4 ½ out of 5 Covers
The second book in the Chronicles of Prydain is perhaps the
most well-known, thanks to a certain Disney movie based on it. But its recognition is deserved, hence the
Newberry Honor.
The Black Cauldron refers to Arawn Death Lord’s greatest
weapon: an enchanted cauldron that allows him to create his army of Death-Born,
an indestructible force that threatens all of Prydain. A council is called plan how to remove the
cauldron from the Land of Death and then destroy. Taran, the assistant pig-keeper, is asked to
play a vital role, as are all his friends: the pigkeeper Coll, Princess
Eilowny, Gurgi, and Fflewddur Fflam.
Also along is Prince Ellidyr, someone just as headstrong as Taran, making
them immediate rivals.
Of course, things don’t go exactly as planned, forcing Taran
and his friends to improvise, go into greater danger, and face many
betrayals. But the journey creates a
great change in Taran, who noticeable moves from headstrong youth to more
temperate leader.
It is this change, wrought naturally through experience,
that give the book its greatest strength.
While the plot is excellent, with few asides from the journey, and the
characters are entertaining, it is the emotional core that raises the quality
of the story. Because of this, the
reader is able to empathize more with the characters and leads to a much more
cathartic climax. This book is a prime example
of how to tell a story well.
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