I wanted to like this book. Kathleen Bryan’s use of stained glass as a container or structure for magic is refreshing. The characters are interesting. The structure of the plot is interesting- not too unusual, and yet different enough from the normal “princess has to leave the kingdom and return to save it” sort of thing that this story is.
However, the caste system and some of the mythology in the book got in my way. On the one hand, the two protagonists “could never marry” and can even travel together because nobody would expect them to be close to one another. While this isn’t that big a deal, it whacks you over the head several times. And on the other hand, “the young god” sacrificed himself to “bind the serpent” and three days later his tomb was empty. Yes, this “young god” is a Christ figure. These two problems come together interestingly enough, however.
The magic of the Knights of the Rose, the beautiful stained glass, is as structured as the society is rigid. And this solidity or structure is what is allowing the Serpent to get free. Only “wild magic,” the magic of the Mother and of nature can save the world. In a similar respect, we can easily envision this shattering revelation to affect the love between the two protagonists.
The book is well written and an enjoyable read. When I was a kid, I didn’t pick up on the Aslan/Christ connection in the books of Narnia. It’s possible that kids won’t see this as blatantly as I did. I still recommend it, although not as warmly as some other books.
