Wild Blood (novel)
Encyclopedia
Wild Blood is a fantasy novel by Kate Thompson
. It concludes the stories of Tess, a young Irish
shapeshifter
(or "Switcher", as they are called in the novel), and Kevin, a former Switcher. It also introduces several other characters, such as Tess's three cousins and their father Maurice. The plot deals with the events leading up to Tess's fifteenth birthday, the day on which all Switchers lose their powers forever, and must choose a permanent form in which to spend the rest of their lives.
, in Western Ireland
. The story begins a few days before Tess' fifteenth birthday.
, Tess discovers that the house is infested with rat
s, which enrages her (easily angered) uncle Maurice, who is planning to sell the nearby wood for development. Tess' cousin Orla protests, but when she mentions 'Uncle Declan', Maurice becomes furious, and terrifies them all into silence.
The next morning, Orla claims that she is going to see their uncle Declan, but Tess declines the offer to join her. Kevin (who has come to help Tess through her birthday) poses as an exterminator
, and Maurice agrees to pay him £100 to get rid of the rats. Kevin sets about his work, playing a flute
and pretending to lure the rats in a manner similar to that of the Pied Piper; in fact he is using his knowledge of the rats' telepathic
language
to send out a sort of evacuation order. Unfortunately, Maurice finds the corpse of a rat a few days later and takes this as proof that Kevin did not complete his contract
. He therefore decides not to pay Kevin, and orders the youth to leave.
While Maurice is showing a property developer
around the woods, Tess explores the area with her cousins. She is suddenly dazzled by a flash of light, and when she recovers the three children have disappeared. Maurice and the developer arrive moments later, and they all see Kevin standing nearby, seemingly implicating him as a kidnapper
. Maurice commands his wife
not to call the police
, after which he sets out to find the children. Tess asks her aunt Deirdre about Declan, and is shocked to learn that he is Maurice’s long-dead twin
brother.
When Tess finds Kevin, he is adamant that he has not been anywhere near the woods since Maurice ordered him to leave. Tess explains the situation, and he informs her of his belief that an ancient, magical presence may be abroad in the woods, one which even they, with their experience of the supernatural
world, have never imagined. In the form of a rat, Tess summons the rats of the area to see if they know anything of her cousins’ disappearance. One white
rat (identifying herself as "Cat Friend") transmits an image of four pairs of feet, which Tess recognises as Colm’s, Orla’s, Brian’s and, unfortunately, Kevin's. Returning to the farm, Tess again asks about Uncle Declan, and Deirdre reveals that twenty years previously, Maurice’s brother Declan disappeared near where the children went missing. The loss of his twin traumatised Maurice, and he spent days searching for Declan in the woods.
Tess tracks down Cat Friend, but is surprised when the rat provides her with an image of her cousins and Kevin walking straight through the face of a crag. At Cat Friend's suggestion, Tess becomes a rat and holds onto Cat Friend's tail, allowing Cat Friend to pull her through the rock-face. Inside, Tess finds an enormous fairy
sidhe, within which she finds her missing cousins along with Kevin and another boy. Orla introduces the boy as Uncle Declan, and Kevin explains to Tess that the person she saw kidnapping her cousins was in fact Declan, who used a glamour to disguise himself.
Declan tells Tess that he and Maurice were both Switchers in their younger days, and that on their fifteenth birthday they agreed to become members of the Tuatha Dé Danaan so that they could retain their powers; however, at the last moment, Maurice broke his promise and remained human
. Ever since then, Declan has resented his brother for abandoning him, and has harassed him in various forms. Declan goes on to explain that all Switchers are descended from the Tuatha de Danaan, which is why they possess the ability to change their forms. When Declan states that his kind are forced to return to Tír Na nÓg
when their homes are destroyed, Tess realises that Maurice had intended to sell the land in the hope that Declan would be banished from his life forever, and that Declan is therefore holding Maurice's children hostage
. However, Orla speaks up, claiming that her father loves Declan, and moved by her words, Declan agrees to speak to his brother. They find each other in the woods, and reveal the years-old sorrow borne by each at the loss of the other, Maurice explaining that he didn't abandon Declan, but simply hesitated when he considered what their disappearance after their transformation would do to their parents, the hesitation causing him to pause just long enough for him to miss his chance to transform. The rift between them is healed, and Declan agrees to let the children go, as long as Maurice promises not to sell the land, a condition to which Maurice happily agrees.
