As they grow closer, the two teens face impossible odds. Jaren doesn’t believe in magic, but a twist of fate leaves him wounded and trapped on the island, at the mercy of a beautiful islander-Leelo. Sadly, this ritual doesn’t save her brother, but an outsider hears her mournful, enthralling music. As a Watcher, Leelo is one of the islanders whose singing holds deadly power, and in a desperate attempt to help Tate stay, she performs an illicit sacrifice, shedding her own blood and releasing a song. But those who don’t show any magical skills are sent away, never to return, as is the case with Leelo’s beloved but magicless younger brother, Tate, who is set to be exiled soon. Those who have magic stay behind to protect the bloodthirsty Wandering Forests, and they are protected in return from the outsiders who dare cross the poisonous lake that surrounds it. Life on the island of Endla has been the same for generations. Main characters are White queerness is accepted without comment in this world.Ī deliciously dark coming-of-age fairy tale brimming with magic, monsters, and hope.Ī bloodthirsty forest and a forbidden romance set the mood for this fantasy novel. Some aspects may feel familiar to fans of this genre, but the writing and pacing will sweep readers along. The romance is relatively low-key, and the developing trust and friendship between characters shines. The voice of Cerys, whose lack of self-confidence makes her a convincingly unwilling hero, contrasts with the talking fox’s witty narration. Beautifully dark and descriptive prose creates a grim fairy-tale atmosphere that blends with horrific descriptions of bone-eaters, twisted magic, and the ominous adventure through the Wilds. When the coronation is disrupted by the woodcurse, Cerys and the fox rush into the Wildwood, searching for the possibly mythical city of Voryn in hopes of saving the kingdom. As Cerys mourns missing loved ones, Anwen’s upcoming coronation looms as ruler, her friend will wear the crown of Aloriya, whose magic keeps the evil of the Wilds at bay. With only Princess Anwen, her father, and a mischievous fox for friendship, Cerys has accepted her quiet life, which includes being gossiped about by others for the magic in her blood that, when spilled, causes greenery to grow exponentially. A lowly gardener’s daughter enters the cursed Wildwood to save her kingdom.Ĭerys, the royal gardener’s daughter, always believed she would stay in Village-in-the-Valley, inheriting the care of the castle’s flowers from her father.
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