Author: Callie Bates
Pub. Date: 27-Jun-2017
Rating 4.5 Stars
The Waking Land is a debut novel by Callie Bates. It is filled with complex characters and elegant world building. Ms. Bates has given the reader beautiful descriptions of this magical world without being verbose. Not an easy thing to do.
From the beginning I was hooked when Elanna Valtai, at the age of five, is kidnapped in her own home by King Antoine. The king takes her in an attempt to squash the rebellion Elanna’s father has been planning. Her continued captivity is the King’s insurance that there will be no further uprisings. Once at the king’s court in Eren, Antoine raises Elanna, for fourteen years, alongside his own daughter and Elanna becomes fiercely loyal to him.
Elanna has a strange and strong connection to nature. As she nears the age of majority, she is planning to study botany at the university and is eager to be off before King Antoine has a chance to arrange her marriage. Just when her plans are coming together, the king dies mysteriously. It is poison and she is the main suspect.
With Princess Loyce now the queen, Elanna is left with no choice but to flea for her life. She is forced to return to her family’s home that she remembers little about. Once reunited with her family she learns the truth behind her magical gifts and discovers what she has been taught while living under King Antoine is all lies. Since she has arrived back to her home lands, the rebellion has started brewing again and Elanna will be forced to fight against those that raised her.
There are a lot of things to love about this book: the characters, the plot, the prose, etc. Yet, two things stood out for me. First, is the complexity of the world. Most things in life are not simple, especially when it involves governments; therefore, a fictional world in which a lot of different nations are striving for domination gives the story a resonance. Second, is the depth of the main character Elanna. She is the typical young adult in many ways; she liked beautiful clothes and parties. She was also conflicted about many things; such as who and what to believe. I loved being able to follow her thought processes as she strives to find herself during difficult times.
Ms. Bates has crafted a beautiful coming of age tale with The Waking Land that any fantasy lover will enjoy. I am hopeful that we will hear more about this enchanting world and I am looking forward to the next installment.
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.