Cybele's Secret (Wildwood Dancing Series)

I picked up Cybele's Secret, and I read. And read. And read. If I had any subconscious fears that Cybele's Secret would not live up to Wildwood Dancing, I was happily mistaken. Although this companion novel is set in a completely different part of the world, following the story of a completely different sister with a completely different personality, this story has equal heart, wisdom, and beauty. Set six years after Wildwood Dancing, Cybele's Secret tells the story of Paula, know as the scholarly sister in the family, as she sets out on a journey that takes her from her home in Transylvania to the far off and intriguing culture of Istanbul. If able to obtain the highly mysterious ancient artifact known as Cybele's Gift, Paula's entire family will be set for life, and her dream of becoming a trader of books and manuscripts, despite being a young woman in the early 1500s, might become a reality. When it becomes clear that familiar magical forces are at work, Paula sets out on a quest to assist them in the hope of ensuring her family's fortune and her own future. Strong female leads and love triangles are cliches that crop up so often I am embarrassed to admit they are tending to peeve me a bit these days, but Juliet Marillier knows how to write both with the depth and purpose that makes me remember the power behind those two themes, the oomph that inspires such repetition. I think one of the biggest strengths of the writing is its subtlety. You never feel like the themes are punching you in the face, yelling for your attention as if you never would have noticed without such harassment. As in real life, realization dawns slowly, naturally, and with the pure delight of discovery. As Paula's eyes open, we see and learn alongside her. And what she sees is amazing. A well written romance is beautiful and triumphant. It reminds us that true love requires sacrifices and selflessness but gives us a world greater than we could have ever imagined. Great romances counteract the messages of the crappy romances and give us hope if we haven't found it or remind us of how blessed we are if we have found it. So needless to say, I highly recommend Cybele's Secret, of course after you've finished Wildwood Dancing. If I have done a poor job making the books sound incredible, just take a closer look at their covers! Kinuko Y. Craft's stunning artwork is not only breathtakingly gorgeous, but the detail is mindboggling. After finishing the books, I can't stop peeking over at them and noticing more tiny and yet brilliantly accurate details. I have never seen a set of covers that seemed more like an author's perfect dream. I would love to hang these on my walls.

I loved this book as a young teen, and I still do at 32! I just dislike that there won't be a final book to bring closure about everything that I read about that was mentioned online. If I had written these books, I would go with a publisher that went along with the gift that I have. These Wildwood Dancing books are a work of art! To complete the 3rd book would make it a masterpiece! Love you and your works of art!

I didn't realize that this is actually a sequel to "Wildwood Dancing". However, although there is some mention to events and characters from Wildwood Dancing, this book stands up well on its own, and I enjoyed it even though I hadn't read Wildwood Dancing. I didn't really like Cybelle's Secret at first. It lacked the feeling of magic and strangeness that I have always loved about Marrilier's other works. I struggled to really become engrossed in the plot, and I didn't find the characters as interesting as I had hoped. Some of the characters I even found predictable and cliche. However, I thought this book really began to shine by about the halfway point, and I was glad I hadn't given up on it sooner. By about the halfway point, the story becomes a lot more conflict driven and the tone and atmosphere really captures that feeling of magic and strangeness that I have come to expect from Marrilier's work. Having since read Wildwood Dancing, I would recommend this, but would warn readers that it is somewhat inferior to Wildwood Dancing. Wildwood held me entranced from the beginning. This took longer for me to warm to, and was not quite so memorable. It was a fun read though, and one I'd definitely recommend to Marillier fans. Older readers should not be deterred by its recommended age group. I am 33 years old and enjoyed this book a lot.

It's hard to describe this book in a way that truly does it justice. The backdrop for the story steals the show from almost the first page, with vivid descriptions of the sights and sounds of Istanbul and the customs of the city. Characters felt natural and real, and with a scholarly, insightful lady like Paula at the helm of the reader's perspective, rest assured that the journey is delightful. The story itself struck just the right balance of charm, whit, action and complexity, while maintaining the characters in their elements. Somehow, I managed to miss that this was actually a sequel to 'Wildwood Dancing' which I had not read, but I had no trouble keeping up with the characters and the plot. The story itself felt self-contained, with all of the back story explained briefly and adequately so that a reader like me didn't get lost. It is simply a beautiful story, told in the rich imagination and voice of Juliet Marillier. If you are a fan of historical fiction, with a little magic sprinkled in for extra flavor, please don't miss this book.

É aquela edição paperback básica, com as folhas mais cinzas e sem orelha. A capa é bem molinha e acabou vindo com uma orelha mas nada muito marcado.

From the seven waters series to this, I love Juliet marilliers books! She is an amazeballs writer and I wish there was always more at the end of each one.

Delivered very quickly and in good condition. The second in a series. The book was engaging and entertaining. Not possibly one of her strongest but it had a nice twist that was very unexpected. Well written with good characters but I found the setting a little superficial and the premise a little flimsy. But definitely worth a read of you like the authors books. It will still transport you away nd full your head with pictures.

A fantastic sequel to wild wood dancing!

Juliet paints the setting so well with her words; I felt like I was there in Istanbul. The sights, the smell, the feel and the sounds. Very captivating story of family, love, humanity and strength of mind.