Review by Booklist Review
The story of her parents' love is etched in Satu's heart: her father, the North Wind and youngest son of the Sun and the Moon, fell in love with her mother, giving the Wolf Queen all his magic to be with her and causing them both to be sent 400 years into the future. Now, 17-year-old Satu lives a quiet life with her parents on a mountain, taking care of bees and collecting honey. When snow starts falling in June and her parents vanish before her eyes, the Winter Lord--who once served the Wolf Queen--appears to tell Satu that she must take possession of the threads of her father's old magic before it completely unravels the world. Satu must venture out into the world, leaving the safety and comfort of her home, to face the unknown she has feared for so long and use her father's stories to find the threads of his magic and bring back her parents. This companion to Echo North (2019), which stands alone well, is filled with fantasy and adventure, weaving together a powerful tale of the magic of the Winds, of the depth of love and family, and of the power that can be found inside you even if you are afraid to let it out. Breathtaking and beautiful.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 8 Up--In this companion to Echo North, Meyer crafts a new fairy tale about the daughter of the North Wind. Satu has grown up hearing her parents' love story, how her father gave up his power to marry her mother, but the bargain has thrown them centuries into the future. When they vanish before her very eyes and the Winter Lord appears, Satu must reclaim her father's magic before the entire world unmakes itself. Poetic and richly atmospheric, Satu's coming-of-age story has adventure, romance, and a strong identity as she navigates her anxiety and a deep sense of empathy to save the world. VERDICT A uniquely crafted fairy tale recommended for general purchase.
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Old, wild magic is tearing the world apart, and a 17-year-old girl is the only one who can bind it. The child of a weaver and a storyteller who used to be the North Wind, Satu North is a girl who appreciates her solitary life in a remote mountain house alongside her beloved parents and the bees she keeps. But Satu's family's story is still unfolding: When the bargain her father once made to become a mortal finally catches up to them, the Unraveling begins, and everything she knows and loves is gone. However, the daughter of the North Wind has a power of her own, and if she claims it, she may be able to rebuild the world. But where she goes, the Winter Lord--menacing yet strangely familiar--follows, yearning to take the power of the North Wind for himself. This stand-alone companion to Meyer's Echo North (2019) weaves a powerful, beautiful spell in a storyline threaded with fairy-tale magic and heartwarming romance. Satu's debilitating anxiety and her uncertainty about being worthy of calling herself the hero of her own story are well written and, combined with a kindness that becomes her most powerful weapon, contribute to her refreshing characterization. Satu has dark hair and brown skin like her mother; other characters read as White. A rich, romantic tale of identity, agency, and love. (Fantasy. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