Once the children are safely with their father, Declan offers to show Tess the possibilities which face her if she chooses to become like him. She agrees, but promises Kevin that she will return to speak to him before her time is up. With Declan, Tess discovers the true extent of her powers and her heritage: She learns how to Switch other objects, how to control the weather
, and how to ride the wind
, as well as dancing with her immortal ancestors on Ben Bulben
. With the moment of her fifteenth birthday only a few minutes away, Tess rides the wind back to where Kevin waits, informing him of her choice to remain a fairy
. However, having spent the past few hours considering everything, Kevin insists that this is the wrong choice, and that she should remain human. He reminds her of one of Declan's prior statements about fairies adapting to human perception
s, and tells her that becoming like Declan may make her nothing more than "a figment of someone else’s imagination
". Furthermore, he claims that with their knowledge of the animal world, he and Tess can fight for the world's animals, and protect them from the ever-more-dangerous human race. Tess agrees, and chooses to live out a mortal
life as a human. Despite Declan's original fury at this rejection, he accepts Tess' choice.
in which Tess' parents do not appear. In one chapter, Brian and Colm are shown to Switch into C3PO and R2D2 respectively, revealing a hitherto unexplored aspect of the Switching power.
in 1999.
Kate Thompson (author)
Kate Thompson is an award-winning writer for children and adults. Born in Halifax, Yorkshire, she has lived in Ireland, where many of her books are set, since 1981. She is the youngest child of the social historians and peace activists E. P. Thompson and Dorothy Towers...
. It concludes the stories of Tess, a young Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
shapeshifter
Shapeshifting
Shapeshifting is a common theme in mythology, folklore, and fairy tales. It is also found in epic poems, science fiction literature, fantasy literature, children's literature, Shakespearean comedy, ballet, film, television, comics, and video games...
(or "Switcher", as they are called in the novel), and Kevin, a former Switcher. It also introduces several other characters, such as Tess's three cousins and their father Maurice. The plot deals with the events leading up to Tess's fifteenth birthday, the day on which all Switchers lose their powers forever, and must choose a permanent form in which to spend the rest of their lives.
Setting
The (very short) first chapter of this book takes place in Dublin, however the majority of the book is set in County ClareCounty Clare
-History:There was a Neolithic civilisation in the Clare area — the name of the peoples is unknown, but the Prehistoric peoples left evidence behind in the form of ancient dolmen; single-chamber megalithic tombs, usually consisting of three or more upright stones...
, in Western Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. The story begins a few days before Tess' fifteenth birthday.
Plot introduction
Tess is sent to stay with her cousins while her parents are on holiday, but unfortunately finds that her fifteenth birthday will fall while she is still away from home. As she struggles with the choice of what permanent form to take when she loses her powers; a choice in which a mysterious and chilling force soon takes an interest.Plot summary
At her cousins' farmFarm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
, Tess discovers that the house is infested with rat
Rat
Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents of the superfamily Muroidea. "True rats" are members of the genus Rattus, the most important of which to humans are the black rat, Rattus rattus, and the brown rat, Rattus norvegicus...
s, which enrages her (easily angered) uncle Maurice, who is planning to sell the nearby wood for development. Tess' cousin Orla protests, but when she mentions 'Uncle Declan', Maurice becomes furious, and terrifies them all into silence.
