The Stricken

Gr 8 Up–The gray clouds roll in and Clara searches frantically for her mother. The Storm is almost upon them and she knows if she can get far enough away, her mother may not lose as many memories as usual. Clara is the only one whose memory is not affected by The Storm. Seeking answers, she follows Cael, a presence who has been with her since she can remember, to an alternate world known as Khalom, where she discovers her true lineage. Learning with others who have powers, she must fight against the Diviners, creators of The Storm, to rediscover the power only she seems to possess: Death. Shamy brings another title to the highly popular fiction genre known now as romantasy. Here, magical superpowers and alternate worlds add an extra dimension to the love triangle that Clara finds herself in. Requiring a lot of lore to shore up the setting unfortunately gives the novel more of a “tell” rather than “show” quality, which can lead to confusion in the early parts of the story. Once the world and its systems are established, Shamy hits her stride and delivers a story that will appeal to all who love the genre.