Review of In the Heart of the Linden Wood
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Stephanie Runyon
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Review of In the Heart of the Linden Wood
[Following is a volunteer review of "In the Heart of the Linden Wood" by Ekta R. Garg.]
Ekta R. Garg’s In the Heart of the Linden Wood is a fantasy story that explores the theme of overcoming grief. Geraldine was a healer and midwife hired by King Christopher and Queen Lily. Complications during labor led to the death of the queen and her baby. In a rage, King Christopher stripped Geraldine of her license, refused to pay for her services, and banned her from the castle. Afterwards, he fell into a deep depression and shirked his duty for the kingdom. His best friend and masterguard, Martin, tried to help him but to no avail. During the queen's funeral procession, Lemuel and a group of protestors stormed the castle. King Christopher was injured and barely escaped the castle with Martin’s help. The remaining council members and visitors were taken hostage.
Geraldine was still practicing as the healer in Ingleside. She worried about her son, Alistair, because he seemed excessively tired and pale. Alistair was different from other teens, preferring to go into the woods alone. He could “hear” the trees. The magical forest was dying from a white moss that turned the trees to dust. Geraldine is shocked when Martin brings King Christopher into her clinic. Alistair helps her while she stitched the king’s wound. King Christopher and Martin needed to find the Keeper of the Wood to find out what was happening to the trees. Without the magical trees, their main export would collapse and the kingdom would fall. Alistair, who didn’t speak well, said he knew where to find the keeper. Geraldine, Martin, Alistair, and King Christopher embark on a journey to save the kingdom and the woods.
In the Heart of the Linden Wood is a magical story with excellent character development. King Christopher lacked confidence and always followed Queen Lily’s advice. His father had been tyrannical, and King Christopher was encouraged by the queen to fix the issues his father had caused. Geraldine’s entire life was focused on being a healer. Her husband, Sullivan, was greedy and tried to work Alistair to death in his inn. The vivid details made the journey easy to envision. I could picture the long hours in the carriage and the constant bickering between its occupants. I found it funny when King Christopher, disguised, would try to force his choices by asserting his authority with “I am the King.”
In the Heart of the Linden Wood is flawless. I found no errors or profanity throughout the entire book. The multiple character perspectives were effortless to follow, including those of the people held hostage in the castle and the travelers on the journey. The trees are an important element in the book and affect the kingdom. King Christopher's depression was portrayed realistically, showing symptoms of general malaise, isolation, and hopelessness. The reasoning for each character's actions was understandable. I rate this perfect book five out of five stars. There is no room for improvement in this novel.
Fans of fantasy stories that are character-driven will find In the Heart of the Linden Wood appealing. The suspenseful and unpredictable plot is engaging. Adults and adolescents will be capable of enjoying the magical story.
******
In the Heart of the Linden Wood
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Ekta R. Garg’s In the Heart of the Linden Wood is a fantasy story that explores the theme of overcoming grief. Geraldine was a healer and midwife hired by King Christopher and Queen Lily. Complications during labor led to the death of the queen and her baby. In a rage, King Christopher stripped Geraldine of her license, refused to pay for her services, and banned her from the castle. Afterwards, he fell into a deep depression and shirked his duty for the kingdom. His best friend and masterguard, Martin, tried to help him but to no avail. During the queen's funeral procession, Lemuel and a group of protestors stormed the castle. King Christopher was injured and barely escaped the castle with Martin’s help. The remaining council members and visitors were taken hostage.
Geraldine was still practicing as the healer in Ingleside. She worried about her son, Alistair, because he seemed excessively tired and pale. Alistair was different from other teens, preferring to go into the woods alone. He could “hear” the trees. The magical forest was dying from a white moss that turned the trees to dust. Geraldine is shocked when Martin brings King Christopher into her clinic. Alistair helps her while she stitched the king’s wound. King Christopher and Martin needed to find the Keeper of the Wood to find out what was happening to the trees. Without the magical trees, their main export would collapse and the kingdom would fall. Alistair, who didn’t speak well, said he knew where to find the keeper. Geraldine, Martin, Alistair, and King Christopher embark on a journey to save the kingdom and the woods.
In the Heart of the Linden Wood is a magical story with excellent character development. King Christopher lacked confidence and always followed Queen Lily’s advice. His father had been tyrannical, and King Christopher was encouraged by the queen to fix the issues his father had caused. Geraldine’s entire life was focused on being a healer. Her husband, Sullivan, was greedy and tried to work Alistair to death in his inn. The vivid details made the journey easy to envision. I could picture the long hours in the carriage and the constant bickering between its occupants. I found it funny when King Christopher, disguised, would try to force his choices by asserting his authority with “I am the King.”
In the Heart of the Linden Wood is flawless. I found no errors or profanity throughout the entire book. The multiple character perspectives were effortless to follow, including those of the people held hostage in the castle and the travelers on the journey. The trees are an important element in the book and affect the kingdom. King Christopher's depression was portrayed realistically, showing symptoms of general malaise, isolation, and hopelessness. The reasoning for each character's actions was understandable. I rate this perfect book five out of five stars. There is no room for improvement in this novel.
Fans of fantasy stories that are character-driven will find In the Heart of the Linden Wood appealing. The suspenseful and unpredictable plot is engaging. Adults and adolescents will be capable of enjoying the magical story.
******
In the Heart of the Linden Wood
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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