Review: Kitty Muse Book Reviews
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 30, 2014
She spent a lot of time alone, or so it seemed to the people in the village below.  Every day, she would take the sheep up to the top of the hill, where she would spend hours.In her mind, though, she was not alone.  She spent hours with her friends–the princess in her glorious cloud castle, and the mercurial companion, the wind, who sometimes teased, sometimes tormented her.  Life was good––until her daydream was interrupted by a furious someone who angrily reminded her about forgotten chores.Back to the sad reality–a life in the mud, surrounded by poverty and hopelessness.  There was little room for sadness; when her younger sister died, her own dress was taken for the burial.  The little girl mourned only for the dress that had been taken away from her.  There were no tears for the sister.In a world where despair reigns supreme, a child’s mind turns to prayer.  But when the help isn’t immediate, faith must carry her through the difficulties of an “unfair” life.I have read several of Ms. D’Agostino’s books, and this has to be, by far, my favorite.  None of the whimsy and cuteness of her previous books are in this offering.  However, her light-handed way of writing turns what could be a dark and depressing time in her  childhood into something magical.  The little girl, obviously the author, has a gift for daydreaming; which naturally led her, as an adult, to her gifted ability to tell a tale like this.  The reader can’t help but be absorbed into the story.  With prose such as:“My wind was a mysterious friend. He was a most virtuous player. I loved watching him play with the green grass that grew near the forest. He played his music with a gentle whisper, taking my breath away. When he hit a higher note and touched his invisible strings with his tender stroke, the green grass strained like arrows, making the most wonderful sound that rang in my ears the entire day.”,how can one not be captivated?  Such descriptions!  No wonder Ms. D’Agostino is an award-winner.Nice work, Olga.