The next morning, Orla claims that she is going to see their uncle Declan, but Tess declines the offer to join her. Kevin (who has come to help Tess through her birthday) poses as an exterminator
Pest control
Pest control refers to the regulation or management of a species defined as a pest, usually because it is perceived to be detrimental to a person's health, the ecology or the economy.-History:...
, and Maurice agrees to pay him £100 to get rid of the rats. Kevin sets about his work, playing a flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
and pretending to lure the rats in a manner similar to that of the Pied Piper; in fact he is using his knowledge of the rats' telepathic
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
language
Language
Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...
to send out a sort of evacuation order. Unfortunately, Maurice finds the corpse of a rat a few days later and takes this as proof that Kevin did not complete his contract
Contract
A contract is an agreement entered into by two parties or more with the intention of creating a legal obligation, which may have elements in writing. Contracts can be made orally. The remedy for breach of contract can be "damages" or compensation of money. In equity, the remedy can be specific...
. He therefore decides not to pay Kevin, and orders the youth to leave.
While Maurice is showing a property developer
Real estate development
Real estate development, or Property Development, is a multifaceted business, encompassing activities that range from the renovation and re-lease of existing buildings to the purchase of raw land and the sale of improved land or parcels to others...
around the woods, Tess explores the area with her cousins. She is suddenly dazzled by a flash of light, and when she recovers the three children have disappeared. Maurice and the developer arrive moments later, and they all see Kevin standing nearby, seemingly implicating him as a kidnapper
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
. Maurice commands his wife
Wife
A wife is a female partner in a marriage. The rights and obligations of the wife regarding her spouse and others, and her status in the community and in law, varies between cultures and has varied over time.-Origin and etymology:...
not to call the police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
, after which he sets out to find the children. Tess asks her aunt Deirdre about Declan, and is shocked to learn that he is Maurice’s long-dead twin
Twin
A twin is one of two offspring produced in the same pregnancy. Twins can either be monozygotic , meaning that they develop from one zygote that splits and forms two embryos, or dizygotic because they develop from two separate eggs that are fertilized by two separate sperm.In contrast, a fetus...
brother.
When Tess finds Kevin, he is adamant that he has not been anywhere near the woods since Maurice ordered him to leave. Tess explains the situation, and he informs her of his belief that an ancient, magical presence may be abroad in the woods, one which even they, with their experience of the supernatural
Supernatural
The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
world, have never imagined. In the form of a rat, Tess summons the rats of the area to see if they know anything of her cousins’ disappearance. One white
White
White is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light that stimulates all three types of color sensitive cone cells in the human eye in nearly equal amounts and with high brightness compared to the surroundings. A white visual stimulation will be void of hue and grayness.White light can be...
rat (identifying herself as "Cat Friend") transmits an image of four pairs of feet, which Tess recognises as Colm’s, Orla’s, Brian’s and, unfortunately, Kevin's. Returning to the farm, Tess again asks about Uncle Declan, and Deirdre reveals that twenty years previously, Maurice’s brother Declan disappeared near where the children went missing. The loss of his twin traumatised Maurice, and he spent days searching for Declan in the woods.
Tess tracks down Cat Friend, but is surprised when the rat provides her with an image of her cousins and Kevin walking straight through the face of a crag. At Cat Friend's suggestion, Tess becomes a rat and holds onto Cat Friend's tail, allowing Cat Friend to pull her through the rock-face. Inside, Tess finds an enormous fairy
Fairy
A fairy is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural.Fairies resemble various beings of other mythologies, though even folklore that uses the term...
sidhe, within which she finds her missing cousins along with Kevin and another boy. Orla introduces the boy as Uncle Declan, and Kevin explains to Tess that the person she saw kidnapping her cousins was in fact Declan, who used a glamour to disguise himself.
