Book #6- Fantasy (again)

Watersmeet
By: Ellen Jensen Abbott

Synopsis (from Amazin.com): Long ago, Vran led his people to a new land, driving off the hated “monsters” (dwarves, centaurs, fauns) who had lived there for generations. Abisina has been outcast in Vranille for her “dwarf dirty” coloring since birth. Her mother’s status as the healer keeps her safe until Charach, an evil, charismatic leader, comes to cleanse Vranille of the unworthy. Abisina’s only hope is to find her father in distant Watersmeet, but to get there, she will have to travel with one of the “vile half-men,” Haret, a dwarf. During their dangerous journey, Abisina and Haret learn to trust each other, and they find a home in Watersmeet, where all creatures live together under the leadership of Abisina’s father. This new sense of place is threatened when the Vranians move to destroy all nonhumans. Abbott’s debut fantasy centers on Abisina, who learns in small, realistic ways to let go of her deeply rooted prejudices to see the worth in all creatures, including herself. While the sudden, peaceful resolution strains credibility, this is otherwise a hopeful, nuanced story.

So, What do I think?

Overall: What a fantastic fantasy!! I couldn't put the story down. The characters, the setting, and the storyline kept me wanting more. Absinia is a girl who is seen as an "outcast" in her village. When her life is threatened by evil, she leaves in search of her father in a place called Watersmeet. Abbott did a fantastic job pulling all of her characters together. Even in the end when there were several characters, I still felt that each one of them could have their own stories. I can't say enough about how much I loved this story.

Characters: Absinia is a fantastic fantasy character. She is different than the others in her village. Dark hair, dark skin, and bright green eyes. She is smart on her own, yet needs the help of others because she is still a youth growing up. Her dwarf friend Haret is a perfect match to Absinia. He has a soft side that he doesn't like to show, but his strong will is what pulls them through the hard times. I could talk about all of the characters at the end of the story, but it would take me hours to write about. Each character was unique and interesting.

Setting: Abbott does a wonderful job describing the setting in this story. Each scene was described in a way that I felt like I was there with the characters. From the tallest trees to the dwarves burried houses, the story took you to several locations and each one was described perfectly. When Absinia finally gets to Watersmeet, the way the location is described makes you feel like you have lived there your whole life.

Googie's Grade: 5 out of 5 stars!

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