In the Forests of Serre

by Patricia A. McKillip

Returning from war, Prince Ronan of Serre accidentally tramples a white hen in the road— and earns a witch’s curse. Her words are meaningless to a man mourning his dead wife and child, but they come to pass all the same; Ronan has not been home a day before his father insists on an arranged marriage. As he gazes into the forest, desperate for a way out, Ronan glimpses a wonderful firebird perched on a nearby branch. He follows where it leads him—into a sideways world where his father’s palace no longer exists. But his intended, the beautiful Princess Sidonie, is on her way to the palace. And her fate depends on Ronan wanting to find his way home. . . .

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Fairy Tales, High Fantasy, Romance, Magic, Young Adult

295 pages, Paperback

First published June 2, 2003

About the author

Patricia Anne McKillip was an American author of fantasy and science fiction. She wrote predominantly standalone fantasy novels and has been called "one of the most accomplished prose stylists in the fantasy genre". Her work won many awards, including the World Fantasy Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2008.

Reviews

[Susana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read that this book is a retelling of the russian legend "The Firebird". Not being aquainted with that legend, i cannot make comparisons.

The little i can say about this story,(for which i just can't find the proper words) is that the author is a master craft in her genius.

I think i have mentioned this, on another review on some other book by this author, but for me, Mckillip writing is the only kind of poetry that i trully enjoy.
The words are just beautifully chosen, and they fit perfectly like pieces in a puzzle...

All the books that i've read by this author have been exquisite, not only by the stories they tell, but also, by the words that are chosen to do it.

In this one, the author creates a magnificient tapestry of words, dreams, and sadness, interwoven with magical beings and very earthy wishes. In it, we have princes who have lost their hearts,a wizard blinded by his wishes, a princess who's not ready to give up, an evil witch who likes to make broth out of people's marrows, and a firebird of incomparable beauty...and power..

A treat for all of those, who don't mind being held captive for a few hours, in a enthralling tale.

And keeping with the tradition, the cover of this book, is just beautiful, and true to the characters and all the elements in the book. The artist's work is trully amazing. I haven't seen this kind of perfection in many other book covers...

[Nicky · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn’t quite a retelling, but there are elements which look very like Baba Yaga, Ivan and the Firebird, and other such folk and fairytales. That said, it’s very much a book of its own which uses the magic of those fairytale elements to reflect on love and grief, and on struggles with oneself. The prose is lyrically beautifully as always, but less opaque than in some of McKillip’s other books — it seemed perfectly clear what everything meant, except perhaps on the point of Unciel and Gyre’s struggles.

It’s also very full of people, real people whose troubles you can feel: a princess who doesn’t want to marry someone she doesn’t know, but goes in the end because otherwise it would spell disaster for her family — but she’s still scared; a prince who doesn’t want to get over the death of his wife and unborn child; a queen trapped in a loveless marriage with a man who might as well be an ogre, but nonetheless loves her son and serves the kingdom… a scribe who wishes briefly to ride off to save a princess, but in the end stays and does his job, and nurses an old wizard. They all have conflicts and fears you can relate to, and their desires are understandable despite the magic around them. Even Gyre’s desire for power makes sense.

There’s some lovely lines, especially regarding the firebird, though the bit I liked best was when Ronan and Sidonie are together near the end of the book, and she’s drawn to him for protection. It just… rang true. And the parts with Unciel and Euan have a lovely quietness at times — it reminds me of some of the moments in Earthsea of just appreciating the world as it is.

I enjoyed this one a lot, and read it very fast; I think it might be one of my favourites so far.

Originally posted here.

[Di Maitland · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5*s. After the first few chapters, I just couldn't understand why this book wasn't better know. The writing was beautiful, the setting enchanting and the plot shaping up to be delightful. Having finished the book, I now understand. The writing becomes obscure, the setting never gets fully fleshed out, and the plot is all over the place.

