| $@%&! level: None “Bedroom” level: None (just some kissing) Violence level: Medium Back Cover: “Growing up in the Forest, Rin always turned to the trees when she needed peace or reassurance, even direction, until the day they seem to reject her. Rin is sure something is wrong with her, something that is keeping her from feeling at home in the Forest, keeping her from trusting herself with anyone at all. When her brother Razo returns to the city after a visit home, Rin accompanies him to the palace in hopes of finding a new sense of herself. But a mysterious threat haunts Bayern, and Rin joins the magical girls she thinks of as the Fire Sisters—Isi, Enna, and Dasha—as they venture into the woods toward the kingdom of Kel...where someone wants them all dead.” |
That leads to another reason I liked this one so much. Most of the people-speakers in the former books have been the antagonist one way or another. It's wonderful to see a good person with that power, bringing out the point that the power itself isn't evil—the good and bad is in how it is used. And since we've already established that these magical skills can drive their wielder totally bonkers if they aren't balanced, I enjoyed learning what the best balance for people-speaking is.
In terms of story, it's an excellent there and back again, the character blossoming along the way. Or maybe in this case the correct term would be branching out. Either way, it's Shannon Hale's strongest story-arc, and one that she's used several times now. It's a story of growing up, and of learning to know oneself, and in that learning and growing, finding the confidence to meet the rest of one's life. This one is different in that it doesn't end with a romantic love story. Instead, it's a family love story, and it's a perfect ending for a character like Rin. I think she'll need a few years more before she's ready to really fall in love with anyone.