Review of Awakening
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Lorianne Pillay
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Review of Awakening
[Following is a volunteer review of "Awakening" by Tayma Tameem.]
Awakening by Tayma Tameem is an intriguing fantasy that is beautifully illustrated and executed by the author’s words. We journey with Katja as she learns about herself. Awakening in a permafrost snow-covered forest, the young girl struggles to remember her past and even her own name. Suffering from amnesia, Katja starts a journey into the unknown to discover her identity, armed only with the clothing of an elite that she dons and mysterious gold bracelets on her wrists.
Through a well-orchestrated dual timeline, we are introduced to Amara, Katja’s younger sister, who is the chosen one. Amara hosts the Spirit of Brikkir, a mythical creature that controls the elements (Spirit) of Winter. But as a young child, Amara struggles to control her powers, and this has frightening consequences for her family and her kingdom.
On her search for herself, Katja meets Marius, a young widower, who assists her with not just shelter and a meal but with a sense of worth, accomplishment and pride. From a lost life as a princess to the simple life of a cleaner at Marius’s tavern, Katja learns about the state of the kingdom and its dissatisfied citizens, as well as the betrayal and murder of Princess Katja by her sister, Lady Snow.
With her world crumbling from the possibility of who she could be, Katja must navigate a world that she is only just rediscovering, while trying to free her kingdom from Amara’s dictatorship and save her sister from the person that she has become. A problem made harder by the fact that those who had helped her, have now turned their backs on her from lack of trust and fear of death.
Tameem manages to successfully flesh out amazing characters and a very realistic Kingdom of Hale. The writing, along with character dialogues are well constructed enabling readers to become engulfed into the world that she creates. The book is well edited, providing hours of easy seamless reading.
Some might find that the pace of the story slows a bit in the early half of the novel, but this is only done to reflect on character relationships and dependence. The momentum does pick up with intriguing results. The ending does seem a bit rushed, but it was still satisfying.
I give Awakening a 4 out of 4, it’s a wonderful YA novel that will appeal to readers 13 years and older. With its spellbound storyline that will get you thinking about Disney’s Frozen, a clear case of what if Elsa embraced the darkness of her powers. An engaging page turner that you should try. I will eagerly await Book 2 and its continuation.
******
Awakening
View: on Bookshelves
Awakening by Tayma Tameem is an intriguing fantasy that is beautifully illustrated and executed by the author’s words. We journey with Katja as she learns about herself. Awakening in a permafrost snow-covered forest, the young girl struggles to remember her past and even her own name. Suffering from amnesia, Katja starts a journey into the unknown to discover her identity, armed only with the clothing of an elite that she dons and mysterious gold bracelets on her wrists.
Through a well-orchestrated dual timeline, we are introduced to Amara, Katja’s younger sister, who is the chosen one. Amara hosts the Spirit of Brikkir, a mythical creature that controls the elements (Spirit) of Winter. But as a young child, Amara struggles to control her powers, and this has frightening consequences for her family and her kingdom.
On her search for herself, Katja meets Marius, a young widower, who assists her with not just shelter and a meal but with a sense of worth, accomplishment and pride. From a lost life as a princess to the simple life of a cleaner at Marius’s tavern, Katja learns about the state of the kingdom and its dissatisfied citizens, as well as the betrayal and murder of Princess Katja by her sister, Lady Snow.
With her world crumbling from the possibility of who she could be, Katja must navigate a world that she is only just rediscovering, while trying to free her kingdom from Amara’s dictatorship and save her sister from the person that she has become. A problem made harder by the fact that those who had helped her, have now turned their backs on her from lack of trust and fear of death.
Tameem manages to successfully flesh out amazing characters and a very realistic Kingdom of Hale. The writing, along with character dialogues are well constructed enabling readers to become engulfed into the world that she creates. The book is well edited, providing hours of easy seamless reading.
Some might find that the pace of the story slows a bit in the early half of the novel, but this is only done to reflect on character relationships and dependence. The momentum does pick up with intriguing results. The ending does seem a bit rushed, but it was still satisfying.
I give Awakening a 4 out of 4, it’s a wonderful YA novel that will appeal to readers 13 years and older. With its spellbound storyline that will get you thinking about Disney’s Frozen, a clear case of what if Elsa embraced the darkness of her powers. An engaging page turner that you should try. I will eagerly await Book 2 and its continuation.
******
Awakening
View: on Bookshelves
Latest Review: Amora by Grant Hallstrom
