This is one of those books I read as a kid and recently reread to see if it still held up.Short story: It did.Long story:The Legend of Lady Ilena is historical fiction and takes place in Scotland during the time of King Arthur. It tells the story of Ilena, a young woman brought up in the Vale of Enfort in the East, who, upon the death of her father and hearing his dying words, chooses to journey West to seek out the answers to who she really is.This book does not disappoint, and while it is a middle grade book I suspect the YA audience and even the adult audience will like this little overlooked gem.While some elements of the plot may be predictable, the characters and the world are extremely well-drawn and not simplistic in the slightest. (For example, the main character is a woman and a well-drawn one, one of her closest allies is a dwarf, and there are mentions of prostitution and human sacrifice.) The villains, while still being pretty evil, have understandable motivations.Overall I would recommend this book to people who like historical fiction, particularly that of Arthurian Britain, and strong heroines.
This is a top quality first novel, and if it weren't my follow-up to In the name of the Wind, I may well have given it five stars. It was certainly good enough for me to want to buy my own copy one day (rather than the somewhat questionably worn library copy I ended up with). Ilena is a strong main character, and it is really easy to see that Malone did quite a bit of research on the era - not only regarding the political upheaval of the time, but also daily rituals, customs, garb, and food. She paints a vivid picture, and the novel sucked me in quickly. I recommend this to anyone looking for a decent YA historical fiction (because let's face it, a lot of the historicals out there, for teens or adults, are simply not good).
What do You think about The Legend Of Lady Ilena (2009)?
Hungry for more medieval times finished with King Arthur. Then the Legend of Lady Ilena by Patricia Malone (Publisher: Delacorte Press) is for you. Only $4.99 new! This book is illustrated by Tristan Elwell, copy-right date February 2002.tIlena has always lived in the Vale of Enfert, but has never known her lineage because her family is from the East. When she goes to the one place her dying father told her to people start to mistake her for their lost Lady Miquain, enemies awake. Set in Britain the story would thrill many people. I say ages 10 and up should read this book because no child should know what people do to their own family members for power.
—Megc
In the book of “The Legend of Lady Ilena” by Patricia Malone, Lady Ilena is a young but confident woman, whose past is mystery. The main character is a warrior named Ilena. She grew up learning the skills required to be a great fighter. Ilena is the daughter of Moren and Grenna. Her family lives in the Vale of Enfert in Scotland during 500 C.E. Ilena knows that she is not from there, but there parents refuse to tell her where her where they are originally from, or about her ancestors. After the tragic deaths of her parents, Ilena sets off on a journey to Dun Alyn, to find someone called Ryamen. Unfortunately, she often encounters a dark mysterious man that want to kill her. With the help of friends, she safely crosses through the forest and jugged mountains, but when she nears Dun Alyn alone, she is attacked. Hopelessly outnumbered, Ilena is rescued by a nearby hunting band that heard her. They bring Ilena to the fortress in Dun Alyn.
—Edith Dominguez
