This has got to be the most surprising randomly-pick-a-book-up-and-start-reading-it success stories. I was sucked into this story faster than you can say Mary Poppins. Peter Dickinson surely deserves every literature award he's ever received. What a master. I can't believe I've never read anything of his before when he is married to one of my favorite authors.
In a nutshell, this story is a piece of history from a fictional Empire. Mr. Dickinson is a very disciplined writer---you find out things as you go that would be really easy to get lost in, but his way with words and information assist you along so that your mind stays focused on the plot and not the fantastical details of the culture and lifestyles encountered along the way. When the story ends you're left satisfied but extremely willing to start reading the sequel, Angel Isle. And incidentally, I'll be on my way soon to find Angel Isle at my local library...and please note that any synopsis I attempt is sure to be poor indeed. The story is just too epic, too layered, to be given justice in less than 2000 words. And I don't think you'll want to waste your time on 2000 words when you could spend it reading the actual book itself...
Tilja has lived all her life on the family farm Woodborne. However, the day comes when she and her younger sister Anja discover that Anja can hear the voices of Cedar trees, while Tilja cannot. This means Tilja will not inherit the farm while her sister will. Tilja is heartbroken at the thought of leaving Woodborne. Meanwhile, the Valley in which her people have resided for 20 generations unmolested is losing the magical protection which kept the wild horsemen to the north and the Empire's soldiers to the south from ravaging the homesteads therein. Although Tilja has no magical gift she must accompany her grandmother along with 2 men who can hear the voices of water to seek a magician to reinstate the protection the Valley has long enjoyed. Along the road Tilja discovers something about herself that may prove the difference in whether they succeed or fail in their mission.
