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FOR PAULA, ACCOMPANYING her merchant father on a trading voyage to Istanbul is a dream come true. They have come to this city of trade on a special mission to purchase a most rare artifact a gift from the ancient goddess, Cybele, to her followers. It s the only remnant of a lost, pagan cult.
But no sooner have they arrived when it becomes clear they may be playing at a dangerous game. A colleague and friend of Paula s father is found murdered. There are rumors of Cybele s cult reviving within the very walls of Istanbul. And most telling of all, signs have begun to appear to Paula, urging her to unlock Cybele s secret.
Meanwhile, Paula doesn t know who she can trust in Istanbul, and finds herself drawn to two very different men. As time begins to run out, Paula realizes they may all be tied up in the destiny of Cybele s Gift, and she must solve the puzzle before unknown but deadly enemies catch up to her. . ....
Marillier follows up on the sisters of Wildwood Dancing. Six years have passed since eldest sister Tatiana joined her true love Sorrow in the Other Kingdom, and Paula, the scholarly daughter, is accompanying her father to Istanbul to act as his assistant. His primary interest is in an artifact called Cybele's Gift, a relic of an ancient cult. Paula's father hires a bodyguard for her, a young Bulgarian named Stoyan who accompanies her everywhere, even to the house of Irene of Volos, a Greek scholar who has opened her library to Paula. While perusing the manuscripts, Paula has odd glimpses of messages and people that seem to call to her from the Other Kingdom. She senses that Tatiana, or Tati, is behind these messages and that she is in need of Paula's help. Before long, she, Stoyan, and the charming Portuguese pirate Duarte Aguiar are off on a quest that will take them into the heart of the Other Kingdom, where Paula will find that things are seldom what they seem. Marillier is a master of lucid storytelling, and the narrative here is beautifully written. Paula's first-person narration lends immediacy to the story and gives much more insight into her character than a third-person narrative would. The characters are well drawn, evocative and memorable, and neither characterization nor plot dominates. Rather, they mesh together into an engrossing story with both the hallmarks of folklore and its own fresh perspective. This title is a good pick for any library, especially those with a following for fantasy. Reviewer: Donna Scanlon
| Price | Condition | Delivery | Seller | Action |
| $99.99 | Digital |
| WonderClub |
David Parker
reviewed Cybele's Secret on September 28, 2012 Cybele's Secret
LOVED, LOVED, LOVED THIS even better then the first book in the series (Wildwood Dancing). Perhaps more importantly (at least from my perspective), this book is not only a 5 star read, but is making me a big fan of two genres that I typically have major issues with and generally don't enjoy reading (YA and fantasy).
Marillier blends exotic fantasy with solid writing and creates worlds and characters that I admire and believe in. Her heroines are smart, resourceful and independent but still manage to retain their sense of being a young lady with higher goals then merely "getting the guy". Her heroes are swoon-worthy, intelligent, and tough and treat the heroine with respect and admiration mixed with just the right amount of romantic intrigue that a YA reading audience expects. This is a clean read, but it's not a dry one. Stoyan and Duarte bring plenty of sexy banter and romantic tension to the inevitable love triangle aspect of the story, and it's a good writer that can make the reader want both of them to capture our heroine Paula's (pronounced "Pow-la"'s) hand and heart at the end.
But Cybele's Secret is so much more then just a romance. In fact, the romance element really takes a back seat to the unfolding drama of the fantasy. There's deception, a treasure hunt, a mythical quest and a trial-by-fire that all our main characters will have to prove themselves by. The last 3 chapters are non-stop nail biters. I literally couldn't put the book down until the end. In addition, Marillier takes the reader on an armchair tour of the historic city of Istanbul, Turkey, with all it's rich and exotic east-meets-west cultural backdrop.
If you enjoyed Wildwood Dancing, you won't be disappointed in this second installment in the series. And there are some pretty tantalizing clues that the third book in the trilogy is going to be just as fantastic as the first two. Count me in for the ride, I can't wait to see what adventures little Stela is going to get up to and how she will hopefully bring about a reunion for all five sisters in the other kingdom.
***Extra kudos to the mind-blowing cover illustrator for both books in this series. These are, without a doubt, some of the most beautiful and intricately designed book covers I have even seen. Take a long look at the illustration and you will find many details from the storyline. The artist put so many hidden gems into the cover that I found myself going back again and again to study it, and ended up finding more and more things I had missed earlier. An absolute treat for the eyes.
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