Declan tells Tess that he and Maurice were both Switchers in their younger days, and that on their fifteenth birthday they agreed to become members of the Tuatha Dé Danaan so that they could retain their powers; however, at the last moment, Maurice broke his promise and remained human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
. Ever since then, Declan has resented his brother for abandoning him, and has harassed him in various forms. Declan goes on to explain that all Switchers are descended from the Tuatha de Danaan, which is why they possess the ability to change their forms. When Declan states that his kind are forced to return to Tír Na nÓg
Tír na nÓg
Tír na nÓg is the most popular of the Otherworlds in Irish mythology. It is perhaps best known from the story of Oisín, one of the few mortals who lived there, who was said to have been brought there by Niamh of the Golden Hair. It was where the Tuatha Dé Danann settled when they left Ireland's...
when their homes are destroyed, Tess realises that Maurice had intended to sell the land in the hope that Declan would be banished from his life forever, and that Declan is therefore holding Maurice's children hostage
Hostage
A hostage is a person or entity which is held by a captor. The original definition meant that this was handed over by one of two belligerent parties to the other or seized as security for the carrying out of an agreement, or as a preventive measure against certain acts of war...
. However, Orla speaks up, claiming that her father loves Declan, and moved by her words, Declan agrees to speak to his brother. They find each other in the woods, and reveal the years-old sorrow borne by each at the loss of the other, Maurice explaining that he didn't abandon Declan, but simply hesitated when he considered what their disappearance after their transformation would do to their parents, the hesitation causing him to pause just long enough for him to miss his chance to transform. The rift between them is healed, and Declan agrees to let the children go, as long as Maurice promises not to sell the land, a condition to which Maurice happily agrees.
Once the children are safely with their father, Declan offers to show Tess the possibilities which face her if she chooses to become like him. She agrees, but promises Kevin that she will return to speak to him before her time is up. With Declan, Tess discovers the true extent of her powers and her heritage: She learns how to Switch other objects, how to control the weather
Weather
Weather is the state of the atmosphere, to the degree that it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy. Most weather phenomena occur in the troposphere, just below the stratosphere. Weather refers, generally, to day-to-day temperature and precipitation activity, whereas climate...
, and how to ride the wind
Wind
Wind is the flow of gases on a large scale. On Earth, wind consists of the bulk movement of air. In outer space, solar wind is the movement of gases or charged particles from the sun through space, while planetary wind is the outgassing of light chemical elements from a planet's atmosphere into space...
, as well as dancing with her immortal ancestors on Ben Bulben
Ben Bulben
Ben Bulben, sometimes spelt Benbulben or Benbulbin , is a large rock formation in County Sligo, Ireland. It is part of the Dartry Mountains, an area sometimes called "Yeats Country".Ben Bulben is listed as a protected structure....
. With the moment of her fifteenth birthday only a few minutes away, Tess rides the wind back to where Kevin waits, informing him of her choice to remain a fairy
Fairy
A fairy is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural.Fairies resemble various beings of other mythologies, though even folklore that uses the term...
. However, having spent the past few hours considering everything, Kevin insists that this is the wrong choice, and that she should remain human. He reminds her of one of Declan's prior statements about fairies adapting to human perception
Perception
Perception is the process of attaining awareness or understanding of the environment by organizing and interpreting sensory information. All perception involves signals in the nervous system, which in turn result from physical stimulation of the sense organs...
s, and tells her that becoming like Declan may make her nothing more than "a figment of someone else’s imagination
Imagination
Imagination, also called the faculty of imagining, is the ability of forming mental images, sensations and concepts, in a moment when they are not perceived through sight, hearing or other senses...
". Furthermore, he claims that with their knowledge of the animal world, he and Tess can fight for the world's animals, and protect them from the ever-more-dangerous human race. Tess agrees, and chooses to live out a mortal
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
life as a human. Despite Declan's original fury at this rejection, he accepts Tess' choice.
Major characters
- Tess: Tess is a Switcher, and the main character of the series. At the time of this book, Tess is only a few days away from turning fifteen, and is therefore faced with the choice of what form to take for the rest of her life.
