One for Sorrow, Two for Joy (Birddom, 1)

Woodall, Clive

ISBN 10: 1419317091 ISBN 13: 9781419317095

Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc., 2004

Synopsis

In the land of Birddom, a terrible danger is spreading. Magpies and crows, led by the vicious Slyekin and his assassin Traska, have taken control by hunting down and exterminating one gentle species after another. But in the face of slaughter, a brave robin named Kirrick leads the charge against Slyekin. Flying to every corner of Birddom, Kirrick rallies eagles, owls and an assortment of other creatures to resist the menace. Before One for Sorrow, Two for Joy could even land on bookshelves, it was optioned by the Walt Disney Co. for a major motion picture. A classic epic of good versus evil, this rousing fable has been compared to Watership Down and The Lord of the Rings.

About this title

About the Author

Clive Woodall lives in a village in rural Cambridgeshire with his wife and two sons (for whom this story was originally written) and a garden full of birds. One for Sorrow, Two for Joy is his first novel.

From Publishers Weekly

At the start of "One for Sorrow," the opening half of British author Woodall's savage first novel, Birddom's very existence is threatened. Magpies, under the dictatorship of the treacherous Slyekin, have ruthlessly wiped out many bird species. A wise old owl, Tomar, asks plucky young Kirrick—evidently the sole robin to survive the holocaust—to undertake three dangerous journeys in order to enlist the aid of feathered allies. Kirrick proves that one brave little bird can make a big difference against "planned systematic genocide." The second section, "Two for Joy," allows Kirrick's mate, Portia, to prove her mettle. Contrary to the hype in the U.K. press, this avian fantasy lacks the depth of that modern animal classic, Watership Down. Nor, with its scenes of defecation, disembowelment and magpie rape, does it have much in common with The Lord of the Rings. Even the good birds execute summarily and employ mass murder. Still, given the compelling plot of "One for Sorrow" in particular, one can understand why Disney has optioned the novel "in a million-dollar deal." It should make a wonderful Disney feature-length cartoon, suitably sanitized.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About this edition

• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 1419317091
• ISBN 13: 9781419317095
• Binding: Audio CD