This highly unusual fantasy leads us into a land of serpents and ships,
of mirrors and curses. Two princesses were cursed by someone who
gifted them a bronze mirror. One girl is cruel but appears fair; the other
girl is kind but grows new deformities and warts every time she uses
her innate gift of healing. COILED
takes this concept and runs with it.
What are the politically minded parents of such princesses to do? Wed
one to strengthen an alliance, of course. Ellea, the pretty one, will be
married off, and Laidra will be kept out of sight. Their ally King Gan is
himself a user and abuser of women and he wants to use both maidens
to lift a similar curse on two princes. Volen the "normal" looking prince
should be the one to marry, but his brother Calen... well, the less said
about him the better. Actually, Volen had better wed quickly, before too
many rumours spread.
Through Laidra's experiences, we travel by land and sea, meet a giant
sea serpent and fetch up at a seemingly deserted castle. The coils of
this life or death adventure are just settling about her throat. Demigods
are also involved, and they don't play fair.
I enjoyed this adventure very much; the threads of Greek myth, the hint
of Beauty and the Beast, the varied personalities. While the tale is
suitable for YA readers, any fan of fantasy could have a good time
reading COILED. I didn't have any
set expectations of how the twists would unravel and was pleased by
the eventual strength of the romance that develops. H.L. Burke is a
mother of two girls and a lifelong fantasy fan. I can recommend her
beautifully written work to anyone who wants to read something
different and exciting.
A healing touch. A hideous face. A looming curse. As the ugly twin to a perfect sister, Princess Laidra lives her life in the shadows—until her parents offer her as bait for a giant serpent. Her escape attempt leaves her shipwrecked on a secluded island with only one inhabitant: Prince Calen, who lives under a curse. If anyone looks upon him, he turns into a giant serpent. Speaking to him in the darkness, Laidra sees past the monster to Calen’s lonely soul, and she determines to free him from the magic’s hold. But if Laidra can’t break the curse in time, Calen will become a mindless creature of scales and fangs forever. A YA mythology/romance that retells the myth of Eros and Psyche with adventure, magic, and true love.
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