November 16, 2020
Houston’s sparkling debut invites readers to a mountain village where mothers of two-hearted striga children can eke out an existence, having been banished from Heyne Town for fear of the shadowy magic their children bear. Nineteen years after Salka’s mother was exiled for giving birth to her, Salka and her friend Emila are led astray by Dran, the son of the striga village’s leader, as he persuades the young women to join him on a forbidden foray into Heyne Town. Dran’s mother is convinced that the transgression is Salka’s fault and banishes her to a remote hut for three months. Since childhood, Salka has been taught to restrain her second heart’s power lest it turn her into a monstrous stigoi, but, as winter sets in, she has no choice but to rely upon it to keep herself alive—and, in doing so, she learns the truth of her powers. By going small, rather than epic, in scale, Houston is able to mark the significance of daily events, highlight her characters, and comment on humanity’s capacity for othering. This intimate fantasy offers a heartfelt reflection on what it means to be human that is sure to please.
February 1, 2021
DEBUT Miriat must make the potentially fatal decision of forced self-banishment for herself and her deformed daughter, Salka. While attempting to survive in a cruel wilderness, she is reluctantly accepted into a tribe of other banished individuals who know all too well of her daughter's condition. Fear and respect for the ways of the supernatural lead this pragmatic group to rule harshly while attempting to survive in isolation. Will their superstitions be tried and shown to be erroneous, or will these two new residents threaten to shred their insensitive culture? VERDICT Houston projects her background of Polish mythologies and dark fairy tales onto this fanciful debut. Redemption, sacrifice, and generosity underpin this story about mother-and-daughter relationships. Fans of mythical yarns and medieval fantasies will enjoy this easy-to-read fable.--Kristi Chadwick, Massachusetts Lib. Syst., Northampton
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February 1, 2021
Houston's debut draws on old mythology and not-so-distant attitudes about those who are ""different"" to weave a masterful tale. When Miriat chooses to keep her child rather than abandon her at the edge of the forest, she is immediately ostracized and forced to flee with her infant daughter, never to return again. While things are bleak at first, and she is unsure how she and Salka, her daughter, will survive, Salka grows into a strong young woman who does not march to the same drum as the others in the striga village. A striga must promise to ignore the second heart, because tapping into its power will forever corrupt them and turn them evil. Salka challenges this as she is forced to fend for herself during a hard winter, and it soon becomes clear the power can be used for good--and it's desperately needed. Houston has written a classic coming-of-age novel with a supernatural twist, appealing to readers across different genres, with a conclusion that addresses issues of racism and stereotypes within our own society.
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