The Monster in the Hollows

The Wingfeather Saga - Book Three by Andrew Peterson

Blog Tour - Day 2

Guilding, What's Your Gift?

(click image for Amazon link or click link below) The Monster in the Hollows - available from:

Book link - https://store.rabbitroom.com/books/the-monster-in-the-hollows
Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Monster-Hollows-Wingfeather-Saga/dp/0982621434/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1316311564&sr=1-1
Series Web site - http://www.WingfeatherSaga.com/
Author’s Web site - http://www.andrew-peterson.com/

I received a review copy from Rabbit Room Store of The Monster in the Hollows
in conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour

What's Guilding? It's the Holish equivalent of specialized training. Peterson's regular education followed by your speciality makes sense. Students are allowed to study their area of interest. The three Wingfeather children meet an interesting character named Head Guildmadam Groundwich. Tall and powerful, the Head Guildmadam is described as a "ten-whiskered woman." When I read her description, the image that came to mind was someone like a female Hagrid from the Harry potter series. I wasn't sure if this was a possible antagonist, or a potential ally. It turned out Olumphia Groundwich hadn't fit in when she first attended the guild hall. The other students had picked on her and Nia had been her only friend. The idea of sticking by your friends and being considerate of other's feelings seems a reoccurring theme. The Wingfeather family are frequently saved by the kindness of friends.


Olumphia - her name reminded me of Mount Olympus - tours the children to the various guilds. Leeli has a way with animals and is assigned to the Houndry; a place for ... hounds. Janner and Kalmar are taken to classes with interesting names like the juicery, the needlery, the bookbindery - which Janner especially liked, and the boatery. There were other guilds of course, but these all came with active sounding names that described what they did. One of the things I enjoy about Peterson's stories are his creative names for people, places, and things.

I wondered if the guilds were in the book to represent our God-given gifts or life skills. Janner wanted to take the bookbindery classes, and the houndry was a perfect fit for Leeli. Kalmar was another matter. Like I mentioned in yesterday's blog, he still felt buyer's remorse over his choices and wasn't sure he would fit in with any guild. As the family find out, The Maker always has a handle on what is happening, and things happen for a reason. Leeli's training comes in handy during a confrontation. Later, Kalmar and his Throne Warden find their guild training was needed too.

Tomorrow I'll talk about the need to keep changing your plans. Life happens.


Tomorrow: Sometime Life Throws a Curve, Just When You think You Have Things Figured Out.

*Participants’ links:
Gillian Adams
Red Bissell
Jennifer Bogart
Thomas Clayton Booher
Beckie Burnham
CSFF Blog Tour
D. G. D. Davidson
Cynthia Dyer
Amber French
Nikole Hahn
Ryan Heart
Timothy Hicks
Jason Joyner
Julie
Carol Keen
Shannon McDermott
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Mirriam Neal
* Eve Nielsen
Joan Nienhuis
Donita K. Paul
Sarah Sawyer
Chawna Schroeder
Tammy Shelnut
Kathleen Smith
Donna Swanson
Rachel Starr Thomson
Robert Treskillard
Fred Warren
Phyllis Wheeler
Nicole White
Rachel Wyant