Prince Ronan of Serre, heir to the kingdom and a princess waiting to marry him, ragged and starting and talking to owls, spellbound by a witch, in love with a bird, and no idea how to get home except by capturing the thing he loved above all else and giving it the the witch for supper.

Having lost his beloved wife and newborn child, Prince Ronan of Serre wants to die. His cruel father, however, has other plans and demands he marry Princess Sidonie of Dacia, securing a political alliance between the nations. Whilst Sidonie rides to Serre, accompanied by the wizard Gyre, Ronan accidentally kills the hen of a powerful forest witch, Brume. To escape her curse, Ronan must jump through one hoop after another, all the while avoiding the bewitching presence of the firebird.

Had the book really been about a prince escaping a witch's curse, I think I would have loved this book. Unfortunately, McKillip begins this along these lines and then, at random intervals, serves off to pursue other courses. The firebird is the first of these and I am still unsure of the connection between the firebird and the rest of the story. Another is an evil entity that is never fully explained and adds almost nothing to the story. And then there's the incident with Gyre that seems to come out of left field. It was all incredibly aggravating.

On top of this muddled plot, the writing, though beautiful at times, tends towards obscure more often than not. McKillip has tried to be too clever with it and the result is that you must carefully...read... each... word... because the sentence doesn't always flow as you'd expect. If I'd had to guess, I would have said it'd been written sometime before the 1980s, not in 2003.

It's a tragedy, really, because it had potential. I liked Sidonie and loved Brume; I found Unciel intriguing and would loved to have seen more of the talking beasts of the forests of Serre. I may give McKillip another go some time but wouldn't recommend this book widely.

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

{October 2024 Reread}

Stunningly cinematic. The moment when Sidonie first sees the phoenix, for example, is written with such melting precision that I can visualize the motion of the bird's liquid flight through the forest and hear the drama of the scene's musical score. Not necessarily my favorite McKillip but an excellent one.

{Original October 2022 Review}

as the youths would say:

step on me, Mother

[Keri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Patricia A. McKillip just writes pretty. That's the only word I can imagine when I read her. It's such beautiful prose that paints a picture in my mind that carries me through the story with no problem.

This is maybe one of my favorite of her novels. Ronan, the prince of Serre, accidentally runs over the prized white hen of the worst witch in the Forest of Serre, Brume. She curses him with the ability to not find his way home if he leaves his house, at least until he finds her.

Sidonie, the princess of Dacia, is set to marry Ronan, despite the fact that he's opposed to it. As she tries to make her way through the forests, the wizard Gyre is set to accompany her. And when they find out the prince is missing, they rely on Gyre to find him.

Not to spoil things, but following the three different paths and watching them cross and clash is what makes this novel great. I would recommend this novel to anyone who wants an enchanting fantasy tale with hints of a fairy tale inside. Five stars, hands down.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

***Dec 2022***
Following the loss of his wife and child, a grief-stricken Prince Ronan goes off to battle in the hopes he will follow them. On his way home, he encounters the ancient witch Brume after accidentally killing her favorite white hen. She predicts that he will have a very bad day. Her prediction comes to pass when Ronan takes off through the strange forests of Serre, chasing a fire bird. Meanwhile, Princess Sidonie of Dacia, accompanied by the wizard Gyre, is sent to marry Prince Ronan in order to secure peace between Dacia and Serre, the latter of which is ruled by King Ferus, a wicked ogre who seeks to conquer as many lands as possible. In Dacia, the aging wizard Unciel, weakened by his last battle, spends his days gardening and recovering while the scribe Euan Ash transcribes Unciel's writing on his adventures.

Of all the Patricia McKillip books I've read so far, this one is my favorite - I do love it a little bit more than the wonderful Forgotten Beasts of Eld. It's such a beautifully intricate tale of magic, grief, and love. All of Patricia McKillip's books are so different from other fantasy novels I've read; these are quiet tales. There are no dramatic love stories or detailed depictions of violent wars. It's just beautifully crafted magical adventures with exquisite writing. I'm not always in the right headspace to appreciate her novels - sometimes all I want to read is some pulse-pounding thriller or high-drama romance - but when I am in the right mood, reading this novel in particular is like slipping into a beautiful dream. Just so lovely.

