A Riddle of Roses is the debut novel of Caryl Cude Mullin. It was illustrated by Kasia Charko and released by Second Story Press in 2000. The novel is well suited for young readers and marketed for young teenagers. The novel's topic is influenced by Celtic mythology and Arthurian legends. Plot introduction The story is about an orphan girl named Meryl and her dream of becoming a bard like her mother before her, and the quest she must go on to achieve this goal. She and a Draoi (dro-aw-eye) named Halstatt come together to journey to a great kingdom and drink from a magic cauldron to discover her true destiny. Awards The book was nominated for the 2002 Hackmatack award in Canada. Reception When reviewing the book for SF Site, Scientist George T Dodds called the novel as a "delightful story for young readers" that "reads remarkably well for its target audience, with a nice mix of fantasy, interesting and unusual characters, and an avoidance of didacticism and moral preaching." Jeffrey Canton, reviewing the novel for Quill & Quire, compared the novel to Welwyn Wilton Katz's A Third Magic, concluding that the "novel mirrors the great tradition of songs and stories that her young heroine longs to place herself in but, more importantly, it leaves readers with a story that does the bardic tradition proud." See also 2010 Quebec Writers' Federation Awards, author Caryl Cude Mullin, for Rough Magic References External links Hackmatack Awards Unrisd Awards American fantasy novels 2000 American novels American young adult novels Novels about orphans Celtic mythology in popular culture Debut fantasy novels 2000 debut novels