About the Book
Selling stories is a deadly business
Tanwen doesn't just tell stories—she weaves them into crystallized sculptures that sell for more than a few bits. But the only way to escape the control of her cruel mentor and claw her way from poverty is to set her sights on something grander: becoming Royal Storyteller to the king.
During her final story peddling tour, a tale of treason spills from her hands, threatening the king himself. Tanwen goes from peddler to prey as the king's guard hunts her down...and they're not known for their mercy. As Tanwen flees for her life, she unearths long-buried secrets and discovers she's not the only outlaw in the empire. There's a rebel group of weavers...and they're after her too.
My Rating
Spring/Summer
My Review
The main characters of The Story Peddler are so endearing. Tanwen is a farm girl with lots of ambition and hope for a life beyond all she's known...and all she's lost. Braith is a princess with a tender heart who finds herself in a very precarious position as she attempts to show mercy to those under her father's tyrannical rule. Both girls have at least one dear and loyal friend, as well as many more enemies.
The premise and plot for this story offer a lot of intrigue and include delightful descriptions. It was so neat to see how storytelling unfolds in this fantasy world and to have the characters experience art (including words) in exciting, tangible ways. I also loved the emphasis on truth being revealed through art...how even when someone might not be intending to express something, truth speaks for itself. The book depicts this in such clever ways!
There's a great sense of tension and danger throughout most of The Story Peddler as Tanwen and Braith navigate new situations and revelations. There's even a bit of romantic tension in the form of a subtle love triangle for one of the girls...but mostly, romance takes a back seat to survival and the quest for truth (as well as freedom to express it). This is actually the first in a series, but this installment has a solid ending while promising a different quest to come that will show readers even more of this intriguing fantasy world.
For a well-imagined cast of characters and an amazing display of their talents set against a backdrop of unrest and uncertainty, The Story Peddler is grand storytelling!
*With thanks to Enclave Publishing through JustRead Publicity for providing me with a complimentary e-copy of this book.*
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