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WORK TITLE: The Hawkweed Prophecy
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.irenabrignull.com/
CITY: London, England
STATE:
COUNTRY: United Kingdom
NATIONALITY: British
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0109267/ * http://www.irenabrignull.com/about
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Children.
EDUCATION:Oxford University, B.A.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer, screenwriter, and novelist. Previously worked as a script executive at the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), London, England, and as head of development at Dogstar Films.
WRITINGS
Also author or coauthor of screenplays for Come Together, Skellig, and The Little Prince.
Screenplay The Boxtrolls was adapted by Jennifer Fox as a book titled Meet the Boxtrolls, Little, Brown and Company, 2014.
SIDELIGHTS
Irena Brignull is a screenwriter and novelist who grew up in Chiltern Hills in England. She formerly worked as a script executive for the BBC and then as a script editor for Dogstar Films, working on films such as Shakespeare in Love, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, I Capture the Castle, and Bravo Two Zero. Her screenwriting credits include The Boxtrolls, which she cowrote with Adam Pava. The film is based on the children’s book Here Be Monsters! by Alan Snow.
In her debut novel, The Hawkweed Prophecy, Brignull presents a young adult novel about two teens who are outsiders and seeking some type of escape. Poppy Hooper has moved around a lot in her young life and has generally caused trouble at all the various schools she has attended. As a result, she has had trouble making friends. Ember Hawkweed is a young witch who has yet of make a place for herself within her coven, primarily because she has yet to prove her value as a witch. When the two girls become friends, they do not know that their connection goes much deeper, namely that they were switched at birth by the evil witch Raven Hawkweed.
Writing for the WH Smith Blog, Brignull noted that when she first came up with the idea of a story of babies switched at birth who would seek an identity in there teens year, she knew it could be the foundation for another screenplay. However, she had just spent two and a half years collaborating on the screenplay for The Little Prince movie. “I’d collaborated, debated, compromised and written countless drafts,” Brignull wrote for the WH Smith Blog, adding: “Then I’d handed my work over to the director and his huge team of cast and crew and waited to see what became of it.” However, Brignull went on to write that she wanted to try a solo project so decided to make her idea into a novel. Brignull wrote for the WH Smith Blog: “I could describe any or every detail I chose.” She went on to remark that other benefits in turning the idea into a novel included the ability to “delve into a character’s inner thoughts” and forget about “the structure that is so all-important in a screenplay.”
As The Hawkweed Prophecy progresses, Poppy and Ember soon find their friendship tested by a boy named Leo. It turns out that the homeless youth has captured both of their hearts. Still, revelations about their true origins begin to explain why neither of the girls ever felt like they really belonged. Poppy’s relationship with her father was practically nonexistent while her mother spent years in a hospital for a mental illness. Not only do disasters seem to happen around her all the time, animals seem to be skittish in her presence as well. Ember, meanwhile, begins to realize why she hasn’t earned the respect of her fellow witches.
The two girls eventually learn about a prophecy that the Hawkweed sisters, Raven and Charlock, would one day give birth to a daughter who would eventually become queen of all the witches. Although Raven had cast a spell to ensure Charlock had all boys, Charlock eventually joined another coven and had a girl. To ensure that her daughter would become queen, Raven uses some dark manage to switch the souls of Charlock’s baby with that of a baby born into a human family.
“The author has created a mysterious world with beautiful but often disturbing imagery and characters,” wrote Voice of Youth Advocates contributor Stacey M. Sanson, who went on to call The Hawkweed Prophecy “a well-crafted, suspenseful story.” A Publishers Weekly contributor remarked: The Hawkweed Prophecy is “a fantasy with the air of a classic, yet one that’s also entirely contemporary.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Children’s Bookwatch, November, 2016, review of The Hawkweed Prophecy.
Publishers Weekly, June 20, 2016, review of The Hawkweed Prophecy, p. 157; December 2, 2016, review of The Hawkweed Prophecy, p. 108.
School Library Journal, July, 2016. Britney Kosev, review of The Hawkweed Prophecy, p. 80.
Voice of Youth Advocates, October, 2016. Stacey M. Sansone, review of The Hawkweed Prophecy, p. 73.
ONLINE
Felicity Bryan Associates Web site, http://www.felicitybryan.org.uk/ (March 16, 2016), author profile.
Irene Brignull Home Page, https://www.irenabrignull.com (March 16, 2017).