- Kevin: A former Switcher, Kevin is about seventeen at the time of Wild Blood. Following his return to human form at the end of Midnight's ChoiceMidnight's Choice (novel)Midnight’s Choice is a fantasy novel for young adults, by Kate Thompson. It is the second book in the Switchers Trilogy, and continues the story of Tess and Kevin, two young Irish shapeshifters...
, Kevin attempted to move back in with his family, but they rejected him, forcing him to live on the streets. He is a close friend of Tess, and one of the very few people who are aware of her power to Switch.
- Maurice: The husband of Tess' aunt. Maurice is a former Switcher, although this fact is only revealed toward the end of the book. He owns a farm in Clare, and becomes angry very easily.
- Orla: Tess' eleven–year-old cousin, and Maurice's only daughter. Orla is asthmaAsthmaAsthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...
tic, but the time spent in Declan’s sidhe seem to somehow cure her condition. She has an interest in Celtic mythologyCeltic mythologyCeltic mythology is the mythology of Celtic polytheism, apparently the religion of the Iron Age Celts. Like other Iron Age Europeans, the early Celts maintained a polytheistic mythology and religious structure...
, particularly the stories of the Tuatha De Danaan.
- Brian: Tess' ten-year-old cousin, and Maurice's oldest son. He often cares for his younger brother Colm.
- Colm: Another of Tess' cousins, Colm is three years old and therefore Maurice's youngest son. He always wears red wellingtons, and enjoys the Star WarsStar WarsStar Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
movies.
- Declan: Maurice's twin brother. Declan chose to become a fairy on his fifteenth birthday, allowing him to retain his powers.
- Elizabeth "Lizzie" Larten: An elderly former Switcher, Lizzie acts as Tess' adviser with regard to supernatural occurrences throughout the series. She appears only briefly at the start of this book, and tells Tess to make the most of her stay in Clare.
Significance within the series
This is the only book of the Switchers TrilogySwitchers Trilogy
The Switchers Trilogy is a fantasy book series for young adults, written by Kate Thompson. The series is mainly set in Ireland. The leading characters are teenagers with the power to shapeshift into the forms of animals and various supernatural creatures.-Major characters:*Tess: An only child who...
in which Tess' parents do not appear. In one chapter, Brian and Colm are shown to Switch into C3PO and R2D2 respectively, revealing a hitherto unexplored aspect of the Switching power.
Publication history
Wild Blood was first published in Great Britain by The Bodley HeadThe Bodley Head
The Bodley Head is an English publishing house, founded in 1887 and existing as an independent entity until the 1970s. The name has been used as an imprint of Random House Children's Books since 1987...
in 1999.
See also
- SwitchersSwitchers (novel)Switchers is the first book of the Switchers Trilogy by Kate Thompson. Originally published in Ireland in 1994, it was first published in Great Britain by The Bodley Head in 1997. It introduces Tess and Kevin, the two main characters of the series...
- Midnight’s ChoiceMidnight's Choice (novel)Midnight’s Choice is a fantasy novel for young adults, by Kate Thompson. It is the second book in the Switchers Trilogy, and continues the story of Tess and Kevin, two young Irish shapeshifters...
- Switchers TrilogySwitchers TrilogyThe Switchers Trilogy is a fantasy book series for young adults, written by Kate Thompson. The series is mainly set in Ireland. The leading characters are teenagers with the power to shapeshift into the forms of animals and various supernatural creatures.-Major characters:*Tess: An only child who...
- Kate ThompsonKate Thompson (author)Kate Thompson is an award-winning writer for children and adults. Born in Halifax, Yorkshire, she has lived in Ireland, where many of her books are set, since 1981. She is the youngest child of the social historians and peace activists E. P. Thompson and Dorothy Towers...
External links
- http://www.kate-thompson.com/
- http://www.katethompson.info