particular things to happen several chapters before they actually came about. This is a great book for young adults who would like something that combines a fantasy tale with the feel of a classic.

Amelia Vahtrick is the children’s book buyer at Better Read Than Dead in Newtown