"What have you found, pursuing the firebird and contending with Brume? You are not the same man who crept into my firelight, starving, half-mad with love and grief, who would have relinquished his own name to any passing stranger. I was the passing stranger. We both got ourselves tangled in the magic of Serre.

***July 2021***
Absolutely gorgeous. The worlds Patricia McKillip creates and the stories she writes are magic in and of themselves. At its core this is a metaphor of a man's journey with grief. Reading her novels makes me feel like I'm in some sort of dreamlike trance. I wish I had the words to do this justice, but I don't. I have a whole stack of her books waiting for me on my shelves and I'm excited to dive in.

[etherealacademia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A beautifully written, albeit forgettable story. One of my qualms with this novel is that the characters were archetypal (and therefore one-dimensional) and their motivations were difficult to parse at times, but I can't wait to read more from McKillip.

[Socialteaist · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread: Bumping up to 5 stars, it is kind of amazing what McKillip does with so few pages. I always say her books are deceptively short, because the story and imagery are so rich.

[Maija · Rating 4 out of 5]

A+ fairytale vibes! Witches in bone houses, firebirds, helping forest animals, princes making magical deals etc.
Vying for the spot as my favourite McKillip... (its competition is The Cygnet and the Firebird)

[Chrissie Whitley · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the Forests of Serre spins an atmospheric tale of grief and magic. After losing his wife and child, Prince Ronan wanders into the forest of Serre in despair, where he encounters the witch Brume. After he is cursed for accidentally killing one of her white hens, Ronan returns to the forest and encounters a firebird. Enchanted, he chases the elusive creature through the woods, losing pieces of his memory and sanity along the way.

Meanwhile, Princess Sidonie travels from Dacia to Serre for an arranged marriage meant to secure peace, though her journey is complicated by the wizard Gyre, whose motives are unclear. As Ronan and Sidonie’s paths cross in strange ways, each must grapple with the forces of fate, loyalty, and identity in this lyrical fantasy.

McKillip is new to me, but this will be far from the last book I read of hers. The storytelling here is the gentle, fairytale kind of magic, draped in a familiar atmosphere, and I loved it.

[Rita · Rating 3 out of 5]

McKillip novels work, or don't work, for me based mostly on the strength of the characterisation. Her prose is lovely, her plots follow a very satisfying fantasy logic; these things are a given. I find that they need to be animated by compelling characters and relationships, though, or it's all just gossamer.

In The Forests of Serre … didn't work for me.

I thought it was a beautiful, twisty sort of fairytale story with a capricious narrative (that's a good thing). I loved the way McKillip used magic to literalise the metaphor of "the heart:" giving away one's heart, trading it, measuring its worth. But I kept waiting to fall in love with the characters, or at least feel something for them, and I couldn't. They wouldn't quite come into focus; I couldn't get a read on what kind of a person Prince Ronan was, or the wizard Gyre's motivations, and so I didn't ultimately care about the love triangle with Sidonie.

I did enjoy the storyline in which Euan (a scribe) records the ailing wizard Unciel's knowledge and adventures; I found it well-paced, and I liked how McKillip developed their relationship. And I LOVED the scene near the end where Sidonie was basically like, "Boys, stop trying to rescue me, I'm rescuing YOU, I've got it under control and you're FUCKING UP MY PLANS" -- I've wanted to see that in a fantasy book for a really, really long time.

On the whole: lovely and a bit disappointing. It's worth reading, but I'd recommend Ombria in Shadow for better-drawn characters.

[Soorya · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the Forests of Serre is a beautifully told story that draws inspiration from Russian fairytales, particularly Baba Yaga and the Firebird. McKillip's prose is just stunning, with a sense of rhythm that's almost like poetry - except that I really don't like poetry, but somehow I loved this. The narrative is nicely structured, with well-thought-out character arcs and a few deft reverses that occur when you least expect them.

