The Stronghold facts for kids
Front cover of first edition
|
|
| Author | Mollie Hunter |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Charles Keeping |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's historical novel |
| Publisher | Hamish Hamilton |
|
Publication date
|
May 1974 |
| Media type | Print (hardback and paperback) |
| Pages | 205 pp (first edition) |
| ISBN | 0-241-89026-8 |
| OCLC | 8238633 |
| LC Class | PZ7.M18543 St |
The Stronghold is an exciting historical novel for young readers by the Scottish writer Mollie Hunter. It was published in 1974. The story takes place on the Orkney islands, off the coast of Scotland, around 2,000 years ago.
The book imagines how the amazing circular stone forts, called brochs, might have been invented. These strong buildings are still found all over the islands today. The main character is a clever young man named Coll. He uses his ideas and courage to protect his people from dangerous Roman slave-raiders.
Mollie Hunter won the important Carnegie Medal for The Stronghold. This award celebrates the best children's book written by a British author each year.
Contents
Where the Story Happens: Ancient Orkney
The story is set on the biggest of the Orkney islands, which is now called Mainland. Back then, it was mostly home to the Boar tribe. Their name in their own language was Ork.
But other tribes, like the Deer and the Raven, also lived there. They were more numerous than the Boar tribe but often argued among themselves. The Boar tribe had a special way of choosing their leader: the Chief became powerful by marrying the oldest daughter of the previous Chief. This is called a matrilineal system.
Powerful priests called Druids also had a lot of influence. They kept their knowledge secret and used rituals. At this time, the Roman Republic was growing its empire. People on the islands were afraid the Romans might invade. The Romans also needed many slaves, so they often raided the islands. These raids had been happening for many years.
The Main Story: Building a Stronghold
The book begins with a big meeting. Over 700 warriors from the Boar tribe gather. Their chief, Nectan, suggests that they should stop fighting the Roman raiders. He thinks they should hide instead, because too many of their people are being lost in battles.
However, the Chief Druid, Domnall, strongly disagrees. He believes they must keep fighting. He says it's a matter of faith and that he, as the Druid, should decide. This challenges Chief Nectan's leadership.
Coll, a young man who was injured by a Roman raider when he was five, has a different idea. He believes they can build a tall, round stone fort that no one can break into. He has been thinking about this "stronghold" since he was a child, drawing plans and building models. But the older leaders won't listen to him because he is lame.
A man named Taran arrives. He says he was taken as a slave when he was twelve and has now escaped. Everyone welcomes him. But soon, it becomes clear that Taran wants power for himself. He tries to get close to the Chief's daughter and secretly plans with the Druids and the chiefs of the Deer and Raven tribes. Coll's younger brother, Bran, lives with the Druids and feels torn between the two sides.
The fight for power between Chief Nectan and Chief Druid Domnall gets very serious. Domnall decides to choose Nectan's daughter, Fand, for a terrible sacrifice. Coll loves Fand and wants to save her. He gets advice from his brother Bran on how to stop the sacrifice. Coll believes he will die in Fand's place. But it is Bran who dies, fulfilling an old prophecy about him. This deeply saddens Domnall, who cared for Bran like a son.
After these events, Coll finally gets permission to build his Stronghold. The whole tribe works hard to build the huge 8-story structure. It is finished just before the first Roman raid of the summer. The warriors get ready to defend it, while the other islanders hide.
The first Roman attack is pushed back. Domnall is injured while shouting curses at the Romans in Latin. Taran, who also knows Latin, takes his place. But Taran is secretly helping the Romans. He pretends to curse them but actually tells them to attack again from a different direction.
When Taran's betrayal is discovered, Coll comes up with a clever plan to trap the Romans. His plan works perfectly! The Stronghold proves to be a success, saving the islanders. Plans are then made to build more strongholds all over the islands.
Main Characters in the Story
- Coll: A 17-year-old from the Boar tribe. He has been lame since childhood. He is Chief Nectan's foster-son.
- Nectan: The wise Chief of the Boar tribe.
- Anu: Nectan's wife and the daughter of the previous Chief. She leads the women of the tribe.
- Clodha: Nectan's older daughter.
- Fand: Nectan's younger daughter, whom Coll loves.
- Niall: Coll's best friend and Clodha's future husband.
- Domnall: The powerful Chief of the Druids, the island's priests.
- Bran: Coll's younger brother. He was raised by the Druids and was believed to be a child of destiny.
- Taran: An ambitious former slave who causes trouble.
- Arcon: The Chief of the Deer tribe.
- Deva: The Chief of the Raven tribe.
Important Ideas in the Book
In the beginning of the book, the author, Mollie Hunter, talks about the Orkney brochs. These unique buildings are found nowhere else in the world. She wondered how they were built and thought that such special structures must have come from one brilliant idea. The main idea of the book is how this single, clever idea came to life.
Another important idea in the novel is that intelligence and cleverness are just as important as physical strength. This is shown through Coll, who is lame but uses his mind to save his people. In a world that valued strong warriors, Coll proves that smart thinking can be even more powerful.
The book also explores the conflict between leaders who hold political power (like Chief Nectan) and those who hold religious power (like the Druids). This kind of struggle has been important throughout history in many different cultures.
