The Golden Acorn is an earnest and charming diversion. Inspired by Celtic mythology, it has all the ingredients that children will enjoy and a central character who they might strongly identify with. The story also implies an environmental message. Fantastical species such as talking rat guards, tunneling spriggans and a covetous gnome-like race remind you of old picture books rather than novels in the same genre for young readers. I have never quite understood, however, why children's authors play up the victimization card. Do young readers only empathise with a character when he or she is maltreated?
Celtic themes dominate The Golden Acorn and where you have Celts, you must have druids. Camelin, the talking raven, alludes to the massacre on Mona on several occasions. The Roman administrators perceived the druids as a threat to their rule. To escape persecution, the druids fled to the sacred island of Mona (now the Isle of Anglesey in Wales) where they believed themselves immune from attack. But, attack they did. Here's an account from the Roman historian Tacitus:
"He prepared to attack the island of Mona which had a powerful population and was a refuge for fugitives. He built flat-bottomed vessels to cope with the shallows, and uncertain depths of the sea. Thus the infantry crossed, while the cavalry followed by fording, or, where the water was deep, swam by the side of their horses. On the shore stood the opposing army with its dense array of armed warriors, while between the ranks dashed women, in black attire like the Furies, with hair dishevelled, waving brands. All around, the Druids, lifting up their hands to heaven, and pouring forth dreadful imprecations, scared our soldiers by the unfamiliar sight, so that, as if their limbs were paralysed, they stood motionless, and exposed to wounds. Then urged by their general's appeals and mutual encouragements not to quail before a troop of frenzied women, they bore the standards onwards, smote down all resistance, and wrapped the foe in the flames of his own brands. A force was next set over the conquered, and their groves, devoted to inhuman superstitions, were destroyed. They deemed it indeed a duty to cover their altars with the blood of captives and to consult their deities through human entrails."
Sounds like ancient propaganda. The Golden Acorn references the correlation between the Menai Massacre as the slaughter of druids is known and the uprising by the Celtic queen Boudicca. I didn't even know that the two events took place in the same time frame. Apparently, with Roman military attention diverted to Mona, Boudicca of the Iceni, seized the chance to wreak vengeance and began her murderous rampage which culiminated in the burning of Londoninum (London) to the ground. Strange, how a children's book can you teach a lesson out of Tacitus.
Cooper is the first recipient of the Brit Writers' Unpublished Writer of the Year in 2010 for The Golden Acorn. Well-deserved although the award itself is oddly named.
Celtic themes dominate The Golden Acorn and where you have Celts, you must have druids. Camelin, the talking raven, alludes to the massacre on Mona on several occasions. The Roman administrators perceived the druids as a threat to their rule. To escape persecution, the druids fled to the sacred island of Mona (now the Isle of Anglesey in Wales) where they believed themselves immune from attack. But, attack they did. Here's an account from the Roman historian Tacitus:
"He prepared to attack the island of Mona which had a powerful population and was a refuge for fugitives. He built flat-bottomed vessels to cope with the shallows, and uncertain depths of the sea. Thus the infantry crossed, while the cavalry followed by fording, or, where the water was deep, swam by the side of their horses. On the shore stood the opposing army with its dense array of armed warriors, while between the ranks dashed women, in black attire like the Furies, with hair dishevelled, waving brands. All around, the Druids, lifting up their hands to heaven, and pouring forth dreadful imprecations, scared our soldiers by the unfamiliar sight, so that, as if their limbs were paralysed, they stood motionless, and exposed to wounds. Then urged by their general's appeals and mutual encouragements not to quail before a troop of frenzied women, they bore the standards onwards, smote down all resistance, and wrapped the foe in the flames of his own brands. A force was next set over the conquered, and their groves, devoted to inhuman superstitions, were destroyed. They deemed it indeed a duty to cover their altars with the blood of captives and to consult their deities through human entrails."
Sounds like ancient propaganda. The Golden Acorn references the correlation between the Menai Massacre as the slaughter of druids is known and the uprising by the Celtic queen Boudicca. I didn't even know that the two events took place in the same time frame. Apparently, with Roman military attention diverted to Mona, Boudicca of the Iceni, seized the chance to wreak vengeance and began her murderous rampage which culiminated in the burning of Londoninum (London) to the ground. Strange, how a children's book can you teach a lesson out of Tacitus.
Cooper is the first recipient of the Brit Writers' Unpublished Writer of the Year in 2010 for The Golden Acorn. Well-deserved although the award itself is oddly named.
3 comments:
Hello and thank you for taking the time to review my book.
As you have discovered, history is a passion of mine. The Roman fort Jack and Camelin go back to became the fourth largest city in Roman Britain and was called Viroconium (as it says in the book). It exists today as Wroxeter but sadly only a pale shadow of its former glory. Only a very small part has been excavated.
You also made me smile when you described Camelin as ravenous... the working title for the book when I began planning it was, The Good, The Bad and The Ravenous!
I might also be able to answer one of your questions, at least from my own writing... Jack is 'victimized' in order for him to grow and develop, so by the end of the series he will be stronger and more confident. I'm writing book four at the moment and the 'bullies' have just made their re-appearance.
If you want to find out more about the books, the series and other information, there's a website to view.
Kind regards
Catherine Cooper
www.pengridion.co.uk
Catherine!
Thank you for the comment. History happens to be my passion as well. In Britain, there is at least a modicum of respect for historical sites. In India, we seem to be burning and bulldozing our way through our heritage under the guise of development.
I wish you all the best with the series and I'll be on the lookout for Glasruhen Gate.
Adi
Thank you for your kind wishes.
You might like to know that most of the locations in the books are real and can be found in Shropshire, where I live. The town on the map called 'Newton Gill' is an anagram of my home town (Wellington). I've changed the names of some locations, but the Raven's Bowl can be found on top of The Wrekin (Glasruhen Hill). There is a local legend about it involving two giants.
I have a map and mark it with all the known locations of where my book has travelled to... I'm really happy to add your location to it.
Bye for now
Catherine
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