You guys! I just finished megburden’s book Northlander! It arrived in themail today, and I immediately sat down on the front porch and started reading. And I didn’t stop for three hours except for the ten minutes while I ate supper.
Now, I’d already been lucky enough to read the first few chapters online a couple months ago, so I knew some of the characters already. I can’t begin to tell you how much I LOVE these characters. The five Northland princes, Ellin the Southland ‘witch-girl’, Ellin’s wonderful, loving father. The relationship between Ellin and her father was so great, it made me think about my own relationship with my father.
The plot is exciting, and each time I started thinking, “Oh, I see where this is going”, I was proved wrong. Not that I thought that very often, anyway.
I don’t want to talk too much about it, because I don’t want to spoil you at all for the story. Let’s just say that in the Northlands, all Southlanders are reviled. They’re seen as lower than low because of their red hair and their predisposition to the healing arts. They’re required to carry papers, and if a Southlander wears clothes, they’re fit for nothing but burning afterwards. Yet Southlander Ellin and her father are the only people who have the ability to save the life of the Northlander king, and as healers, they feel compelled to try, even if they endanger themselves by breaking the law to do so. Because of Ellin’s bravery, momentous events are set into motion, and danger threatens from several sources. She has to rely on her wits and the new talents that are awakening inside her to keep her alive–and she can’t tell who to trust.
It’s a riveting story, and I found it both emotionally moving and engaging. Am I biased? Well, of course, I’ve known megburden for a long time now, especially as internet friendships chart time. Does that mean I’m wrong? Of course not! I really enjoyed this book, and I hope you will all go buy the book based on the strength of my recommendation.
