Shadow Hand
Anne Elisabeth Stengl
Bethany House
Published March 4, 2014
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Prince Foxbrush of the Southlands is devastated when he learns that his bride-to-be has fled the castle on the very day they were to wed. Lady Daylily was last seen walking toward the Wood Between, descending into a dangerous gorge into which few enter and none return. Provoked by his cousin Lionheart, whom Daylily once loved, Foxbrush charges into the woods after his lost love, determined to rescue her from whatever peril may befall her.
But Daylily is no helpless princess in distress. She carries a powerful force inside her that may prove the worst enemy her people have ever faced, and running away may be the only way to protect them. A small bird calls to her, asking her to lay down her burdens, but Daylily refuses to be swayed. She doesn’t want to die at the hands of the thing inside her.
With both Foxbrush and Daylily missing, the Southlands falls into turmoil. Lionheart halts the rise of a new king in his cousin’s place, but doing so brands him a traitor.
Foxbrush pursues Daylily out of the Wood and into the past, to a land he knows only from legend and story. Armed with a faerie scroll bearing mysterious instructions, Foxbrush determines to rescue his ladylove, even if it means skipping a few baths and eating food prepared in questionably sanitary circumstances.When Foxbrush reaches the end of the scroll’s instructions, he’s left with only his determination and love for Daylily to lead him into a battle that will change him forever.
The sixth novel in the Tales of Goldstone Wood, like its predecessors, packs quite a spiritual punch. The story reminds us reminding us to trust God’s plan as the best one, and that he created us the way we are on purpose, and we can celebrate that. This story is a little darker than the other novels in the series. Earlier stories boast hilarious characters and situations, while this one delves deep into Foxbrush and Daylily’s inner and outer turmoil. Series fans will love the appearance of familiar characters such as Prince Felix, Eanrin and Imraldera, the beautiful descriptions of the story world, and the exploration of deep spiritual themes.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.
Sexual Content
None.
Spiritual Content
Faeries who’ve ventured to the human world from the Wood Between demand tribute from villagers in exchange for peace with them.
Over and over the voice of a small bird calls to Daylily, asking her to “let it go”. This so reminded me of the way the Holy Spirit calls to us and asks us to lay down things in our own lives (fears, sins, etc.) Daylily fears that her natural personality is all wrong for the life she’s been tasked to live. She learns that the identity she embraced for herself is the wrong one. She begins to believe her Creator meant for her to be something different than she imagined, something wonderful and powerful.
Violence
Wasps mercilessly sting a boy. Children are carried away from their homes and villages and flung into a pit. The scene itself makes this fairly sterile, as the children are in a sort of trance. Despite that of course, it’s sad and terrible simply by virtue of what’s happening. A lioness attacks two warriors. A prince grasps a melting piece of metal, causing irreparable damage to his hands.
Drug Content
None.
Disclaimer
I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
