On My Bookshelf: Starflower

The Black Dogs are on the Hunt,

But who is their Prey? 

When a cursed dragon-witch kidnaps fairest Lady Gleamdren, the Bard Eanrin sets boldly forth on a rescue mission . . . and a race against his rival for Gleamdren’s favor. Intent upon his quest, the last thing the immortal Faerie needs is to become mixed up with the troubles of an insignificant mortal.

But when he stumbled upon a maiden trapped in an enchanted sleep, he cannot leave her alone in the dangerous Wood Between. One waking kiss later, Eanrin suddenly finds his story entagled with that of young Starflower. A strange link exists between this mortal girl and the dragon-witch. Will Starflower prove the key to Lady Gleamdren’s rescue? Or will the dark power from which she flees destroy both her and her rescuer?

 

 

 

By Anne Elisabeth Stengl
Young adult

Genre: fantasy

 

"How she had loved her city, once upon a time. How she hated it now. But it was hers more than ever. Hate was a fearful binding." ~ Hri Sora

 

My thoughts...

 

 

I was hesitant to decide I liked this book the first hundred pages in. It was a little dry in places and switched point of view so many times it was confusing. But when Stengl began to unwind the tragic story of Starflower, maiden of the dark New World, I was caught. She spins a beautiful web of deceit, ancient curses, and weakness. Starflower's world needs a deliverer. And a most unlikely one threads through the pages ~ with the guidance of the Hound, One Who Names Them, the Giver of Songs, Lumil Eliasul, who leads down a path they do not wish to go . . . but need with everything they are.

I will be point blank honest. There are parts of this book I hate. But for no reason any of you will.

I do not believe magic is good. In any form. It cannot be. God has decreed that so. And it can be used in a masterful way, showing that. My good friend Mary has portrayed that perfectly in her novel, Son of the Shield. In a battle of good and evil, what better way to show the evilness of the enemy by the dark power they wield? But to have good magic? Impossible.
 

I know, I know. Half of you are gagging, the other half cringing. What I say is revolutionary. Maybe you will disown me. Maybe you will prissily un-follow my blog and pretend you never heard of me. But I must tell the truth. And I will stick to it. And you know, I don’t care if you do like magic. That is your choice. It is none of my concern. I just wanted to let you know where my discomfort comes from. 
 

So anyway, there are parts of this book I hate. Being, as it were, a Faerie, Earnin is magic. Or magical. He can change form, smell danger, sense the approach of others, and many other talents through the vitality of the magic coursing in his blood. And the others around him are all the same. In fact everyone is, except the mortals. And that is why it did impress me, that not once, was magic used, as if were. Magic just, well, was.
 

Well, that aside, the book did not start off with the bang I expected. It was dry. It was long. And it was not cleverly written, so often changing point of view between a vast cast of characters, that it often left you hanging empty and confused.
 

But {ah yes, there always is a but, thank goodness}, the moment the story of Starflower began to untangle, the book caught me. And something more. The purpose of the book.
 

It is beautiful. In a picture analogy so perfect and so heartrending, Stengl molds a story so compelling and so realistic, no one doubts why the characters take the steps they take nor change the way they do.
 

So would I recommend it to my friends?
 

No.
 

Would I say you should read it?
 

Sure.
 

Yes, I am quite bi-polar and I know it. :D