Midwest Book Review: 5 stars
A fine read for historical fiction readers with much to appeal to fantasy fans as well.
Graceful, credible, well-paced story...
...dealing with friendship and love among women in a reasonably idyllic matriarchal society. Surprisingly light-handed approach to feminist issues. It's a genuinely charming book.
An unforgettable world, haunting and mysterious...
...that rarest of things, a beautifully written, multilayered, character-driven page turner...
This is the most traditional of stories told in a surprisingly new way.
Elegant
Every word was needed and artfully used. Every character was purposeful even if only there for a moment...
I couldn’t put it down after starting it.
Strong women, strong story
This book hooked me in quickly, and it didn’t disappoint as it led to a satisfying climax and conclusion. I suppose it is technically fantasy, although it reads very much like historical fiction. It’s about a society that didn’t exist, but easily could have. The writing is good, and the story is good.
Can’t wait for the continuation!
When I first got this book I made the mistake of reading a few pages and it was all I could do to put it aside to finish the book I was reading... Despite the title, it isn’t a story of battles, but rather how these characters grow and change... I can’t wait to get the next volume!
The story is vastly appealing and its readership is not confined to fans of a particular genre
[the author] skillfully weaves interlocking subplots and unfolds the meanings of her characters’ lives, layer by layer by layer.
These three books take you to the heart of the matter and at the same time take you on a wild adventure.
The Music of Words
... From the title the reader would expect simply a tale of battle and blood, but this story instead surprises and mesmerizes one in its wonderful intricate weaving of words that become a delicate fabric of story and feeling. Words flow like a gentle meandering stream and one is swept up in the actual thoughts and emotions of the main character as she experiences growth and change...
Well-written, well-conceived, polished
The world-building is solid, the characters feel true... These are fantasy books, but there’s no ring of power or glowing sword of specialness; the magic, like the tone of the book, is quiet. It feels real.
Perfectly believable, yet perfectly fanciful and imaginative
...(the hero) learns much of statecraft, friendship, loyalty, and duty... mostly, she learns what she wants most in her own life... Well written, a pleasure to read. On to Book 2!
Myths and truth
...The narrator and heroine is a girl aspiring to become a warrior who learns ... many skills of physical, psychological, and spiritual self-control... a sensitive exploration of ties that bind and the process of growing up.
A fantastic read that kept me up all night
... it was impossible for me to walk away from the story once I began. (The) characters are very much alive, the places and scenes are vivid, the story itself is imaginative, clever and full of wisdom.
