Tim writes...

Dear Michelle,

We have met before (and I've asked you questions before), and this time I would like to ask you yet another very specific question about a scene in COAD. At the start of Spirit Walker, when the sickness is spreading through the Forest and the first members of the Raven Clan fall ill, Saeunn and Renn perform a ritual over Oslak's body to try to get rid of the disease (he's been dead for quite some years now so I feel I'm allowed to say Oslak's name out loud...). I've read the books in Dutch, so I'm not exactly sure how the spell goes in English, but it's something like this:
'Come, disease. Out of the marrow, into the bone. Out of the bone, into the flesh. Out of the flesh, into the skin. Out of the skin, into the arrow. Out of the arrow, into the fire.' After which Saeunn does indeed throw the arrow into the fire.

I have just read a book on the history of the Dutch language, which contains a chapter with - among other things - charms written around the 9th century that were later used by Jacob Grimm to formulate his theory on sound changes in the Germanic languages around that time. The charms are supposed to be remedies against worms, and one of them goes:
'Out, worm, with nine little worms, out of the marrow, into the bone...' and then it goes on exactly like the spell you put in Spirit Walker, right up until the end with the arrow. I'm assuming that can't be a coincidence.

I realise this was a very long time ago, but I wanted to ask if you remember how you came to this. Was it something on which you accidentally stumbled across and decided would fit into the story, or were you actively looking for ancient spells and such in books more often? Are there any other such charms that you took from old sources?

Best wishes,
Tim

Michelle Replies...

Hello again, Tim!  You're absolutely right, that spell is based on a real source (though I'd not heard of the Jacob Grimm connection till now).  It's an Old High German charm called Contra Vermes, probably dating to about the early 1oth century, but with pre-Christian roots that may go back to the Rig Veda, the ancient Sanskrit text.  I came across it years before I began Wolf Brother in a translation of an Icelandic grimoire or collection of spells (The Galdrabok, transl. Stephen Flowers, pub'd Samuel Weisner Inc, 1989) - but when researching Torak's world, I re-read my collection of such books and found it.  Have I used others like it? Definitely.  In creating Torak's world I drew on the folklore of many cultures such as the Ainu, Native Americans, Indigenous Australians, Inuit, and of course Norse and Germanic.  Mostly I can't recall the sources, but I do recall that Seshru's summoning charm in Outcast -"When reed quakes, etc, remember me.." derives from a Malaysian charm that I think I found in The Golden Bough.  (Incidentally, when Ian McKellen read that for the audiobook, it put him in mind of what the ghost says in Hamlet!)  Thanks for asking such a great question, which had me leafing through my old continuity notes... With very best wishes, Michelle

Rebecca writes...

Hi Michelle.
Would you consider writing any prequels or spinoffs in Torak's world?
Will there be any film or TV apaptations of the original 6 book series in the future? - I hope so!
What changes would you make? And what same ideas would you insist of using?
Do you have any actors in mind already that you'd like for the character's parts?
Thanks again.

Michelle Replies...

Dear Rebecca, thanks for all this!  At present there are no plans to adapt the Wolf Brother books, but if that changes, readers visiting my website will be the first to know. Concerning spinoffs or prequels, I've never felt the urge to write them.  I think that's because I'm so close to Torak, Renn and Wolf (not to mention Dark) that I just couldn't imagine that world without them.  You also asked whether - if there were an adaptation in the future - I'd want any changes made.  That prompted a hollow laugh, because it wouldn't be up to me.  Any studio which did a film or tv deal would want the right to change anything it liked about the stories, and I'd just have to put up with it.  I think I'd be happy, provided they kept to the spirit of the stories, and didn't try to make Torak into a cartoonish super-hero, and Wolf into a sort of Stone Age Lassie.  As for actors: personally, I'd prefer unknown actors to play most of the characters; and Wolf would of course have to be CGI'd.  That's because you can't train real wolves to do anything, not even fetch a stick.  They simply don't see the point.  Thanks for asking such interesting questions - and may the guardian run with you!  With best wishes, Michelle

Ryan writes...

Dear Michelle,

I hope this message finds you well and you are finding ways to stay cool during this heatwave we’re currently having!

I wanted to message to congratulate you on what a triumph RAINFOREST is. I was lucky enough to get a digital proof on NetGalley and of course I had to read it straight away without a moments notice and by GOD it was incredible. I loved every second. It came at the right moment as my partner, Josh, and I are in the middle of buying our first home together and it hasn’t been a very fun process and RAINFOREST allowed me to escape for a while!

Below is what I posted on NetGalley after finishing:

Phenomenal. All of the stars. Every single time I read a Michelle Paver book I am completely entranced. Sucked straight into the words and not let go until the very last page. This book took me completely unawares with its direction and I couldn’t have loved it more if I tried. I knew that it was going to be creepy but holy cow, the violence that lay within these pages was handled so well.

Simon is incredibly flawed. At times creepy, narcissistic and downright odd. He deeply mistrusts the local people of the part of the rainforest where he is working. He’s running away from his own demons back home in England. Demons of his own making that even now he just doesn’t seem to realise. And even now he just cannot let go of his obsessions. I liked that he was this way because you never once really feel for him. If anything I felt that the more he was haunted, the more comeuppance he was truly getting. His just desserts.

Written with consummate skill with gorgeous, often raw prose, and with a conclusion that made me physically shout out in horror, this was a joy and easily my top read of the year so far.

Every time I read one of her books it’s like coming home, and I am so grateful to have experienced that wonderful feeling once again! ♥️

-

Thank you for such an experience! Hoping I get to catch up with you at an event later in the year and get my copy signed!

Best wishes as always,
Ryan

Michelle Replies...

Dear Ryan, thanks so much for this - I think it's pretty much the first review for Rainforest - and I'm absolutely delighted that you liked it so much! I was also fascinated to hear your take on the hero, Simon.  I suspect he's going to spark some interesting discussions among readers: some may empathise with him, while others probably won't.  As always it'll be down to individual readers to make up their own minds, but I do find that fascinating.  And above all, I'm glad that the story kept you hooked and that you enjoyed it! Thanks again for getting in touch.  With very best wishes, Michelle

P.S. I should make clear to readers that you're one of the lucky ones who's been allowed to read Rainforest early; it's common practice for publishers to send reviewers and booksellers advance copies.  I'm afraid the rest of my readers will have to wait till October when the book comes out.

Jan writes...

Hi my name is janice i am in primary school i am doing a school report about you I have a few questions
1.what is ur fav color
2.what challenges did u have to over come
3.what do you wish for to do in the future
ty this will help alot i couldn't find anything about these questions

Michelle Replies...

Hi, Janice.  As you're written in text-speak, my answers are just as short: 1) Green.  2) Getting published.  3) Write. Regards, Michelle