Cart and Cwidder book review

Osfameron Tanamoril, or Moril for short, is the son of the famous singer Clennen. As traveling musicians, his family is allowed to travel between the warring Northern and Southern parts of Dalemark. Equipped with two cwidders, their lyrical songs, and their horse Barangarolob to pull them along, Moril’s family has made quite a name for themselves in all areas of Dalemark. As legitimate travelers, his family often takes on passengers seeking to visit other areas of the country; they are also allowed to pass messages between the two halves of Dalemark. Yet, this common act is not what it appears to be, and a new traveler to be taken to the North is suspiciously different from the rest. The family’s seemingly simple life changes dramatically when Clennen is mysteriously murdered, Moril’s older brother is arrested for treason by Southern official, and Moril is bequeathed his father’s ancient—and magical—cwidder. What does this new traveler have to do with these occurrences? How is the past, once thought to be exaggerated songs sung by Clennen, repeating itself with Moril as the new hero?


This first book in Diana Whynne Jones’ The Dalemark Quartet series will take you on a fantastical adventure. Her writing is, as always, engaging and descriptive.