Books: Close Kin

Close Kin
By Clare B. Dunkle
Copyright 2004
216 pages

This is a young adult book, the second in the Hollow Kingdom Trilogy. My review of the first book is here.

Emily is the Queen's sister, and it is time for her to wed. Her suitor Seylin, a young elf-goblin, makes his intentions known but she doesn't quite understand that he is asking for her hand in marriage.

Seylin, who is more elf than goblin, decides to leave in search of elves. The goblins think the elves died out a long time ago, thanks to goblin raids, etc. Goblins like elf brides, though.

Emily trots after him, hoping to find him, once she realizes her error.

It sounds rather convoluted and I suppose it is in a short review but this is rather charming. The goblins are mostly ugly and by their moral code they are not bad (though by our moral code they might well be, what with stealing elf and humans to be their brides in their cave home, never to see the light of day again).

I would not recommend starting with this book; the first book seems essential to understanding this world. It had been six months since I read the first book and I had difficulty recalling what was going on in the first several pages of Close Kin. I also would not recommend this for children under 10; there are one or two themes that seem too adult for younger ages.

Overall, a great young adult book and a nice fantasy for older readers.

3 stars