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Pearl of the Wind: The Poet-of-the-Aire Sings
![Pearl of the Wind: The Poet-of-the-Aire Sings by [Ruth Finnegan]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/515qqr6izLL.jpg)
Pearl of the wind by Ruth Finnegan is an emotive story told in poetic verse from the perspective of the air. This story retells Ruth Finnegan’s other fairytale story, Black Inked Pearl, but with added depth as we get to hear the story from from a different soulful voice. As this book takes the reader through magnificent poems along with idyllic landscapes and characters inspired by Greek Mythology, it feels like a trip through poetry’s history adorned with the passion of a young blossoming love.
Furthermore, the connection and inspiration from Homer is quite evident, giving the whole composition an elegant literary feel throughout. Another interesting detail is the dreamlike reality of the story, which will interest even the youngest reader. As a reader keen for details, I appreciated the quality of the descriptions, the depth and heart of the poems and the intriguing story itself. This latter represents a great modernisation of Greek myths and gives the plot an interesting twist, building tension until the last chapter.
Pearl of the Wind is a collection of poems that will win the reader’s heart with its love story and its thought-provoking references to classical and modern poetry. Therefore, I would recommend it to fans of Black Inked Pearls, by the same author, and to any reader interested in poetry and oneiric voyages. And as Finnegan evokes the ancient Muse, “Sing to me Great Poet of the Winds of the wrath of deepen breathing-thinking hero here”. Beautifully fantastic.
Pages: 45 | ASIN: B08B6BQR2L
Voyage of Pearl of the Seas
![Voyage of Pearl of the Seas by [Ruth Finnegan]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51VoESZS1VL.jpg)
Ruth Finnegan’s Voyage of Pearl of The Seas is more than meets the eye. It is the story of two kids and a beloved dog – Chris, Kate, and Holly. They build a boat from a log they find in the sand of a beach and embark on what they hope will be a thrilling adventure.
They face unprecedented challenges, ultimately finding themselves in a fantastical land with a King much reminiscent of God. He has many names and speaks of creation and wisdom. He particularly tells stories that seem to be related to those included in Biblical text. But what is even more intriguing about him is that he gives gifts that come in handy in some of the most unlikely of situations.
While this story is full of much of the awe and wonder that you expect from a fairytale, there are some unexpected concepts here. For instance, one of the main characters, Chris is hailed as a hero yet many of his mannerisms don’t portray him as such. He seems to be inconsiderate, entitled, and even condescending, particularly to women. Several times in the story, he has disparaging thoughts about Kate. At some point, he even forgets about her and abandons her in a “wilderness”. Yet through it all, she seems to be very concerned about his needs, putting them first in many situations. And while he did eventually sacrifice his dream to save Holly, it is not much of a voluntary grand gesture but rather a last-minute decision made in a crisis. However, it must be said that the author does a great job at weaving together the different facets of this story – the physical, emotional, and the fantastical.
That aside, the language used is poetic, adding a creative lyrical aspect to this story. There are songs, poems, and unexpected dialogue embedded within the flowery prose.
There is one thing that’s clear though- Kate’s timidity seems to increase across the narrative, most times directly proportional to Chris’ arrogance. To some extent, it feels that they are symbols. Voyage of Pearl of The Seas is an emotive and intellectually-invigorating fairy tale that is creative and deeply thought-provoking.
Pages: 134 | ASIN: B079GPQMG1
Voyage of Pearl of the Seas – Book Trailer
An award-winning unput-downable tale of two children building a boat from a log they find buried in the sand and sailing off to far-off fantastic lands in a stormy sea-driven adventure with their faithful – but accident-prone – dog Holly. There they learn much wisdom from a king who, like God, has many names’. After an incredible sacrifice of his dearest dream by the boy (now growing up) they return – another dream – to a family tea with their loved ones. The tale is a prequel and companion to Ruth Finnegan’s award-winning epic romance ‘Black inked pearl’, here adapted for preteens but characterised by (in a simpler form) the same unique dream-like and enchanted style as in the original novel.
The Lady and the Dragon – Book Trailer
A boy and a girl, “helped” by their dog, build a magical boat from a log buried in the sand, They sail to far-off fantastic lands in a stormy sea-driven adventure with their faithful, and accident-prone dog. Into the sea, again! In the enchanted, heaven like island where their boat is wrecked, they learn much wisdom from a king who, like God, has many names. The boy sacrifices his dream of sailing around the world and they return, in another dream, to a family tea with their loved ones. An unput-downable volume in the growing Kate-Pearl Series.
A tale of depression and rediscovery.
Whales and Magic Sinbad’s First Voyage: The other Odyssey
Sinbad the Sailor sets out over the sea to retrieve his fortune with all his remaining goods on board. They alight on a beautiful island – but no it is a huge whale who, awakened by their shouts, tosses Sinbad painfully into the sea. Magically rescued he is befriended by a great king, and his ship, with crew and full cargo wondrously returns. Sinbad returns to his beloved Baghdad, now a rich man – till the next voyage! A tale from the Arabian Nights, a collection of adventures parallel to Homer’s Odyssey. Like your grandmother told you.
