The book begins with Reya, the nursemaid, leading Adin and Aletha, young twins-- and the Prince and Princess of the Kingdom of Sherbourne-- to their mother’s deathbed. While Aletha is strong and confident, Adin has some congenital deformities and is physically weak. Evil has been steadily encroaching on this kingdom and family.
After being told of their mother’s death, a stranger meets them in their grief and reassures them that she is not truly dead but lives and they will see her again. Several years later, when they are young adults and their kingdom and family is deteriorating under the curse, Adin is lead to a map that will take him back in time to discover when and how this curse originated against the kingdom and to stop it.
There are so many delightful aspects to this book, I’ve decided to list them:
1) The characters were well-developed and likeable. While some of them were mysterious, none of them turned out to be duplicitous-- which was refreshing.
2) Lakin’s descriptive style sparked my imagination making sounds, smells and sights come alive.
3) The plot moved along nicely and hooked me immediately. The implications of time travel were compelling and thought-provoking, and the classic depiction of good vs. evil, with good winning in the end, is comfortingly inspirational. Though it is not overtly Christian, an experienced reader of the Bible will recognize themes and proverbs.
4) While there are appropriate times for nebulous endings, I am thankful this wasn’t one of them-- since the author tied up all the loose ends nicely.
At the risk of sounding too simplistic, this was an extremely fun reading experience. I know I am not the only one to have shied away from fantasy, and if that is you, this is the perfect opportunity to try something new!
Reviewer: Lisa Norsworthy
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1 comment:
This sounds like a great one! Monika Page
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