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Title: The Wings of a Falcon (Point Signature)
ISBN: 0590467131
Author:
Cynthia Voigt
Publicate Date: 1995-06
Publish: 1995-06
List Price: $4.99
Average Customer Rating: 4.0
Format: Mass Market Paperback
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $84.84
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $0.01
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| Customer Review: |
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1: Not an easy read, but a worthwhile one.
I first read this book when I was young, maybe in second or third grade, and at first I didn't understand a lot of what it had to say. Make no mistake, this is a children's book, and is an enjoyable experience for a kid of any age. The older you get though, the more there is to read.
Wings of a Falcon is apparently (I've never read any of the others) part of a larger set of novels dealing in this world, but it stands well on its own. It's the story of two boys, Oriel and Griff, who escape from the only home they can remember in the search of something better. The best part of this book is perhaps the friendship between the two boys/men. It is compelling and develops over time as the two change and grow. Any other plot points would give the story away; suffice to say, the last tenth of the book is a surprise to many people, but I have come over time to think of it as a good one.
The only warning I would give parents is that this book can be a little tough at times, and is perhaps better for children above six. Despite this, the book is well worth the read, and it is perhaps my favorite of all Voigt's books, if only because it made me think when I first read it, and makes me think even now.
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2: Bears multiple readings well! Excellent book.
I'm on the fourth or fifth reading of this book, and I learn new things about the characters each time I read it. My life experiences have made the story richer, as I can better relate to the events and characters, and I am just as excited to see what happens next as that first time I cracked the thing open.
I can understand the reviewers that are critical of the story telling method and plot devices, since the plot and voice are highly unusual. Nothing is laid out for the reader, and the plot is thick and involved. The characters are fallible, so it would be easy to view them as unsympathetic. They are, however, very realistic in their thought and fears. The reader may feel uncomfortable with the questionable morals (or amorality) of the lead character, as well as the seeming uninvolvement of the secondary character.
After having read this book multiple times, I can safely say the characters are deeper than those in most of the books I've read. There are many things left unsaid, and many things the reader must infer. The author does not give anything away. You just have to be willing to think deeply about the text. It's not a light read by any means. If you are looking for something easier to swallow, with a more traditional progession of events and likable heroes, steer clear of this one.
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3: Brilliant Text! Illuminating Perspectives. Original Style.
Cynthia Voight has a rather unique style. Her writing can be a bit hard to pierce at first, because she makes use of an uncommon style of allegory. In this tale, we get a glimpse of what its like to live without an identity and to be given one. Through, literary fiction author's book provides a rare glimpse into the world of the masculine, the world of men and boys.
Though female, I couldn't help but think that the author did her research as much of what she writes thematically alludes to what real life is for those of us who are male. And though there are some clearly fictional elements, the truths in the tale ring universal.
As you can see, I didn't reveal any plot points, since I think one owes it to the reader to discover this on her own. But, I will say this: this book is not for everyone. If you want the traditionally scripted story where there's a clearly determined ending and everything is happy go lucky with the main characters as they struggle to obvious obstacles, then this book is not for you. In fact, it may be a bit frustrating. But, if you enjoy reading literature of all types and have an open mind to how a story is weaved together, then you'll enjoy this book. I surely did.
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4: There's a Very Good Reason This Book Is Out-of-Print
This book was, sadly, one I'd been looking forward to for awhile. I'd had to finally track it down through inter-library loan, as it's long out of print and very obscure, so I was thrilled to finally get it. The book is the third book in Voigt's 'The Kingdom' series, which started with 'Jackaroo', continued with 'On Fortune's Wheel', and then was concluded with 'Elske: A Novel of the Kingdom'. Of these books, 'Wings' is the only one that is out of print. I wondered about that, and thought it might be that, of all four books, it is the only one with a male protagonist. But I was eager to read it to compare it to the other books in this fantasy series. Alas, it was pretty much a textbook case of 'How Not To Write a Novel', or more precisely, 'How To Completely Alienate Your Reader By Defying Recognized Rules of Storytelling'.
