Review by Booklist Review
Gordon's debut introduces the young witch Hellevir by sharing her first two encounters with Death: first, she revives a frozen fox and then revives her mother, who died in childbirth. Her mother, appalled by both the old magic and Hellevir's decision to revive her instead of the baby, moves the family to the capital, leaving Hellevir to train with Milandre as a hedge witch. A decade later, when the queen appears demanding that Milandre resurrect her granddaughter, Sullivain, Hellevir volunteers; she is soon summoned to the capital to protect Sullivain from additional assassination attempts. Hellevir is completely unprepared for the palace politics, the extremism of the Onaistian Temple where her mother worships, and her own growing attraction to Sullivain. She is only slightly more prepared to search for riddles given to her by Death, finding special objects that will pay for the lives she resurrects. Hellevir is dealt some harsh lessons in her dealings with Death and the palace, leading readers through a mix of surprising twists, setting the world up nicely for a sequel.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Gordon debuts with a slow building but fascinating dark fantasy set in the vaguely Nordic fictional country of Chron, where a girl discovers the power to bring back the dead. Hellevir is born and raised in a cottage in the snowy woods and spends her childhood among trees and animals, using her gift to bring first a fox and then her own mother back from the land of death. Her life changes, however, when she's summoned to the capital to resurrect the late Princess Sullivain, who, once alive again, appoints Hellevir as her personal reviver from death in case of future assassination attempts. The city is controlled by the Onaistian faith, which preaches kindness and hope, but persecutes "heathens" like Hellevir, opening up a thematic exploration of religious hypocrisy. The tale is also a study of kindness and humanity, as Hellevir is molded and perhaps corrupted by the ways of the city, while conversely, Sullivain is persuaded to act against her tyrannical grandmother, the Queen, by Hellevir's influence. Though it takes a while for things to get moving, once the plot picks up, readers will find plenty to hold their attention. This series is off to a promising start. Agent: Meg Davis, Ki Agency. (July)
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Review by Library Journal Review
DEBUT Hellevir has always been able to talk to animals and spirits, but at 10 years of age, she discovered she could also talk to Death. She learns to bargain with Death for the lives of creatures great and small. But there is a cost to keeping a soul alive, and Hellevir pays with blood and tokens from the living. Rumors spread quickly, and Hellevir soon draws the attention of the queen. When the queen's granddaughter is assassinated, Hellevir offers to bring her back to life. Once is not enough for the queen and princess, though, and Hellevir is forced to become the princess's personal resurrectionist. Hellevir moves to Rochidain, the capital city, to be on hand for the princess and finds herself tangled up in court politics and religious tensions. As war looms, Hellevir must balance her loyalties and love for the princess as she grows into her power. VERDICT A beautiful fantasy full of quests, court intrigue, and star-crossed lovers, Gordon's debut is the first of a duology, recommended for fans of Samantha Shannon's The Priory of the Orange Tree.--Maria Martin
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A young woman is dragged from her quiet country life into the vicious, backstabbing world of politics and religion in this fantasy series opener. Hellevir has always been different. When she was 10, she discovered the ability to travel into Death, the strange, liminal world ruled by a mysterious man in black. When she is 12, and her mother dies in childbirth, Hellevir travels to Death and offers the man in black a trade: If Hellevir gives up "something from life that is full of life" and a "blood gift" (in this case, one of her fingers), she will be able to return her mother to the world of the living. Milandre, an old healer and Hellevir's mentor, warns Hellevir to keep her gifts a secret. But when the queen brings her poisoned granddaughter's corpse to Milandre's doorstep, Hellevir can't stop herself from bringing the young woman, Sullivain, back to life. Soon afterward, Hellevir receives a royal summons to move to the city and be ready to bring Sullivain back from the dead at a moment's notice. Only the man in black isn't happy with Hellevir defying the laws of nature, and he requests a new kind of price if she wants to bring back any more lost souls without losing even more of herself. Gordon's fantastic series opener paints the world of Rochidain with vivid detail, from its network of canals to the drunken parties of its nobles to the sinister state religion that has a strong hold on Hellevir's mother. Hellevir's complicated relationship with Sullivain, whose gratitude and attachment to Hellevir don't stop her from threatening Hellevir's family should she let Sullivain die, has more than enough substance to sustain the books to come. A richly imagined beginning that shouldn't be missed. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
