SHADOW AND THORN by Kenley Davidson - Review
And here is my next February Feature of Kenley Davidson's beautiful fairy tales. Today I'm focusing on . . .
After more than twenty years in hiding, Alexei is returning home. His kingdom is destroyed, his people dead or enslaved, and the magic that once protected them lost to all but memory. His only hope to provide sanctuary for the few who remain is the uncertain word of a traitor, a broken man who claims to know the hiding place of Erath’s greatest treasure. To find it, Alexei will have to return to the place where Erath fell, and brave the shadowed halls of a castle that echoes with the ghosts of his past.
Zara is a woman without a future—a treasure hunter, and a thief who hates to steal. Trapped by fate in an abandoned castle, she encounters a destiny she could never have predicted, and uncovers a treasure far greater than she could ever have imagined.
What a unique and intriguing story this turned out to be! I love the links between plots and characters from book to book, and this one was possibly even more satisfying than the last. It was obviously inspired by Beauty and the Beast, yet in some ways it seemed more like a set-up for a Beauty and the Beast plot. Rowan is far more beastly and awful than Alexei! This said, I thoroughly enjoyed the story, especially the characters. Rowan is perfectly awful, Zara is a strong heroine, and the cat . . . :-) The Rose and Athven Nar were marvelous plot elements, and the fantasy themes are original and fascinating. Well worth reading!
