Synopsis
He was raised to resist them. Now he has to join them.
14-year-old Darian was raised in an isolated village in Whyland, among people who resisted the oppression of the King and his army. When his life takes a tragic turn, he ends up living in the King’s castle, forced to train in the military academy, closer to his enemies than he has ever dreamed. His only solace is Cayla, a girl he befriends at the castle, who helps him smile and feel whole again, with whom he slowly falls in love, whose identity he ignores at his own peril.
But the castle holds more dangers than expected. Darian has to thread carefully if he wants use his position to help Whyland find freedom and remain alive.
Spell Speakers is a coming-of-age fantasy novella introducing characters featured in the upcoming series Portals to Whyland.
Review
It is probably my favorite book from the saga. Knowing Darian and Cayla’s relationship at last, in addition to each other’s past, explains a lot about why each of them did the things they do in the future. I definitely think the saga should be read in order, starting with this. While it is true that you can understand the story without reading them all, the feeling is completely different.
Cayla, Darian and Sian have many reasons to be as they are. And we can only fully understand them once we know their full history. For example, in step into Magic I liked Darian’s appearance, but now that I know how things went, everything makes a lot more sense. The same with the evolution of Sian’s and Cayla’s personality.
In this short novel we can know the love story between Darian and Cayla, from his point of view. It is a wonderful story of a first love that begins as a friendship in a secret garden. Unfortunately, they are forced to postpone their relationship.
It is also an interesting family story, because we finally know how Sian and Darian met. And how they attempt to relate with great difficulties.
Basically, it is a warm story, which gives us as a bonus a little more information about the village where Darian was raised and the capital, Siphoria. And the state of the latter upon Karina’s arrival in Whyland. Totally recommended.
Bye bye ?
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