Review: A Y/A-Adult Fantasy with a Touch of Gaia
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 19, 2012
While I am far from being a young adult, I find this book like The Hunger Games to be good enough for most adults who like fantasy fiction. The story involves a people who live beside a forest that has its own soul and their point of contact with their Goddess. Once most people could hear the forest talk and sing to them constantly, but now this gift has become rare. The gift of communicating with Elanraigh is both Thera's gift and in some ways her curse.Elanraigh both helps and warns the people nearby as much as it can. There are also several allusions to bonds with the spirits of forest animals which may remind some of the Patronus meme in the Harry Potter world.The book has interesting insights into politics, duty, and the living nature of the planet.The plot is novel and engaging. The main reason I can't give it 5 stars is partly a rather unbelievable love at first sight scenario which may be due to the target of a younger audience but it simply did not feel realistic. In addition, some of the construction of description and dialogue is overly repetitious. A better editor could really tighten up what is a great story to share.Complaints aside, I would recommend this to fantasy lovers of any age. I hope to see this author continue the story and to grow in skill with craft of fiction writing.In the interest of full disclosure, I received a complementary copy of this book for the purpose of review.