The novel follows the main character (who has NO NAME for the first 1/5th of the book, reading 'He said', 'He then', 'He did' gets REAL old) as he struggles to succeed, following him through his life. We get to know his hopes, his dreams, his expectations, and feel we know him rather well. Then, 3/4 of the way through the book, he dies tragically. Now, I'm not saying all stories should have happy endings. Most non-expurgated fairy tales don't. But you don't kill off the narrator in the middle of the novel. It's the equivalent of reading, "And then, Reader, I died." And the rest of the book suddenly shifts to the perspective of a whole different character, one who had been a servant and a silent supporter to the dead hero, a sort of silent Samwise Gamgee with no visible personality. We know nothing about him, and it's too late, this far into the book, to bring any characterization or depth to this character. If the author wanted to go this route, she could have done it by either writing the novel from a distinctly distanced omniscient point of view (i.e. not telling the whole story from one character's limited point of view), or by telling the whole book from the point of view of the servant whose actions close the book. When she didn't do this, it really alienates the reader like a slap to the face. 'Cause there are some things you just DON'T DO as a writer.
It's a shame, since I think it's obvious Voigt had a lot of important things to say about the societal roles of men and women in this book, but her 'message' is completely overshadowed by the reader's shock and dismay at the way the story slaps you in the face with the ending. A slight point-of-view shift would have been all it would have taken to make this story work. Some editor definitely dropped the ball with this one. Too bad. But despite that, this book is worth reading for fans of the other 'The Kingdom' novels, since this book really ties 'On Fortune's Wheel' and 'Elske' together. In fact, a lot of 'Elske' doesn't become clear until you've read 'The Wings of a Falcon' first. So, it's worth checking out for fans of 'The Kingdom' novels, but for anyone else, not so much. There's a very good reason this book is out of print.
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5: The Lord of the Rings it's not, but still fantastic!
The Wings of a Falcon is the third book in a series of highly acclaimed heroic adventures that began with Jackaroo and continued in On Fortune's Wheel. This book was written by Cynthia Voigt who is a renowned author of books that revolve around the heroic theme. Although relatively difficult at places, The Wings of a Falcon shouldn't be missed by anyone who is remotely interested in a book that illustrates friendship, courage, and loyalty. As a boy with no name, no family, and no love, he only knew how to obey and stay loyal to the sixth Damall. Under cruel and unreasonable treatments, he remained strong and eventually earned the honorable position of seventh Damall. Just when everything is set, he escaped the Damall's island with his only friend Griff, the falconstone called Beryl, and a name. From war torn cities to steep steps of the snowy mountain, he and Griff conquered numerous challenges and after each exhausting day, their hearts slowly began to unite as one. When fate brought them to the mysterious Kingdom, a devastating tragedy struck and Griff's responsibility and unwavering loyalty will be severely tested. The book is very well written and it is obvious that the author imputed a lot of energy on small details that would enhance the final product. There are definitely enough cleverly used sensory details to give readers a clear picture of the subject, and even better, the sensory details never bogged down the pace of the book and readers would never feel overwhelmed by hordes after hordes of figurative languages. The characters featured in this novel all have distinct personalities and complex ambitions, and at no where in the book did the author just simply introduces a character. All characters came into their roles mysteriously and some character's true backgrounds are never revealed. The different parts of the book are all connected to each other seamlessly, and the book flows along smoothly. With crystal clear sensory details and complex character build-ups, the Wings of a Falcon also has a twisting plot that will puzzle and surprise even the most advanced readers. It is hard trying to pick weak points from such a wonderful book, but The Wings of a Falcon isn't perfect. The most evident flaw is probably the fact that the book is a bit too difficult to understand at times, and the twisting plot would constantly confuse readers. Some of the things in this novel should be filtered out to make it more exciting and less repetitive, and some moments should be emphasized more to make it stand out and memorable. The author could have added some funny moments to make this book more entertaining and the unexpected ending could depress and disturb some readers. But these are just minor pitfalls that are barely worth mentioning in front of all the strong points of this book. Overall, The Wings of a Falcon is a fantastic book that tells about courage, friendship, and loyalty. While it definitely has some problems, its unparalleled depth, engrossing details, and clear descriptions are more than enough to overshadow it. With a whopping of nearly 500 pages and about 30 chapters, it will be both a long and entertaining read. Some of the strong points mentioned above could be view as weak points and the weak points could be viewed as strong points. It all depends on what kind of reader is reading this book. In the end, this epic novel is strongly recommended to everyone who will not get easily confused and depressed by disturbing masterpieces.
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