One is one, or green grow the rushes oh
![One is one, or green grow the rushes oh by [Ruth Finnegan. Oliver cain, Oliver Cain]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41ku4F8RmWL.jpg)
One is One or Green Grow the Rushes Oh, by Ruth Finnegan and illustrated by Oliver Cain, is a lovely written version of the age-old song. Each of the beautifully designed pages contains a verse in the style of a cumulative story. As I read the song lyrics, I was immediately reminded of the days when I read The House That Jack Built to my own children. The beauty and simplicity of the song in a story-like format are touching and quite effective as a text.
Finnegan, responsible for the concept of this wonderful book, includes a helpful explanation of the song’s history for any readers not familiar with the meaning of the lyrics. From its earliest origins to the various versions and interpretations of the text, Finnegan covers all aspects of the song thoroughly in a quick read.
I am giving One is One or Green Grow the Rushes Oh, by Ruth Finnegan and illustrated by Oliver Cain, 5 out of 5 stars. Never having heard the song and intrigued by the book’s title, I was more than pleasantly surprised by this thoughtfully crafted rendering of the song and its many versions. I highly recommend Finnegan and Cain’s work to anyone interested in poetry or music history.
Pages: 35 | ASIN: B07GV29ZJY
The Black Inked Pearl: A journey of the soul
This prize-winning epic romance opens with the young Irish girl Kate running away across the Donegal strand, panicked, from her young lover’s first (attempted) kiss, then, after a tumultuous reappraisal by the great Congo river, finds she must spend her life seeking.
Searching for him she encounters some very realistic people and situations on earth, but also must visit hell, where she suffers greatly, a dream-filled paradise, and Columba’s great heavenly archive.
At agonising cost she saves her dying love and to her utter joy they walk together toward heaven. But at the gates he walks on, forgetting her, and leaving her, distraught and alone, in the dust as the gates close behind him. He in turn searches for her and at last finds her, but to his fury (and renewed hurt) is not ecstatically recognised and thanked. And the gates are still shut.
On a secret back way to heaven guided by a little beetle, Kate repeatedly saves her still scornful love, but at the very last, despite Kate’s fatal inability with numbers and through an ultimate sacrifice, he saves her from the precipice and they reach heaven. Kate finally realises that although her quest for her love was not vain, in the end something more was needed for she had to find herself – the unexpected pearl.
The novel, poetic, riddling, multi-level, and born in sleep and dream, is interlaced with the ambiguity between this world and another. The epilogue again brings out the key themes of the novel – the eternity of love and the ever-puzzling ambiguity between dream and reality.
The first edition of Black Inked Pearl, the first published of Finnegan’s distinguished Kate-Pearl series and in its way both a stirring romance and a spiritual parable, has won many prizes and positive reviews (for which see the first edition). Its unusual style sets it apart – disliked (fair enough!) by those who prefer straightforward prose and a clear linear, account, but relished by those who warm to more literary, poetic and sonic expression influenced by such writers as James Joyce, William Faulkner, Gerald Manley Hopkins, W. B. Yeats, and, extensively, Homer.
This second edition, revised, corrected and somewhat enlarged from the 2015 version, includes an extended account by the author of its unusual genesis.
Voyage Of Pearl Of The Seas
Voyage of Pearl of the Seas is an enchanting novel about two characters, Kate and Chris. The plot of this fantastic novel follows these two endearing character’s who travel on a ship that they built for an exciting adventure. On this adventure, they learn make sacrifices, gain wisdom, and develop a deep bond between them. This novel is a prequel to Ruth Finnegan’s award-winning Black Inked Pearl, however it was made after and the former and explores different themes and ideas. Voyage of Pearl of the Seas is a short novel but it still explores deep issues that we can all relate to.
Ruth Finnegan has created a unique novel with Voyage of Pearl of the Seas. The story excels above others in many aspects. It is written in a style reminiscent to that of poetry than a standard novel which is beautifully eloquent in most areas.
I enjoyed following Kate and Chris, and their dog, on a wondrous adventure. Both Kate and Chris are well thought-out characters, but the real beauty is in how they evolve throughout the story. We get a sense of who they are and why certain actions were taken, though they are kids and sometimes children’s actions, to adults, can be frustrating. The themes this novel explores are deep and sometimes dark, like abuse and abandonment. While not exploring both to the same degree, Voyage of Pearl of the Seas may not be as robust in the themes of abuse but it succeeds in themes of abandonment. Finnegan explores abandonment expertly and I, as a reader, felt that this was where the novel was at its best. It skillfully displays a person’s feelings of despair and anxiety when they have been left behind by everyone they love. This is something everyone has gone through yet only few novels can portray effectively.
Ruth Finnegan has undoubtedly created a beautiful story and where it succeeds, it excels greatly. Voyage of Pearl of the Seas is an intriguing YA fantasy adventure story.
Pages: 134 | ASIN: B079GPQMG1
LITERARY TITAN 