Our story begins on a frosty night…
Laylee can barely remember the happier times before her beloved mother died. Before her father, driven by grief, lost his wits (and his way). Before she was left as the sole remaining mordeshoor in the village of Whichwood, destined to spend her days washing the bodies of the dead and preparing their souls for the afterlife. It’s become easy to forget and easier still to ignore the way her hands are stiffening and turning silver, just like her hair, and her own ever-increasing loneliness and fear.
But soon, a pair of familiar strangers appears, and Laylee’s world is turned upside down as she rediscovers color, magic, and the healing power of friendship. @goodreads
Infant snow drifted down in gentle whorls, flakes as large as pancakes glinting silver as they fell. Shaggy trees wore white leaves and moonlight glimmered across a glassy lake. The night was soft and all was slow and snow had hushed the earth into a deep, sound slumber and oh, winter was fast approaching.
This book was amazing!
Laylee is a mordeshoor, the last one in the village. Things happened with her mother and father and she is the only one left to tend to the dead. She bathes the dead and their souls getting them ready for the afterlife. This is all taking a toll on her and it will kill her if she doesn't get help.
Laylee lives alone in her broken down castle with a ghost inside and some ghosts in the cemetery outside. Her home used to be beautiful, she used to be beautiful but everything is falling apart and it makes her angry.
And so she was, for the most part, an irritable, unkind, angry girl, with little pleasantness to distract her from the constant death demanding her attention. Tonight, she swept a defeated glance around the many rooms of her drafty home and promised herself that one day she would do well enough to repair the broken windows, mend the torn draperies, replace the missing torches, and reinvigorate the faded walls.
Though she worked hard every day, Laylee was seldom pain for the work she did. The magic that ran through her veins made it so she was bound by blood to be a mordeshoor, and when the dead were delivered to her door, she had no choce but to add them to the pile. The people of Whichwood knew this and too often took advantage of her, sometimes paying very little, and sometimes not at all. But one day, she swore, she'd breathe light and color back into the dimness that had diminished her life.
I think the townspeople were jerks, but they get theirs and that's all I'm saying.
Then one night, Alice and Oliver arrive in a most peculiar way (you can read the book) and Alice tells Laylee she is there to help her. Since Laylee isn't used to people it takes a good while for her to trust Alice and Oliver and she's rather hostile. The little group also end up getting help from one of the towns boys named, Benyamin.
I loved all of these characters and the creepy story line. The writing is beautiful. The book itself is beautiful!
Happy Reading!
Mel ♥
GOODREADS REVIEW
AMAZON REVIEW
No comments:
Post a Comment