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FindingJane
Feb 02, 2017FindingJane rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
In this delightful tale, a bunch of rustics from atop a mountain are taught the ways of lowlanders by the most unlikely of heroes…or rather heroines. Miri is small but she has a large heart, a keen intellect and a curious mind. Having been despised by lowlanders and despising them in turn, an astonishing series of events shows her that the two people actually have something to learn from and give to each other. The book is a page turner, with the girls slowly learning to bond together, to assert their rights and, surprisingly, to give advice to the mountain adults who have been insular and know nothing about how truly valuable is their one asset—the linder stone. Miri also learns her place in the world. Having been selected along with other girls to marry a prince, she wonders whether she has it in her to be a princess or whether her destiny lies elsewhere. For much of the book, the outcome is uncertain as she has some very powerful contenders for the role. It lends a delicious tension to many of the scenes set solely among the girls. Of course, with change comes unexpected danger. Having learned to trade their stone for gold and silver, bandits realize that this poor mountain area suddenly has something valuable to offer. The danger they present makes for one of the most dramatic passages I’ve ever read in a YA novel. What I truly liked about this novel is the interaction among the girls. There is a love story here but it’s the feminine camaraderie that is so splendid and makes this book a joy to read. I believe that girls and women alike will find this novel enchanting. Ms. Hale has crafted a terrific story here, one that gleams as brightly as a well-polished stone.