one for sorrow two for joy by clive woodall

It is set in Birddom, a place where a lone robin is given the apparently impossible task of saving the world from the evil magpies. Still, given the compelling plot of 'One for Sorrow' in particular, one can understand why Disney has optioned the novel 'in a million-dollar deal.' It should make a wonderful Disney feature-length cartoon, suitably sanitized.Mr Woodall, who lives in Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire, described the book as a 'classic fairy story for all ages'. Even the good birds execute summarily and employ mass murder. Nor, with its scenes of defecation, disembowelment and magpie rape, does it have much in common with The Lord of the Rings. press, this avian fantasy lacks the depth of that modern animal classic, Watership Down. Kirrick proves that one brave little bird can make a big difference against 'planned systematic genocide.' The second section, 'Two for Joy,' allows Kirrick's mate, Portia, to prove her mettle. A wise old owl, Tomar, asks plucky young Kirrick evidently the sole robin to survive the holocaust to undertake three dangerous journeys in order to enlist the aid of feathered allies. Magpies, under the dictatorship of the treacherous Slyekin, have ruthlessly wiped out many bird species. In an epic conflict of bloodied beak and razor-sharp talon, of undaunted courage and unspeakable evil, of love, loyalty, and wings of honor, the battle for the very soul of Birddom is about to begin.Īt the start of 'One for Sorrow,' the opening half of British author Woodall's savage first novel, Birddom's very existence is threatened.

From the proud might of the eagles, to the ancient wisdom of the owls, to the unlikeliest earthbound creatures, the allies of good must join together to oppose the shadowy menace that threatens them all-or fall from the sky forever. Through danger and deceit, Kirrick soars to all corners of the land, rallying those who would fight to save Birddom. To stop the gathering storm, Kirrick, a lone robin who witnessed the massacre of everything he loved, must undertake a journey beyond all reckoning. Now Slyekin is preparing to launch his final assault against all that was once pure and proclaim his vile dominion. Led by the malevolent, power-mad Slyekin and his sadistic assassin, Traska, their reign of terror has laid waste to the beauty and freedom that was once Birddom. The skies rain blood, no nest is safe, and the winds are thick with fear, pain, and death.ĭriven by an unslakable desire to kill and conquer, the black-feathered magpies-aided by their brutish cousins, the crows-have hunted down and slaughtered countless species of smaller birds into extinction.

“An epic tale in the tradition of Watership Down and Lord of the Rings.”-Alan Yentob, BBC Director of Drama and Entertainmentĭarkness has fallen over the realm of Birddom.

One for sorrow two for joy by clive woodall