From Sofie

Clan-tattoos: some questions

Clan-tattoos: some questions
Sofie Writes…

Hello dear Michelle!

I hope you’re having a wonderful summer so far and that your latest launch is going well. I heard the news just yesterday, and it seems like a thrill! I’m excited for you.

I was just wondering a bit about clan tattoos, so if you don’t mind I have a couple of questions! I know you’ve mentioned some of these things in the books of The Chronicles of Ancient Darkness, but I think the tattoos are such a lovely element to the world, so I was curious to know more.
1. I know that people of different clans marry. Would the person who moved to live with the clan of their spouse have the new clan’s tattoo done along with their existing one, would they adopt some other kind of mark to show that they’ve joined the new one, or would they simply stay as they are in terms of appearance?
2. At what age would people typically have their tattoos done? I know that children bear them, but I was wondering if it varied vastly between clans or if some would see that you reach a certain milestone or feat first.
3. Is there any tattoo that you like the most or that you think would suit you best? Personally I like the Red Deer one – I find it’s simple but pretty and noble in a way. Of course it’s hard to choose a favourite!

If some of this is better left as more abstract or simply different from case to case, that’s of course alright haha. Thank you in advance either way!

Best wishes from Sweden!

Michelle Replies…

Hello, Sofie.  Thanks for asking about clan-tattoos; and you’re not alone in finding them intriguing!  To answer your questions: 1) What happens when an individual goes to live with the clan of their mate?  It’s up to each clan on this, there’s no set rule that governs all the clans.  Generally, the more easy-going clans let the incoming individual keep their original tattoos without adding a new one (unless they particularly want to); only some of the very hard-line Deep Forest Clans such as the Aurochs require them to adopt new clan-tattoos.  2) At what age does a child get them? Usually at age seven; which is why Torak recalls Fa giving him his clan-tattoos at the beginning of Wolf-Brother. 3) Which clan-tattoo is my favourite?  Well, if I had to be in a clan, I think I’d go for the Ravens – but as for the clan-tattoo, I actually like that if the Sea-eagle Clan best: a four-clawed sea-eagle foot on the back of the left hand sounds about right for me, as I’m left-handed; and perhaps it would bring me luck in my writing.  (Having said that, I’m not keen on the idea of actually getting a tattoo for myself; I don’t like the idea of its being permanent.)  But I can see why you like the Red Deer clan-tattoo, it’s very elegant and neat, and yet mysterious, too.  Thanks for asking such good questions, Sofie – and may the guardian hunt with you!  With very best wishes, Michelle


Upcoming Live Events With Michelle

Incredible… Inspiring… In Person!

Only 50 days to grab your ticket!

Wimbledon Book Festival

October 17, 2025
Festival patron and Sunday Times bestselling author Michelle Paver will talk about her latest supernatural fiction in this live recording with Always Take Notes, a podcast for and about writers and writing.

Michelle will discuss her incredible career, from finding inspiration for Wolf Brother on Wimbledon Common to her latest novel Rainforest, which weaves Mayan culture with themes of obsession, gender and rebirth.

Only 53 days to grab your ticket!

The Witching Hour with Bridget Collins, Michelle Paver and Laura Shepherd-Robinson – Waterstones Canterbury

October 20, 2025

Join Bridget Collins, Michelle Paver and Laura Sheperd-Robinson as they discuss their stories in a brand new collection of ghostly tales called The Witching Hour.

In this dazzling collection of original haunted tales, thirteen bestselling and much-loved authors bring the old superstition of the witching hour to new and vivid life.
Transporting you from the smog of London to the freezing mists of Svalbard, from an Irish town riddled with rumour to a sinister English boarding school, these thirteen stories will serve as your spine tingling companion to the long hours of winter.
So curl up, light a candle, and wait for the clock to strike . . .
Only 58 days to grab your ticket!

Yeovil Literary Festival

October 25, 2025

An experience like no other. From a writer like no other...

Successfully published as an adult author, the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness (“Wolf Brother”) were her first books for younger readers, followed by her brilliant 5-part series set in the bronze age, Gods and Warriors. On the adult side, her first ghost story, Dark Matter, was a UK bestseller and won massive praise from reviewers and readers alike, as did her second ghost story, Thin Air.

Oxford Literary Festival 2026

March 29, 2026

The Oxford Literary Festival takes place in venues across central Oxford, such as Blackwell's bookshop, the Bodleian Library, the Sheldonian Theatre, the Weston Library, and Oxford colleges such as Christ Church and Worcester College. The festival includes international authors, journalists, intellectuals, historians, and poets.