Readers should know that despite the title, this is not a vampire story! Heart’s blood is the name of a rare herb that features in the plot. What is she running from? Why has she turned her back on her home and family? The family drama: the documents reveal the tales of several generations of Anluan’s forebears, and a perilous, hundred-year secret. The supernatural: a curse has been laid on Whistling Tor and its chieftain by a misguided ancestor, crippling Anluan’s capacity to act. There’s the historical: the setting is twelfth century Ireland, the Anglo-Normans are advancing towards Connacht, and Anluan may lose his territory.
The novel contains several interweaving story elements. At the same time, her presence triggers profound changes in Anluan’s eccentric household. As she works through these, Caitrin uncovers a dark story spanning four generations. Running away from home, she ends up at Whistling Tor, the crumbling fortress of reclusive chieftain Anluan, where she is hired to sort and transcribe a disordered collection of family documents. JM: The first person narrator, Caitrin, is a skilled scribe. Q: What would you like people to know about the story itself? Heart’s Blood contains extracts from diaries, letters and journals, which weave the stories of past generations into the main narrative. Communication and miscommunication form another theme. It means coming to terms with the past, good and bad. Acceptance lies at the heart of the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, on which Heart’s Blood is loosely based. Parallel with that is learning to accept yourself.
JM: The major theme of Heart’s Blood is acceptance: learning to see beyond people’s outward flaws to their inner qualities. Want to know more about this fabulous new book? Without further ado, our Take Five with Juliet Marillier. We’ll choose two winners at random after that date and announce shortly thereafter. Becoming eligible for one of these copies is as easy as leaving a comment at the end of this post between now and Sunday, November 8th. To celebrate, she would like to offer two copies of her new book to Writer Unboxed. WU contributor and bestselling fantasy author Juliet Marillier has a new book out! Heart’s Blood hits shelves in the US and Australia today.
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