“Unexpected! Surprising plot!”“Beautifully written. Looking forward to the next in the series!”“Poses tough questions.”There is power in a name. On the Island of Nar, women hold only that power and little else. Though life is oppressive on the carefully controlled, male-dominated isle, it is all they ever known. It does not bother 23-year old Deliverance, as she has all she needs to be content. … needs to be content. She, her mother, Catalyst, and her best friend Effie, are comfortable with their status as relative outsiders. Their names, not easily understood, leave them on the outskirts. But for them, independence is all they could ever want…Until one day a choice spirals their world out of control and Deliverance must find the courage to embark on a rescue mission to the perilous, unknown Outside. Not only does she find a world entirely foreign from that which she has imagined but must learn to navigate its treacherous waters, uncovering dark secrets about her world and her own family. In doing so, she learns about the nature of inequality, of misogyny, of tyranny, and most of all, of isolation.An action-packed adventure, Deliverance, tugs at the mind, asking tough questions about the nature of oppression. Through the twists and turns, Deliverance learns while some people support nefarious purposes, others are heroes and family in the making. Join Deliverance as she discovers the true power in a name.
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Reading this riveting tale of YA fantasy, what can happen when a government steps in and banishes a group of people for hundreds of years to the isle of Nar.
I enjoyed reading about a young woman named Deliverance, and what happens when she starts to question her own people.
Sent adrift by her very own mother in a boat, Deliverance is rescued by a stranger, who she thinks is a pirate.
Only to find out the world she had lived in her all life is lies and her mother has kept secrets from her.
Recommend.
This story touched on a subject I’ve often wondered about: Do we have a right to change the way of life of other groups of people? Should we force our morals (which comes from the Latin mores for “customs”) and beliefs on others? This is especially true for those we call “indigenous” peoples. In a 100, 200, or more years, what we now “believe” to be the rights of all people may be considered barbaric by people of the future. So many questions with so many different answers by different groups.
Particular topics in this book are women’s rights and acceptance of people’s sexual orientation (consensual). They are woven into the fabric of the story, without it becoming a soapbox moment. The worst of religious beliefs (which although often the most vocal, are also a minority) are personified in the person of the Abbott. Others may not agree with the most vocal, but they remain silent for so many reasons. But the book does not put down religion (especially Christianity) as so many others do. It touches on how beliefs may differ, but fundamentally they are similar.
A couple of relevant quotes:
* “Why is it all the gods are men?”
* And as to your questiooddess? It is not for us mortals to know or say. We just do the best we can.”n about goddesses, who is to say how a god views gender? Perhaps the God of Horizons is indeed a g
The book, although covering several serious topics, is also a blast to read. Deliverance’s reactions to the “Outside” world had me laughing. Her innocence, and yet also her wisdom, are endearing. But I have to say I think I loved Effie the most. Who wouldn’t with what her “name” forced her to be? Great fun to read.
This story was told so expertly, I just couldn’t put it down!
The descriptions of the characters and settings were amazing, expertly moving between the modern world and the exiled world. I absolutely loved the use of modern magic as well as the love story woven within the overlying story-line.
The story easily could have gone on for another 1000 pages and I would have been right there rooting on my favorite characters. Such a fun read.
So glad I found this author’s story! Can’t wait to find out what happens to Deliverance next!
Deliverance is tossed out to sea, literally, from her home to save her life. She finds a society very different from the one she’s been brought up in on the island.
The is a story filled with magic, tales of lore, action, adventure, and in the middle is Deliverance who’s learning a lot on her feet but who has terrific instincts, and unbeknownst to her, her mother has prepared her for many things already.
The first installment in the Deliverance series delivers excitement to readers, as we are swept away on an adventure with our heroine, and we are learning with her and cheering her on through the entire story.
The characters, landscapes, seascapes, and the story itself are imaginative, the narrative pulls you in, and if the rest of the series follows this same blueprint, it’s going to be a fascinating series indeed.
Every part of the worldbuilding in this story was so beautifully done that I felt as if I was right there beside Deliverance. The unique names of the characters was the cherry on top when it came to details, and I loved the way that it gave a bit of mystery as to our MC and what it was she could really do. As the story progressed, Deliverance’s name began to make more sense.
The writing style is smooth and easy to go along with. Even though there was a lot of information that needed to be understood within the first few chapters, the author did it without it feeling as if it was an information dump. The plot was suspenseful and capturing.
After Deliverance was forced to leave her home on the island, I loved to see the way she reacted to the outside world and the way that it reacted to her. It was truly a great transformation to see her go from such an innocent minded girl into the woman she became at the end of the story.
Fantastic start to a series.
I might be cheeky in recommending my own book but hey, I had fun writing it. Maybe you will have fun reading it. It’s a bit along the reading lines of Harry Potter and Divergent fans.