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Editorial Review :
There was a time when Maeve O'Tullagh led a simple life; a time when she and her mother, Nuala, collected kelp on the foreshore near their cottage in Ard Macha; a time when she played among the Celtic ruins with her older brothers and daydreamed about the legendary Holy Isles, an enchanted land ruled in a past age by a beautiful goddess.
But after Maeve's sister, Ishleen, is born, her mother sinks into a deep, impenetrable trance. For years, Maeve tries to help her mother "awaken," and then the unthinkable happens: Ishleen succumbs to the same mysterious ailment as Nuala.
Heartbroken to think that her sister and her mother might be lost to her forever, Maeve sets off on an unimaginable quest to a world filled with fantastical creatures, a web of secrets, a handsome, devious villain who will stop at nothing to have her hand in marriage—braving them all to retrieve a powerful glowing stone that will help her recover the souls of her loved ones and bring them home to Ard Macha.
An adventure-filled and spellbinding novel, The Fire Opal will enchant fantasy readers young and old.
Customer Review :
A top pick for young adult collections!
Older teens will relish Regina McBride's THE FIRE OPAL, a powerful survey of Maeve, whose life changes when her sister is born and her mother sinks into a trance for years. When her sister succumbs to the same mysterious ailment as her mother, Maeve must set off on a quest through a dangerous world to retrieve a stone that may save more than just her family. A top pick for young adult collections!
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review take from One Book At A Time [...]
I haven't read many books set in Ireland. But, what I have read seems to have it's own mystical quality. There's something about Ireland that makes it different and I don't think it's just the legends and myths that have been passed down for centuries. This book is no exception. I think the place and some of the events that are in the background of the story are real. But, it never feels real if that makes sense. It's almost as if the entire story takes place in a fog. It's beautifully written.
While, the story is beautiful, I never connected with any of the characters. Mauve was just the tool to tell the story. I understood why she went to such lengths to rescue her mother and her sister. And her adventure was definitely interesting. I just had a hard time investing myself in anything she did.
I think I might have found more interest in the story if I knew more about Irish legends, etc. The whole story just felt like it was missing something for me.
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Celtic fantasy
Although I am no longer a YA, I love girl powered fantasy with a Celtic setting. This was a pleasant read.
Maeve is a young woman growing up in Ard Macha, Ireland in the Elizabethan era. The English are trying to invade. She lives with her parents and twin brothers. Her mother has always had a mystical quality that intensifies after the birth of another child.One day her Mother slips into a near coma, and Maeve begins the quest to bring her Mother's soul back.
The story was engrossing but tended to lag at the latter one-third, which is why I deducted one star. The bad guys are all really bad, and somehwat stereotypical. The Celtic mythology bit was interesting but I thought a little uneven (the Ice Barge was a little ridiculous). There is a potential love interest but the romance is scant.
At the conclusion, most of the loose ends are wrapped up, but the romantic angle was left open, possibly hinting at a sequel?
If you enjoy female based Celtic fantasy, I would suggest Juliet Marillier's Sevenwaters saga, particularly her latest Heir to Sevenwaters, which is an absolutely fabulous tale of a young woman in a quest against fantastical forces for the sake of her family.
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Do You Hear What I Hear?
Irish history and legends; shape-shifting; romance; mystery; all of these intertwine in this eerie tale.
When Maeve O'Tullagh is in her teens, strange events unfold: Her hated neighbor, Tom Cavan, uncovers the ancient armor of a Viking corpse goddess, a Valkyrie. Soon after, Maeve's baby sister, Ishleen, dies. Maeve and her mother both can hear swan songs. Maeve's mother becomes pregnant again, and is sure Ishleen has returned. A swan-woman gives Maeve two protective talismans, one for herself and one for her mother. A sea-woman creeps into their home, and afterwards Maeve's mother seems spirit-robbed. Later, the same happens to the second Ishleen. Maeve goes on a quest to save them, and finds that the fire opal is a key to their rescue.
The story is set in the village of Ard Macha on the Irish coast, when Elizabeth Tudor's English forces are trying to subdue Ireland. Maeve's two brothers, Donal and Fingal, have joined the Irish resistance and Spanish ships have come to aid the Irish rebellion.
Regina McBride is a master storyteller, interweaving the supernatural with the realistic. Her lyrical writing lures a reader on, and the ending seems to hint at a possible sequel.
Reviewed by Elizabeth Varadan
Rating :
The Fire Opal by Regina McBride Review
As an Irish girl I will admit to being somewhat biased coming into this book. With scenery like the brilliant Irish landscapes, laid out for readers to picture while experiencing the journey that was The Fire Opal, what can you expect? I was already half in love with the story before finishing the first chapter.
McBride gives her readers magic, mythology/folklore and realism all wrapped up neatly in her debut YA novel. She has made the cross from writing adult fiction to YA fantasy quite seamlessly in my opinion.
Our main character, Maeve O'Tullagh was fierce and brace and built for an adventure. With a will of her own she becomes quite the opponent for the mean spirited (and hateful in my opinion) Tom Cavan. She even proves that she is a worthy adversary for an ancient and foreboding Goddess of days old and long forgotten. Not too shabby for a 19 year old girl.
This is a story that had me wondering about so many things throughout; will Maeve "save the day" so to speak? Will she be able to resque her mom and sister in time? Will evil really conquer good? The only aspect I was truly disappointed with was the ending. It might just be me but I found it lacking. I would have appreciated more information. At the same time, although it didn't feel like a traditional cliffhanger, maybe McBride is setting up her readers for future works involving these characters? I can only hope and wait and see what McBride has in store for us.
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