Jane Yolen’s delightful THE TRANSFIGURED HART continues to impress.

CAPTAIN’S QUARTERS praises the story.

This is a truly wonderful story about two young kids, who unbeknownst to each other, each catch a glimpse of a ghostly white creature in the woods.  Richard is convinced it is a unicorn.  Heather is convinced is a white deer.  Both want to tame it.  They don’t count on running into each other by the crystal, shimmering pool in the forest.  Danger is lurking for the beast.  Heather and Richard slowly realize that they must work together to not only determine what the creature is but also in order to save it.

Jane Yolen is one of those magical writers whose stories are rich in imagery and defy neat categorization.  This complexly woven tale is delightful.  It doesn’t necessarily feel complicated when reading it.  Younger readers will be drawn into the mystery of the creature, the evolving relationship between the two teens, and the adventure that ensues.  Older readers will love the unicorn history sprinkled in the tale, the rife symbolism, and the beautiful writing style.

I was completely immersed in the tale and was left in a lovely state of mind pondering the outcome of the story when I finished.  I will certainly reread this in the future.

Photo: Jason Stemple

LOST IN A GOOD BOOK enjoys the fantasy.

The story is magical, full of lush imagery and description. The two children are complex characters who act like real children, not with the false precociousness we see in some books.  These two navigate the step over from childhood fantasy to young adulthood in the midst of a fairy tale of their own making. Or is it? Was it a hart or a unicorn they encountered in the woods?

I haven’t read any of Ms. Yolen’s other works, but I’ve seen her praised by other bloggers whose opinions I respect. I really need to pick them up. I also need to re-read this book. It’s a book to be savored and I didn’t realize that. I read it far too quickly.  It is a good book for a quiet afternoon. I would recommend reading it with a good soundtrack, a cup of tea, a cat and a soft blanket. Yes, excellent plan.

EPIC STITCHING likes the tale.

Beautifully written and in the style of Grimm or Anderson; if you are looking for a ‘new’ fairy tale to read that has that older style of lyric writing I believe you will really enjoy The Transfigured Hart. For me this was a refreshing read as I have been reading a lot of intense historical fiction or bad YA tropes. It was the perfect little read. 

For more info on THE TRANSFIGURED HART, visit the Tachyon page.

Art by Thomas Canty

Design by Elizabeth Story