“The Poison Season” by Mara Rutherford ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Genre: YA Fantasy/Fable Location: The magical island of Endla, and the non-magical village of Bricklebury across the lake. Time: Medieval-ish fantasy time.
A fairytale filled with poison. Author Rutherford writes a haunting fable of a book. Her characters are right out of fairytales. There’s the hungry forest, the devouring lake, the isolated villagers, the magical singing, the girl who questions her elders, and the enchanted stranger.
Silver-blond Leelo Hart (17) lives on the island of Endla, surrounded by a poisonous lake. On the island is the last Wandering Forest. It demands blood sacrifices from Endlanders, and in turn it supports them. Endlanders’ magic is their irresistible singing. If their children don’t develop magic by age 12, the community forces them across the lake, never to return. Leelo’s brother Tate has no magic, and is almost 12. Leelo begs the forest to save Tate, but instead she accidentally lures a stranger across the lake. Jaren Kask of the storm-cloud gray eyes is an outsider, and all outsiders must be killed. Will Leelo let him drown or save him? The island and its inhabitants hold many secrets, and Leelo is about to discover how dangerous long-held secrets can be.
Rutherford’s world-building is superb, with a wide range of characters living in the magical and non-magical worlds. Her prose is like poetry, beautiful and meaningful. The plot brings to mind fairytales told to you or read by your younger self. But it’s not a children’s story. It’s about discovering yourself, your boundaries, your dreams and fears, loves and hates. And it’s 5 fairytale stars from me. 🌵📚💁🏼♀️ Thank you to BookishFirst, Inkyard Press, and Mara Rutherford for this early copy! Publishes 12/6/2022.
A fairytale filled with poison. Author Rutherford writes a haunting fable of a book. Her characters are right out of fairytales. There’s the hungry forest, the devouring lake, the isolated villagers, the magical singing, the girl who questions her elders, and the enchanted stranger.
Silver-blond Leelo Hart (17) lives on the island of Endla, surrounded by a poisonous lake. On the island is the last Wandering Forest. It demands blood sacrifices from Endlanders, and in turn it supports them. Endlanders’ magic is their irresistible singing. If their children don’t develop magic by age 12, the community forces them across the lake, never to return. Leelo’s brother Tate has no magic, and is almost 12. Leelo begs the forest to save Tate, but instead she accidentally lures a stranger across the lake. Jaren Kask of the storm-cloud gray eyes is an outsider, and all outsiders must be killed. Will Leelo let him drown or save him? The island and its inhabitants hold many secrets, and Leelo is about to discover how dangerous long-held secrets can be.
Rutherford’s world-building is superb, with a wide range of characters living in the magical and non-magical worlds. Her prose is like poetry, beautiful and meaningful. The plot brings to mind fairytales told to you or read by your younger self. But it’s not a children’s story. It’s about discovering yourself, your boundaries, your dreams and fears, loves and hates. And it’s 5 fairytale stars from me. 🌵📚💁🏼♀️ Thank you to BookishFirst, Inkyard Press, and Mara Rutherford for this early copy! Publishes 12/6/2022.