WH Smith Blog, https://blog.whsmith.co.uk/ (June 21, 2016), Irene Brignull, “Irena Brignull: How Writing The Hawkweed Prophecy Differed from Screenwriting.”
Young Folks, http://theyoungfolks.com (September 6, 2016), Leigh-Ann Brodber, review of The Hawkweed Prophecy.*
LC control no.: no2015133927
Descriptive conventions:
rda
Personal name heading:
Brignull, Irena
Found in: The Boxtrolls, 2015: end credits (Irena Brignull,
screenwriter)
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Irena Brignull is an acclaimed screenwriter whose credits include The Boxtrolls, Come Together, Skellig, and the upcoming adaptation of the beloved classic, The Little Prince. Previously, Irena was a Script Executive at the BBC and then Head of Development at Dogstar Films where she worked on Shakespeare in Love, Captain Corelli's Mandolin, I Capture the Castle, and Bravo Two Zero. She holds a BA in English Literature from Oxford University.
Irena Brignull is a successful screenwriter. Since working on the screenplay of The Boxtrolls, Irena has been writing an adaptation of The Little Prince directed by Mark Osborne and starring Jeff Bridges, Rachel McAdams and Marion Cotillard. Previously, Irena was a Script Executive at the BBC and then Head of Development at Dogstar Films where she was the script editor on Shakespeare in Love, Captain Corelli's Mandolin and Bravo Two Zero to name a few. Irena holds a BA in English Literature from Oxford University. The Hawkweed Prophecy is her first novel.
Irena Brignull is an acclaimed screenwriter whose credits include The Boxtrolls, Come Together, Skellig, and the 2015 film adaptation of the beloved classic The Little Prince. Previously, Irena was a script executive at the BBC and then head of development at Dogstar Films, where she worked on Shakespeare in Love, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, I Capture the Castle, and Bravo Two Zero. She holds a BA in English literature from Oxford University. The Hawkweed Prophecy is her first novel. The Hawkweed Legacy will follow next year.
About Irena
I’m Irena Brignull, a screenwriter, novelist and mum. I live with my family in London but I was brought up outside the city in the beautiful Chiltern Hills. The other place that has my heart is Greece where many of my relatives are from.
My first novel, The Hawkweed Prophecy, will be published in the UK in June. The sequel, The Hawkweed Legacy, will follow in 2017.
I write screenplays too. My screenwriting credits include the Oscar nominated movie, The Boxtrolls, starring Ben Kingsley, Elle Fanning and Simon Pegg. (I was nominated for Best Screenplay for that one at the Annie Awards in 2014.) My adaptation of The Little Prince, directed by Mark Osborne and starring Jeff Bridges, Rachel McAdams, James Franco and Marion Cotillard, closed the 2015 Cannes Film Festival. I also adapted Skellig for Sky which starred Tim Roth, John Simm and Kelly MacDonald.
Before all this, I was a Script Executive at the BBC and then Head of Development at Dogstar Films where I was the script editor on Shakespeare in Love, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, I Capture the Castle and Bravo Two Zero to name a few.
And before that, I studied English Literature at Oxford University.
I don’t have much spare time but, in it, I like to read books and watch movies. It’s kind of my job, I know. But one day I plan to take up lots more hobbies - horse-riding, tap-dancing, baking, juggling…?
The Hawkweed Prophecy
263.49 (Dec. 2, 2016): p108.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
The Hawkweed Prophecy
Irena Brignull. Weinstein, $18
ISBN 978-1-60286-300-2
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Brignull, a British screenwriter whose credits include the upcoming film adaptation of The Little Prince, debuts with an instantly engrossing novel about two girls--one a witch, destined to be queen, the other a human "chaff'--who are magically switched at birth. Poppy, raised a chaff, and Ember, raised a witch, endure lonely childhoods, unable to fit in with their families or peers, always the odd girl out. After a chance meeting in the woods, the girls find solace in each other but are driven apart by a homeless boy named Leo, who captures their hearts. Brignull's prose starts with a simmer and burns brighter as the relationships among these three teens grow increasingly complicated and intricate. Even though readers are aware of the girls' shared circumstances from the start, the revelations are captivating as Brignull unspools the details of the shocking truths around them. It's a fantasy with the air of a classic, yet one that's also entirely contemporary in its tight focus on identity, friendship, and romance. Ages 12-up.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"The Hawkweed Prophecy." Publishers Weekly, 2 Dec. 2016, p. 108. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA475224724&it=r&asid=6ea985522d5d1ca44e8300fe100ab5c8. Accessed 23 Feb. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A475224724
The Hawkweed Prophecy
(Nov. 2016):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/cbw/index.htm
The Hawkweed Prophecy
Irena Brignull
Weinstein Books
345 Hudson Street, 13th floor, New York, NY 10014
www.weinsteinbooks.com
9781602863002, $18.00, HC, 368pp, www.amazon.com
Poppy Hooper and Ember Hawkweed couldn't lead more different lives. Poppy is a troubled teen: moving from school to school, causing chaos wherever she goes, never making friends or lasting connections. Ember is a young witch, struggling to find a place within her coven and prove her worth. Both are outsiders: feeling like they don't belong and seeking escape. Poppy and Ember soon become friends, and secretly share knowledge of their two worlds. Little do they know that destiny has brought them together: an ancient prophecy, and a life-changing betrayal. Growing closer, they begin to understand why they've never belonged and the reason they are now forever connected to each other. A superbly crafted, reader engaging read from first page to last, "The Hawkweed Prophecy" showcases author Irena Brignull's impressive storytelling abilities and would prove to be an enduringly popular addition to school and community library YA Fiction collections for young readers ages 12 to 18. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Hawkweed Prophecy" is also available in a Kindle format ($11.99).
