I am a big fan of Cory Doctorow and regularly read his blog. There, he occasionally posts a review of a book that he’s loved reading recently. Back in May he posted a review of this book. His praise was high enough that I went right out and bought this book. I just finished it and wow!.
Doctorow does not give any plot summary. In fact, he says pretty much nothing about the story. He says that it is hard to peg to a single genre and it was recently republished by the author when the rights reverted back to her. If I had to put a genre label on it, I would call it fantasy, but that is only at the first layer. I will also give a very short plot summary. A steerswoman is researching the source of a mysterious gem that seems to be magical. That’s about all I can say without spoiling the mystery at the heart of this book that makes it so interesting.
The writing is thoughtful and engaging. I felt that I was right there along with the main characters engaged in the mystery and adventure. It is a book that explores ideas like one’s place in the world, integrity, the power and strength of truth, and coming together as a team. It is the kind of book that I find myself enjoying even more after having read it and thinking about it afterword. I’m looking forward to reading the sequel. In fact, I am off now to go buy and download the rest of the series!
My rating: 4.5/5