Many books today aim to be realistic and gritty (and I've loved a fair share). But this book, much like Ursula Le Guin's Earthsea, has no such aspirations. Instead, McKillip ensnares you with her prose and pulls you away into the depths of her richly textured world. She glories in the fantastical, with no pretense at reality, and I found this just enchanting. Of course, that's not to say it's all moonlight and roses - there's grief and sadness and uncertainty, but it's all layered with this strange, otherworldly tinge.

My only quibbles are to do with the suddenness of the ending and the culmination of Gyre's character arc, which brings this down to 4-4.5 stars.

Also, there's something to be said for a short 300-page standalone. I love trilogies and quadrilogies as much as the next person, but they can be exhausting at times. McKillip has quite a big string of standalones, and I look forward to exploring the rest of her oeuvre.

[Althea Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is McKillip's not so much re-told, but re-imagined legend of the witch Baba Yaga and the Firebird.
Princess Sidonie is sent to wed a prince from a neighboring kingdom to form a political alliance and keep peace. But Prince Ronan is still mournng the death of his previous wife and his child, and wants nothing to do with another woman, no matter how lovely. He flees into the wild country - country known to be inhabited by the dangerous and powerful witch Brume. Ronan ends up not only grief-stricken, but cursed and bewitched. Sidonie is left, with even her escort, the wizard Gyre, mysteriously absent, to negotiate a difficult political situation in a hostile environment.
McKillip uses the familiar elements of traditional fairytales, but weaves them together into a complex story of very real people, each with their own emotions and motivations, moving through a tale replete with symbolism and meaning.
As with all McKillip's books, excellent.

[Jael Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I read of McKillip and it has started a lifelong love of her gorgeous writing. By the first sentence I was hooked and I never looked back. This continues to be one of my favorite books ever written. The writing is beautiful and flows brilliantly. The characters are unique and wonderful and the story is crafted in the most incredible way possible.

[Katy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite McKillip novel, but still easy to recommend to others. A mix of folk tale and fantasy, with almost too many elements happening in the story.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the Forests of Serre is a beautifully written fairy tale with a focus on the human heart (literally and figuratively). I didn't love it as much as my favorites of McKillip's novels, The Changeling Sea and The Forgotten Beasts of Eld, since I didn't get quite as invested in the characters. However, I did enjoy it very much, particularly reading about Princess Sidonie.

Full Review on My Website

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really nice language! My inner voice even felt unusually pretty reading this. I enjoyed the flavor of Serre and the arc of Gyre was interesting.

It's one of those books that before you're into the writing style you sometimes don't know if missed a couple of pages when you turn a page. But you didn't miss any pages, the person just happened to turn into a bird in a single sentence. It's not even a metaphor this time, he's a bird now. Yup he's a bird. But you get into the flowery, metaphorical style quickly, and it's really tasty.

I was very hooked halfway through but then it petered out a little bit. It's more of a 3.5 stars than 4 stars.

[Jonathan Ammon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really enjoying this and thinking that this might be one of McKillip's best up until the last 10% which failed to unravel the complex knot of events in a satisfying and comprehensible manner. Perhaps I will revisit this and find it all makes sense. Certainly, it is McKillip in top form apart from plotting.

[Tommy Luthardt Sanchez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this. You definitely need to get used to the tone of voice, and read presently since the language is so rich. But once you get there you just can’t put it down. There’s a lot of twists and turns, and complications which makes it all the more beautiful.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first book by McKillip. I enjoyed the beautiful, descriptive writing, but not so much the repetitive plot that bounced back and forth repeatedly between the same locations.

[Darren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the way that various fairy tales wove together in the forests.

[swampbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a book that follows the stories of classic folklore! The monster was a bit too vague and difficult to understand, but other than that it was enchanting

[Clara · Rating 4 out of 5]

just beautiful. in some ways simpler (less opaque?) than other mckillips I've read, but I love love love the way it plays with firebird legends and the visibility/invisibility of magic

[Isa · Rating 5 out of 5]

(sigh) gaslight gatekeep girlboss

[Tessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful. I'm working my way through Patricia McKillip's backlog and I think that this one is my second-favorite (so far). Her books are pure magic.

[Ryan Mishap · Rating 3 out of 5]

A re-telling of an old Russian folktale wherein a mighty kingdom—Serre—is ruled by a fierce warrior king who does not remember where the magic of the land comes from. His son recently lost his wife and son and wishes to die, but the king will have him wed to a daughter of a nearby, smaller kingdom said to be great with magic. On his way back from a war, the prince accidently kills the chicken of a witch and she puts a curse on him that sends him feverishly running through the forest in pursuit of the phoenix.
As the princess starts out for Serre, guarded by an ambitious young wizard, an older wizard dictates his life story to a young scripter.
The co-worker who lent me all this books described experiencing McKillip’s worlds as if looking through sheer curtains—everything is dreamlike, seemingly fogged in. That is certainly true with this book, but the style gives you some of the feelings the characters are experiencing. The weaving of this tale is meticulous, despite the etherealness, and brings all the threads together into a grand, finished tapestry.

[Emma Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely beautiful as usual . It reads so much like a fairytale, complete with mysteries that aren't quite resolved at the end, horrific imagery and an accumulation of riches. What I like most about McKillip is how warm she is - her prose is gorgeous ( look at that cosy, comfortable, perfect passage: 'The rest of the pages you should read. If you can get through my handwriting.” He separated himself from the chair slowly, bone by bone. “The cat is sleeping on them. Read a little before you decide."Gyre followed the flickering thread of cat-dreams, and found the scribe’s desk.') but she can also be very funny and her characters are often readers or writers, intelligent introverts with a great heart and I find that so lovely. At its heart it was a tale about mourning and self-discovery wrapped in wonder and magic but unlike a lot of authors, she's economical. This isn't an epic trilogy. It's a 300-page book, it's beautiful, to the point, and creates an atmosphere and interesting characters straight away. It takes great skill to do that.

[Alexandra Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like this book was a puzzle. Each individual piece that I read seemed small and insignificant and maybe frivolous, but then I finished the book, all the pieces put together, and my mind is still blown by how gorgeous the picture is!

I find that her handling of so many characters is so interesting. She managed to weave a story through four separate povs with something like eight main characters. As a writer, this may be part of the reason for my awe. All the characters are well formed. I feel like I know them, that they are not words simply on the page. Considering how many of them there are, that's awesome.

The plot, though tedious at times, took shape immediately. The end was somewhat predictable, but the journey was not. If you are a reader willing to take that journey with the characters, you will not regret it!

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

The perfect description of this fantasy: spellbinding!! It was an enthralling mixture of Russian folklore [a Baba Yaga witch living in a house of bones--no mortar and pestle--and the firebird] and fairytale elements: prince and princess; wizards, an ogre, shapeshifting, talking animals, and the mysterious, frightening, magical Forests in the land of Serre. The author deftly mixed these elements together in a glorious mélange.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

A fairy tale. I find it hard to put words to this. I wanted desperately to like it because "simple fairy tales" have always been my coping mechanism. But this one was frightfully bad. I wouldn't even recommend it to my fourteen year-old self, because there is not a single character in this fairy tale who could possibly act as a role model for a young girl.

The female characters are pathetic, whiny, selfish, and weak. The males are brutal, strong and for 99% of the text, drive the plot.

There are also only so many words, I believe McKillip found, to describe "gold". The repetitious attempts to describe nearly everything in this book as gold, golden, and gold just about killed my lust to read. It's like reading through an Instagram filter. I know: metaphor, foreshadowing, and allegory. But sweet Jesus, it just didn't do it for me.

My favorite female character was Brume (Baba Yaga-esque). She's a witch - both beautiful and hideous - hiding in the woods, scaring people and animals.