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"The Hawkweed Prophecy." Children's Bookwatch, Nov. 2016. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA472474789&it=r&asid=467fdb8582ed5583b381ee1b62adf849. Accessed 23 Feb. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A472474789
Brignull, Irena. The Hawkweed Prophecy
Stacey M. Sansone
39.4 (Oct. 2016): p73.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 E L Kurdyla Publishing LLC
http://www.voya.com
4Q * 3P * J * S
Brignull, Irena. The Hawkweed Prophecy. Weinstein/Perseus, 2016. 368p. $18. 978-1 60286-300-2.
Poppy Hooper does not know why bad things always seem to happen to her. Her father is distant, and her mother has been hospitalized with mental illness for years. Animals act strangely around her, and disaster follows her everywhere. Friendless and ostracized, Poppy is all alone. That is, until she meets a strange, soft-hearted girl named Ember. The two form an instant bond of friendship despite their many differences. When Ember reveals that she is a witch, Poppy cannot help but feel drawn to her world and craves to learn more. While the two share their secrets, the foretelling of an ancient prophecy, the stirring of an ancient rivalry, and the appearance of a handsome boy threaten to tear them apart.
The author has created a mysterious world with beautiful but often disturbing imagery and characters. Brignull's imaginative, sinister witches offer a story about friendship and love a dark, twisted edge. Teens who are fans of the occult and strong female characters will appreciate the author's take on witch lore and its dynamic heroine. The story switches perspectives and steps back in time often, which may be difficult for some readers to follow. Those who enjoy satisfying, feel-good endings may be disappointed or frustrated by the lack thereof, but this may be a welcoming change for others. Overall, it is a well-crafted, suspenseful story.--Stacey M. Sansone.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Sansone, Stacey M. "Brignull, Irena. The Hawkweed Prophecy." Voice of Youth Advocates, Oct. 2016, p. 73+. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA467831150&it=r&asid=434e5a819d044a1c6e50077e3515edeb. Accessed 23 Feb. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A467831150
The Hawkweed Prophecy
263.25 (June 20, 2016): p157.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
* The Hawkweed Prophecy
Irena Brignull. Weinstein, $18 (368p) ISBN 978-1-60286-300-2
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Brignull, a British screenwriter whose credits include the upcoming film adaptation of The Little Prince, debuts with an instantly engrossing novel about two girls--one a witch, destined to be queen, the other a human "chaff"--who are magically switched at birth. Poppy, raised a chaff, and Ember, raised a witch, endure lonely childhoods, unable to fit in with their families or peers, always the odd girl out. After a chance meeting in the woods, the girls find solace in each other but are driven apart by a homeless boy named Leo, who captures their hearts. Brignull's prose starts with a simmer and burns brighter as the relationships among these three teens grow increasingly complicated and intricate. Even though readers are aware of the girls' shared circumstances from the start, the revelations are captivating as Brignull unspools the details of the shocking truths around them. It's a fantasy with the air of a classic, yet one that's also entirely contemporary in its tight focus on identity, friendship, and romance. Ages 12--up. Agent: Catherine Clarke, Felicity Bryan Associates. (Sept.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"The Hawkweed Prophecy." Publishers Weekly, 20 June 2016, p. 157. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA456344817&it=r&asid=ec6eb8c6fb147bc0dd7872edc19f88a1. Accessed 23 Feb. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A456344817
Brignull, Irena. The Hawkweed Prophecy
Brittney Kosev
62.7 (July 2016): p80.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
BRIGNULL, Irena. The Hawkweed Prophecy. 320p. ebook available. Perseus/Weinstein. Sept. 2016. Tr$ 18. ISBN 9781602863002.
