Review: Fun & Entertaining
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 08 13, 2011
The Raie' Chaelia by Melissa Douthit is a fun fantasy/adventure novel. It's not my normal genre to read but once in a while I like to change things up and I'm sure glad I did for Melissa's novel. This is a young adult novel but as an adult I really enjoyed it as well. It's a very clean and well written story that takes you on a journey into another world.The novel opens with Chalice, a girl just about to turn eighteen, heading for Branbury at the insistence of her grandfather as her village of Canton has been destroyed by the King's men. This is the only home Chalice has ever known but her grandfather has sent her on a mission and she will follow his wishes. At one time the world Chalice lives in was ruled by a good King but now is ruled by a very evil King.Chalice has been trained from young to be a warrior and she can definitely hold her own in any battle. When she arrives in Branbury though, she is dumbfounded. The village is totally deserted but everything is in it's place. She arrives at the friend's farm that her grandfather wanted her to go and it's deserted too. All of a sudden though she senses a presence of someone else in the house. It turns out to be Jeremiah, a friend that Chalice has known since a young girl. Unfortunately for Jeremiah, sneaking up on Chalice doesn't end up being a good idea as he gets tossed about some.Both Chalice and Jeremiah know that something bad had to have happened for the families to have deserted the area and they intend to find out where their families have been taken. Before they can even plan anything properly they realize that the King's men have landed on the island and they rush to escape through a hidden passage built by Jeremiah's father. The two face many obstacles on their journey through the Terravailian world. Along the way they meet the cutest little creature called a Chinuk that helps them and an old man who appears to know much more about Chalice's past than she does. However, with the good comes the bad and they also encounter pure evil to the point where they are on the verge of losing their lives.I enjoyed this coming of age story of Chalice. She is a great character - very strong and brave. She wants more than anything to save her people and help them to build a better and safer world for themselves. This journey not only finds her experiencing her first love but it is also teaching her who she really is and what who she is means to the world she lives in.I found the beginning of the novel a bit slow to start but it takes off quickly enough and sucks you right into the adventure. I found at times a little overwhelmed by all the new information being introduced but I can't say that this took away from enjoying the story really - I just had to pay better attention. I loved how the author built this exciting world that the characters journey through. Melissa's writing is very vivid and creative. I had no trouble imagining this world and it was almost like watching a movie. I found it very inventive and entertaining. This is the first in a trilogy and I'm looking forward to reading the next one and continuing on in Chalice's journey.