From Publishers Weekly
In a serpentine tale, abrim with lore of magic and echoes of myths, Downer takes up the story of the seer Caitlin and her love, Badger, begun in Spellkey . To protect her realm of Chameol, caught in a struggle against the necromancer Myrrhlock, and hoping to destroy him, Queen Iiliana offers Caitlin a harsh choice: to remain in the mortal world, but lose both her second sight and all memory of Badger; or retain her memories and perfect her arts on Chameol, but leave Badger behind. Caitlin chooses memory and separation. On Chameol, after her son Bram (by Badger) is stolen and a changeling left in his place, she leaves Grimald (as she names the goblin child) behind to undertake a perilous quest to the Otherworld in search of Bram. In alternating scenes, Badger and his companion Elric investigate the strange behavior of the inhabitants of Oncemoon Marsh. The actions of Caitlin and Badger, in different worlds, culminate in the freeing of Drusian, former queen of Chameol, from chains of enchantment placed by Myrrhlock, and she destroys the vile enchanter. And Caitlin, Badger, Grimald and, eventually, Bram are free to live as a family. Downer neither condescends nor compromises her spare, elegant prose by spelling everything out for less mature or slower readers; while some may find it hard going, this complex fantasy merits close attention. Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Grade 8-12-- In this sequel to The Spellkey (Atheneum, 1987), Downer continues the story of two lovers, Caitlin and the Badger. After electing to live on the Island of Chameol as a seer and never meeting the Badger again, Caitlin gives birth to his son. Shortly thereafter, she finds a goblin changeling in the baby's cradle and must search for her baby in the Otherworld. Meanwhile, the Badger and his companion Elric, both Knights of Chameol, have joined a travelling circus as they try to find the cause of the madness afflicting the people of Oncemoon Marsh. Weaving back and forth between these two plots Downer brings both eventually to the same point, the destruction of the evil sorcerer Myrrhlock. Readers unfamiliar with The Spellkey will have difficulty sorting out characters and events re-introduced from the previous book. Downer's skill works its magic here, however, as readily as before. Even her minor characters are wonderfully alive. The temptation is to pause and become lost in wonder at minute details. The sensuous richness of Downer's writing extends even to the very scents. The story reads like a fairy tale with its light and dark sides, delicate descriptions, and down-to-earth humor. Readers may wish for a more coherent plot, but in the end it is the characters who carry the story. --Ruth S. Vose, San Francisco Public Library
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.
