Song of the Sparrow

Reader response to Song of the Sparrow by Lisa Ann Sandell

Back cover reads:

“Beautiful sixteen-year-old Elaine has a temperament as fiery as her long red hair. The daughter of a soldier in young Arthur’s army, Elaine is the sole girl in a militaristic world of men. Often slipping into daydreams, she wishes that the handsome Lancelot would see her as more than a tomboy. Then a new girl arrives, and Elaine is thrilled—until Gwynivere proves to be cold and cruel. But when Elaine and Gwynivere are thrown into a situation of gravest danger, the girls must band together in order to survive. Can Elaine find the strength to fight for the kingdom she has always believed in? Acclaimed author Lisa Ann Sandell brings a haunting lyricism and an epic sweep to this tale of love, betrayal, and war. Heartbreaking, eloquent, and gripping, this novel is a striking addition to the canon of Camelot mythology.”

Reaction:

I love books written in verse. The 383 page epic is masterfully written. Did I just write that? Sheesh, do I sound hoakey. Sandell has stellar imagery and a captivating plot. I love that she does it in an optimum amount of words. It’s a great Bildungsroman. I polished it off in about 2 days. It could have been 1 day if I wanted, but I just didn’t have time to read. It wins the Word Nerd Seal of Approval. I’ll put it in my classroom library, but I’m not sure that I’d use it in class. I’d recommend this for girls from 5^th-9^th grade. The poetry makes it an exceptionally fast read. No quotes, though.