(A.K.A Lucy Hounsom)
Keyne, Riva and Sinne are sisters. Their King has a magical connection to the land that surrounds their home; through this connection he grants protection to his people and gives them access to small, everyday magic to make their lives easier. But a silver-tongued intruder whispers in his ear and the King turns against the magic of the land to worship a new god. The magic fades and the protection weakens and soon everyone in the kingdom is under threat. From the inside they face famine and from the outside the Saxon invaders creep ever closer. As the King’s children, it is up to Keyne, Riva and Sinne to save the kingdom. But will their own magic be enough?
The magic in this book is simple and sparsely used, making each use of it that much more poignant. It also made the one larger display of magic near the end into a much larger shock than the grotesque theme already provided. Not only had I not previously associated the magic in this book with such grotesque purpose, but I had not hyped myself up into expecting any form of monumental magic at all. The effect of this shock was quite unnerving, but in a way that kept my eyes glued to the pages.
Each of the three sisters is given a strikingly different personality. These personalities touch on stereotypes (the boisterous tomboy, the caring rule-follower, the spoilt beauty) yet actually go far beyond anything that which could be expected of them. Keyne is the best example of this as she actually sheds the tomboy facade to reveal the true inner self within. At first Keyne struggled to make his new identity known to those around him, but the more he embraced his own position in the world the more acceptance he found around him too. This emotional transition was played out beautifully throughout the narrative, with the empathising character of Myrdhin/Mori providing the perfect support.
Although this is an age-old plot (floundering king, deceitful whisperer, threat of war, unrecognised hero rising up) we are presented with a refreshingly new take, led by a distinctive cast of characters and with a unique touch of magic to bring it to life.
Escape to the Bookshelf 