Red-headed Elaine of Ascolat has been the sole girl at Arthur’s war camp for as long as she can remember. Although she misses her mother and dislikes all the washing and mending Elaine wouldn’t trade living with her father and brothers and being part of the military for a quieter life. There, as a healer, her job matters.  She may not have fine clothes but she knows how to take care of herself and more importantly how to find and prescribe the herbs that can save the wounded. Her life would be complete if only Lancelot could see her as more than a tomboy. Just when she seems to be making headway another girl named Gwynivere arrives and Lancelot only has eyes for her. Fair skin, perfectly coiffed hair, soft hands and all seem no match for Elaine. That is until both girls are caught by the enemy. Here is Elaine’s chance to shine, but will the sparrow find its song before being trapped for good?

This is the third novel in verse I’ve ever read and wow, is the writing gorgeous. The words just wash over you they are so fluid. It seems verse couldn’t be more fitting for Lisa Ann Sandell’s take on Arthurian legend and Alfred Tennyson’s poem, “Lady of Shallott”. This winsome passage is one of my favorites:

I wish I could go back to that time,
When my mother would smile
The gentle smile that told me,
All is right and well.

Back to that time when I was
Young
And loved
And safe.
When we were all safe.

That things change,
That people change
And die,
That we grow older,
That life brings the unexpected,
The unwanted,
Oh,
Some days it fills me with
A measure of lightness, for
I will be a woman soon.

But other days,
The very thought
of growing older,
of not being that small girl
who danced over river rocks,
whose brothers held her hands,
whose mother lived,
the very thought of it
crushes me,
till it is stopped,
by the world
outside
my memories.

I’ve never been hugely interested in Arthurian legend beyond J.W. Waterhouse’s beautiful Lady of Shallott paintings but I enjoyed Sandell’s revisionist version. Much more than another King Arthur retelling Song of the Sparrow is its own, unique story with a very strong, assertive Elaine rather than the flimsy damsel of legend. A good mix of the traditional and modern female roles, Elaine is not willing to sit around, making the mothers of feisty heroines everywhere proud. Likewise modern “mean girls” would accept beautiful Gwynivere in her mean-spirited, snotty treatment of Elaine. Even Tristan with his shameful past is very interestingly cast here as Elaine’s witty friend. Such dimensional characters, lovely metaphors, and vivid imagery make Song of the Sparrow a truly stunning read. Highly recommended to fans of well done retellings and verse novels alike.

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