susanvoss18

The crux of the story is that the elves have been suffering for hundreds of years under an evil enchantment that will eventually kill their entire race. Story may just be that one long-prophesied hero to save them all. Hence the fun and sometimes intense adventure that Janine Spendlove has given us. The main characters have some depth, each having suffered heartaches, losses, and disappointments. The underlying plot kept my attention and the book moving forward, even when there were a few places where redundant dialogue slowed it down. The side characters and evil-doers were a delight to read, often providing words of wisdom, humor, and being available to hate freely.

Even Story manages to sabotage herself more than once through her lack of trust, but that makes her all the more interesting as a main character. She is flawed, in a foreign place, and making mistakes. I like that. Story deeply misses her human family and her reminisces of her father and the younger twins’ antics were a very nice touch to the tale. I had mixed feeling about the ending, as I felt that it was too easy for Story, who was suddenly, unexpectedly given the ability to do what needed to be done. However, with one monumental task complete, the world is not suddenly all rosy and delights (which I appreciate in my fiction). Spendlove sets us up quite well for the next in the series.