The Hound of Rowan: A Fantasy Khichuri of Very Familiar Ingredients
The Hound of Rowan gave me a magical school, mysterious abilities, mythology, creatures, and a whole bowlful of fantasy ingredients I could recognize from somewhere else.
Listening details: The Hound of Rowan by Henry H. Neff · Book one of The Tapestry · Audiobook reread.
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Spoiler warning: This review discusses plot developments, including the ending.
I have read Henry H. Neff’s The Hound of Rowan, the first book in The Tapestry series, before. This time, I listened to the audiobook. Same book, very different experience. Being older and having read and watched more since then, I kept finding traces of other stories in it. And honestly? This book is a huge khichuri of familiar fantasy ingredients. Henry H. Neff
The opening is genuinely interesting. Max visits an art museum with his father and discovers a mysterious Celtic tapestry. There is something extraordinary happening inside this room, and then he discovers that the room apparently does not exist. I liked that. It gave me exactly the kind of mystery that makes me want to keep reading. The discovery eventually leads him to Rowan Academy, a secret school for children with unusual abilities. Wikipedia
But before he even gets there, the comparisons begin. The supposed school representative who initially gave me McGonagall vibes turns into something monstrous. Immediately, I was thinking Percy Jackson meets Harry Potter. Then comes the magical school, the rivalry, the friendships, the ceremonies. None of these belongs exclusively to one series, obviously. But together, they kept giving me that feeling of I have been here before.
There were things about Rowan that I genuinely enjoyed, though. The way the dorm rooms are configured was interesting, and I especially liked the Sanctuary. That gave me more of a Fablehaven feeling: magical creatures living as part of the school community, rather than seeming tucked away somewhere in a Forbidden Forest until the story needs them. I liked having them feel more present.
David, Max’s roommate, was another highlight. The roommate friendship initially reminded me of Harry and Ron, but David quickly became more interesting to me than that comparison suggests. He is mysterious, and his abilities feel as though they could overshadow Max’s own. The publisher’s description even singles out the roommate’s genius as something Max will need to survive. Here was someone I wanted to know more about, not just someone accompanying the protagonist through his adventures. Penguin Random House
Elsewhere, the familiar ingredients kept piling up. A Hermione-ish schoolfriend. A journalist who gave me Cho Chang vibes. A dance that reminded me of the Yule Ball, complete with Max having a miserable time with his date. The games brought Goblet of Fire to mind; rescuing the children brought Chamber of Secrets. The villain’s imprisonment in artwork even sent my brain towards Doctor Who. And the closing conversation with the school’s director felt very much like Harry’s annual appointment with Dumbledore to discuss everything that had nearly killed him.
These are my associations, not proof that Neff copied those stories. He has described Irish mythology, particularly Cúchulainn, as a major foundation for Max and the series. But whatever the actual influences, the reading experience felt very familiar to me. Penguin Random House
What worked less well was the characterisation of Max’s father. I did not like how often he felt reduced to a comedy trope. Mum also felt one-dimensional to me. In a world with this much going on, I wanted a little more depth from them, not just another recognisable personality filling a role.
The writing itself is good. It flows smoothly, even though finishing the book took me a few attempts. Listening rather than reading changed the experience again—the audiobook is narrated by Jeff Woodman—but it also reminded me that I am no longer approaching this story with the same collection of books and shows in my head. Apple Books
I liked The Hound of Rowan enough to finish it. The mystery, David, the dorms and the creatures gave me things to enjoy beyond the comparisons. I just kept wishing the whole thing felt more distinct.
It felt like a melting pot of exciting story ideas. Some blended nicely; others were still very recognisable on the spoon. A fantasy khichuri, basically. I finished my bowl, but I could identify rather a lot of the ingredients.