Gr 8 Up--It happened in one remarkable, grim instance--two babies, switched at birth. Ember grew up as a witch with no apparent abilities, and Poppy is a troubled teen with chaos following her every step. Both girls feel as if they don't quite fit in. When they meet one day in the woods, they are immediately drawn to each other. As they begin to spend more and more time together, each girl realizes that she belongs in the other's world. Ember sneaks Poppy books on witchcraft, while Poppy brings Ember nail polish and an iPod full of music. However, the simplicity of their friendship is ended when Leo, a young homeless boy, enters their lives and an ancient prophecy surfaces. Not only are Ember and Poppy connected by the prophecy but there are also dark family secrets buried within the two girls' existence. Brignull melds a story of sisterhood and friendship with one of sacrifice and loss. Deep themes such as mental illness, homelessness, abuse, and neglect are explored here, but the author also highlights the true power of friendship, sacrifice, and love. The one drawback to the novel is the love triangle in play among Leo, Poppy, and Emma. The continuous back-and-forth of emotions may be enjoyed by some teen readers; however, many will be annoyed with the time the love story takes away from the true plot. VERDICT The romance is a bit superfluous, but for fans of mysticism and witches, this is a must-buy.--Brittney Kosev, Honey/Rush Elementary, Lubbock, TX
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Kosev, Brittney. "Brignull, Irena. The Hawkweed Prophecy." School Library Journal, July 2016, p. 80. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA457303189&it=r&asid=96731ae2dc45be39f54b4e55fef5ba57. Accessed 23 Feb. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A457303189
Book Review: “The Hawkweed Prophecy” by Irena Brignull
By Leigh-Ann Brodber on September 6, 2016
Hawkweed-Prophecy-CoverIt is crazy how fast this summer went by! In the next two weeks I’ve got to head back to college and I still haven’t finished the amount of books I wanted to over the summer holidays. Thankfully, I got the opportunity to read Irena Brignull’s awesome novel The Hawkweed Prophecy. The book tells the tales of two girls whose souls were switched at birth and how destiny brings the duo together.
Raven Hawkweed has spent most of her years perfecting her witchcraft to the point where she has gained the respect of the other witches in the coven by the power she’s harnessed. Her sister (Charlock), on the other hand, is looked down upon as the daintiest Hawkweed sister and the most naïve one of the two. Since they were children, it’s been prophesied that one of the Hawkweed sisters will give birth to a daughter who will be queen of all the witches. Hell-bent on having her daughter become queen, Raven uses powerful magic to ensure that Charlock’s children are all boys. After being cursed by a rival coven, Charlock gives birth to a daughter. In a last attempt to solidify her daughter as queen, Raven conjures up high level magic and switches the soul of Charlock’s baby with that of a human baby. As fate would have it, these two girls grow up and find one another. What they do after they meet is what makes The Hawkweed Prophecy the great book that it is.
I loved the fact that The Hawkweed Prophecy focused primarily on friendship and sisterhood. Poppy and Ember become best friends from the time that they discover each other in the woods. One, the real daughter and rightful queen, and the other, an unfortunate soul who ended up in Raven’s plot to covet the throne. They exchange information of one another’s worlds and quickly begin to trust each other. Ember, being the simple one out of the pair, is more susceptible to the dangers lurking in the world around and Poppy feels as if it’s her duty to protect Ember. Poppy even considers forfeiting her love interest so that Ember can be happy. The novel dedicates a large part of the plot on building the relationship between the two girls and it pays off. The bond between Ember and Poppy is akin to real life relationships and it’s rare to find YA Fantasy novels nowadays that can effectively portray relatable relationships.
The author also does an amazing job with Raven’s and Charlock’s characters. Raven is the hard-ass, the sister who is supposedly willing to take all the risks if it means that she gets her way in the end. Charlock is the innocent one who isn’t afraid to stand her ground when she has to protect the ones she loves the most. The story begins and ends with the rivalry between the two sisters and how their conflict extends to their children.
