In a surprising turn for an author who tended to focus on wise, powerful women, Furlong's posthumous follow-up to Wise Child (1987) and Juniper (1990) assumes a boy's point of view. While the second book stepped back in time to tell of Juniper's training as a doran, narrator Colman, Wise Child's devoted companion, picks up the new narrative precisely where the first book left off, just after the central characters have narrowly escaped Juniper's execution as a witch. The travelers seek asylum in Cornwall, where they discover that enemies from Juniper's past have subjugated her father's people and kidnapped his heir. Colman's guileless voice is appealing, but readers may long for more dimension to his character as he serves mostly as an admiring observer of fierce Wise Child, gentle Juniper, and curmudgeonly Euny, who draw upon Furlong's unique brand of earthy wisdom and white magic to restore harmony: "Good things, unexpected things, happen when people who love good take risks and work together." A foreword by Karen Cushman, part eulogy (Furlong died in January 2003), part precis of the story thus far, lends a bittersweet flavor to this long-awaited sequel.
-Jennifer Mattson, Booklist
This suspenseful novel concludes the saga that Furlong began in Wise Child (Turtleback, 1987) and Juniper (Knopf, 1992; o.p.), with the main characters returning to Juniper's home kingdom where she was a princess. For those who have not read the first two books, the beginning will be confusing. As the tale unfolds and the characters' personalities become evident, readers should be able to pick up the thread and follow the action. Juniper has been trained as a doran, a person with special magical gifts who strives for good in the universe. Wise Child is her apprentice, and Colman is their young friend. Another key ally from the earlier books is Cormac, a disfigured man whom Juniper has healed from leprosy. When this intrepid group arrives in Cornwall, they learn that Juniper's parents are dead. Her evil aunt, Meroot, and Meroot's Gray Knight have seized control of the kingdom and severely oppressed the people. Colman, Cormac, and Wise Child go to the palace and spy on Meroot, who is using Juniper's brother, Prince Brangwyn, the rightful heir, as a sort of regent to blackmail the survivors of the realm. The plot grows ever more complex as Juniper's mentor is found to be in service to Meroot and the children are captured and thrown in a dungeon. The story will keep readers turning pages right up to the satisfying resolution. Overall, this title is a powerful conclusion to the trilogy, but it does not stand alone as well as the other two volumes.
--Bruce Anne Shook, Mendenhall Middle School (Greensboro, NC). School Library Journal
