A Weave of Words

What a romantic and delightful folk tale Robert D. San Souci has woven for us with this offering! Before we get started with a summation and review, the reader should be aware of the fact that while this is billed as an Armenian tale which is being retold; this is not strictly speaking the absolute truth. The author has indeed taken a basic tale of Armenia, but has inserted bits and pieces of from the various cultures near and around the Caucasus and indeed, Russia. This is all well and good and certainly does not distract one bit from the overall work, but I feel it is a bit of knowledge that should be considered when reading it. Be that as it may... A young price, named Vachagan, a basically nice follow, has spent his life dong really nothing but living in a boring state of mind and has spent his entire time dressed simply and does nothing but hunt. The lad is a good hearted lad, handsome, bright and likable. One day as he is hunting he comes upon the home of a weaver and meets a young woman whose beauty and bearing, spirit and intelligence sweep him off his feet. He instantly asks her hand in marriage! Anait, the young lady of his passion is a rather head strong young thing who has a mind of her own and when she finds the young prince cannot read, write or earn a living by his own hand, rejects his offer. He, she feels, is not worthy of her...which is probably a good point. I have to agree with the young Miss on this one. To be honest, there is not much not to like about this young lady. The prince, completely love stricken and rather heartbroken, departs and begins to study and study with a singly mindedness to learn to read and write. He also teaches himself the art of weaving. When all of this is accomplished the young prince returns to Anait and this time she accepts him for her husband. They are married, have a wonderful life, and eventually become King and Queen of the land. All is well until the young King is captured by an evil demon, is forced into slavery and since he has skills, is forced to weave for the demon. How he manages to get a message back to his wife in a nice part of the tale, a key part, and I will not give it away here. Suffice to say that when his wife the Queen receives his secret message, she mounts her black stallion, leads an army to the rescue and in single combat defeats the demon (neatly removing all three of his heads with her mighty sword), and frees her husband. This work features a very strong and able female character and the entire story is wonderfully told in the folk story mode. The art work in this book by Raul Colon is beautifully executed and fits the mood of the story completely. The softness and golden overcast tend to highlight the wonderful details. Each painting illustrates the story perfectly. This is truly a lovely tale and this work goes onto my stack of all time favorites. Don Blankenship The Ozarks

Great book, nicely illustrated. King Vachagan II is actually a historical figure, known as one of the first Christian monarchs of Armenia who built dozens of churches in Armenia's Eastern Provinces. I would say he resembles King Arthur of the Old England.

The author of this book spins a fabulous tale. The story stirs the imagination and captures the heart. It should inspire many young women to have high standards and to never accept anything less. After reading this book, I couldn't wait to own it. I have shared the book with my class this year and will continue to do so in the future. Both the boys and the girls in my fourth grade class loved this intriguing weave of words!

What a refreshing twist of folklore! In this tale not only is the princess young and beautiful, but full of wit and strong-willed too! She's a wonderful role-model for any woman in love! Not only does she save the prince from his own ignorence but she rescues him from death as well. Together, they build the foundation of true love and what life-long commitment truely means. I am a children's librarian and couldn't pick a better book to demonstrate what love is any better. I WILL have this book read at my own wedding.

A Weave of Words is a beautifully written and illustrated Armenian folktale as told by the experienced storyteller, Robert San Souci. The tale is the story of the wise, strong and devoted heroine, Anait, who teaches Prince Vachagan the virtues of reading, writing and learning a trade, in this case, the weaving of beautiful Armenian rugs. In the end, the wonderfully evil and ugly dev is outwitted by the young royal couple because of these skills. San Souci and illustrater, Raul Colon, capture the magic, mystery and romance of the land of Mt. Ararat through clear writing and rich illustrations. This book is a delightful read for the whole family, especially for girls looking for brave, wise, and strong heroines who rescue their heros.