The only problem I have with this novel is the way it treated male characters. I completely understand that the book is centered on sisterhood and women in power but it felt like, at times, it would just throw its male characters aside. While Leo was awarded his own background story and some scenes would focus on his relationship with Poppy, I didn’t feel the chemistry between the two. It felt like the author thought that romance should be included in the novel and Leo’s character was conjured up for that and that alone. I also didn’t like the fact that Poppy’s father seems so one-dimensional. He almost even seemed frightened of Poppy (not because of her abilities but because of her teenage angst). Lastly, there’s the fact that the witches in the coven don’t attach themselves to any male. They procreate with them and then move on. I’m very curious about the whereabouts of the male children Charlock gave birth to. Did the witches kill them or leave them to fend for themselves in the human world?
Despite those issues, I think that The Hawkweed Prophecy is one of the best books I’ve read all summer. It’s a novel that I can see myself reading again and enjoying it as much as I did the first time.
Rating: 9.5/10
There has been quite a bit of excitement in the YA community around the announcement of the first novel from phenomenal screenwriter Irena Brignull; The Hawkweed Prophecy. Irena has worked on scripts for many fantastic films, including book to film adaptations such as Brave Two Zero, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, The Little Prince and The Boxtrolls, to name a few! And so we’re expecting big things from her very first novel.
The Hawkweed Prophecy follows Poppy and Ember, two girls who were born at exactly the same time. Poppy grows up in the regular world, although she always feels like an outsider. For a start, she has a weird connection with animals and she can somehow move things without touching them, both of which she tries to hide from her dad. Ember, on the other hand, grows up in a coven of witches. But with more interest in perfume than potions, she also feels like she doesn’t fit in.
When the girls meet they form a strong friendship and begin to learn more and more about themselves. Meanwhile, as the Hawkweed Prophecy draws nearer, claiming that one of the Hawkweeds will become queen of the witches, it seems that a fight for the throne is on the horizon. Full of action, surprises and a touch of romance, The Hawkweed Prophecy introduces us to an incredible world of magic mixed with reality. With fierce and unforgettable characters that will keep you hooked until the last page, this is not a book to start if you were hoping for an early night!
In this blog post, Irena explains why she decided to write her first novel and how writing a book differed from writing a screenplay. Read on to find out more.
A couple of years ago, I had an idea for a story – two babies switched at birth becoming two teens searching for identity. There would be magic, love, betrayal and it would be set in two worlds – the one we all know and reside in and another, unknown but out there in the forest where a group of women live, without men, without technology. We call them witches. They call us chaffs. I called this story The Hawkweed Prophecy.
I am a screenwriter so the obvious move was to turn this idea into a sellable script. But I hesitated. I’d just finished working on The Little Prince movie and, for two and half years, I’d collaborated, debated, compromised and written countless drafts. Then I’d handed my work over to the director and his huge team of cast and crew and waited to see what became of it. I’d played my part: my job was done. But with The Hawkweed Prophecy, I wanted it to be different. I want to go it alone.
The Hawkweed Prophecy
So I began to write a novel – no deadline, no nice script fee, but also, no notes. It was exciting. I could describe any or every detail I chose. In a screenplay, you set a scene succinctly. The camera does the rest. Take the first line of the first draft of The Little Prince screenplay:
‘A line drawn in pencil by an unseen hand starts to fill the screen. It forms the shape of what looks like a hat.’
With a novel, I could delve into a character’s inner thoughts. In a screenplay, you don’t get that luxury. You have dialogue and you have action and you have actors. You don’t have this…
‘Spells where whirring inside Raven’s head, the kind that bubble with rage and desperation, and she had to use her breath to quell them.’
Most of all, I wasn’t tied to the structure that is so all-important in a screenplay. I felt free! I was heading into unchartered territory, finding my way, finding myself.
By the end of the day, I’d written one page. It was good. It just wasn’t much. By the end of the week, I was lost. Perhaps I needed that structure after all. Soon, I returned to more of my script writing training. Less is more. Don’t tell, show. Come into a scene late, get out early. When to pick up the pace. When to let the story breathe. Thoughts versus action. Dialogue versus motivation. Maybe this stuff was for all writing and not just screenplays? Maybe I didn’t need to find myself after all?
A year and four hundred pages later, I finally finished my solo venture. When the teams at Orchard Books and Weinstein Books arrived, I was overjoyed to join them. They turned The Hawkweed Prophecy into a book. Who knows – perhaps it’ll become a screenplay one day? For now, though, I’m just happy to hold it in my hands, gaze at the cover, flick through the pages and see my words in print.