I started The Wingfeather Saga in a less than normal way. I remember picking up The Warden and the Wolf King—the first edition—in the spring of 2019. I started reading it, with no knowledge of anything that happened in the previous three books.
The Warden and the Wolf King is formatted in a way that every section starts with a little more of the villain’s backstory. I read the villain's backstory (and thus knew all of the major spoilers) but by the time I started correctly a few days later, I was hooked.
Why?
There are three main reasons, and that is what I will be covering today.
Reason 1: Plot
Even though I had already read major spoilers for the series, that didn’t stop me from enjoying the plot that the book had to offer.
There is the main plot, but there are so many subplots that bring more depth to the series. There are so many heartbreaking moments that draw the reader in, from Yurgen and the rest of the dragons to Slarb to Peet the Sockman.
But a story needs more than plot to keep readers, it needs characters.
Reason 2: Characters
I have read countless other stories in my life, but no character has stuck with me the same way Kalmar, Arthum, Maraly, Sara and Gammon have impacted my day-to-day life. Every time I pick up a Wingfeather book, I renew my love for the characters.
Their stories, their trials, their heartbreak and their hope: all of these and more draw readers back again and again.
But readers (generally) don’t like characters who stay the same throughout the entire series. Who would? A character who doesn’t change would have to be perfect from the beginning of the book, and none of us are perfect so the character wouldn’t be relatable.
And on to our final reason: character arcs.
Reason 3: Character Arcs
All of the characters in The Wingfeather Saga start out in a way that is not perfect, and not all of them end up perfect.
But while the things that happen to the characters probably will never happen to us, the way it shapes the characters (at least, the main characters that we like) is relatable—and is (probably) what we want to see for ourselves.
The way Janner changes from a brother who is sick of his younger siblings to a brother who—but I probably shouldn’t spoil that for you.
Why don’t you read the book and find out?
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So what do you think of The Wingfeather Saga? Did it impact you for the good or the bad? Comment below!
And on July 17th, Lily May over at The Misty Mayflower will be posting the next stop: In Which We Read Well to Write Well. Head over there and subscribe so you don't miss it!
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Thank you for participating on this journey of mine!
