Wind Charmer
By Meredith Leigh Burton
Felicity loves her routines. She needs them, but everything changes when she is sent to a foreign kingdom to wed the prince. What's worse, the person tasked with helping her navigate these changes uses Felicity's need for routine against her.
I like Felicity. As someone who constantly arranges things (like dishes) to find a pattern where none exists, I can empathize with her even greater need for order. That said, I do not like her companion Melinda. Nope, not a bit.
Felicity's differences, while being her greatest vulnerability, also gave her a strength many underestimated. She had to deal daily with outside factors that could, in minutes, upend her world. Through practice and calming techniques, she overcame and came into her own.
I love Felicity's connection to animals and how her interaction with them plays into the story. Throughout, one can find nods to the original story: a golden cup, a talking horse, a devious servant, and an arranged marriage to a foreign prince. This is a story that is as beautifully written as the cover and one not to be missed.
I was provided an advanced complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.
About the Book:
Felicity does not conform to her kingdom’s idea of a princess. She is shy, clumsy and very routine in her habits. Yet she is also fiercely protective, adores animals and determined to fulfill her royal duties despite the anxiety that often grips her heart.
Felicity has been chosen to marry Prince Nathan of the kingdom of Fidel, a man whom she has never met. Will her eccentricities upset him? When Felicity sets forth on her momentous journey to Fidel, she quickly realizes that a threat lurks closer than she could ever have imagined.
Thrust into a kingdom with different customs, Felicity struggles to adapt to the changes that she must encounter. The malevolent circumstances that follow her every waking moment begin to encroach upon those she holds dear. Felicity must confront the evil that seeks to devour her, an evil that is as deceptively beautiful as it is deadly. Yet how can she do so when feelings of self-doubt and shame plague her every waking moment? Can she find the courage to leave her comforting routines behind in order to save two kingdoms from an impending tyrant’s rule? A surly goose herder, a brusque groom and possibly the prince himself may be the only ones who can help. But can she trust them?
A story of hidden strength, deception and finding your voice, Wind Charmer is a tale of two kingdoms grappling to survive. Gifts of unusual power can be used to hurt or heal. A golden goose and a kind horse will play pivotal roles in a young maiden’s quest to find the courage to face an insidious threat, and a young prince must face a harrowing past in order that he may become the ruler he is destined to be. Wind Charmer is a tale not to be missed, a story of perseverance and faith in the midst of evil. Book Fun Facts: ~ The folklore in Wind Charmer was inspired by several things, but primarily it was inspired by Lakota Nation folklore. The Lakota Nation is a Native American tribe who believe that the Great Spirit of Creator holds all things together. All nature is interconnected. Thus, animals should be respected just as much as humanity. We are all family. Felicity understands this fact. ~ Felicity loves reading stories and even reads stories aloud to animals. Her favorite stories are: "The Tyrant and the Star Queen," "The Long-Haired Strong Man," and "The Giant and the Grasshopper". The stories seem simple, but they each play significant roles in Felicity's life. Each group of animals has a particular favorite: for instance, the cows love "The Tyrant and the Star Queen". They regard themselves as the heroines of the story. Each story features animals in important roles. ~ After receiving my first edits for Wind Charmer, I contemplated abandoning the work. There were copious notes of things that needed to be fixed. For instance, I had included Falada's decapitation in my first draft. However, through my editor's suggestions and my own thoughts, I developed a much more satisfying solution to this part of the story. Falada is actually featured on the cover of Wind Charmer in a subtle but profound way that will make sense when the story is read. ~ Felicity's name means happiness. She takes pleasure in seemingly insignificant things; caring for animals and reading stories. She is often ridiculed for her simplicity, but she is smarter than people think. She suffers from loneliness but faces life with joy, so her name befits her character. |
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