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Summary
Summary
When Wayland North brings rain to a region that's been dry for over ten years, he's promised anything he'd like as a reward. He chooses the village elder's daughter, sixteen-year-old Sydelle Mirabel, who is a skilled weaver and has an unusual knack for repairing his magical cloaks. Though Sydelle has dreamt of escaping her home, she's hurt that her parents relinquish her so freely and finds herself awed and afraid of the slightly ragtag wizard who is unlike any of the men of magic in the tales she's heard. Still, she is drawn to this mysterious man who is fiercely protective of her and so reluctant to share his own past.
The pair rushes toward the capital, intent to stop an imminent war, pursued by Reuel Dorwan (a dark wizard who has taken a keen interest in Sydelle) and plagued by unusually wild weather. But the sudden earthquakes and freak snowstorms may not be a coincidence. As Sydelle discovers North's dark secret and the reason for his interest in her and learns to master her own mysterious power, it becomes increasingly clear that the fate of the kingdom rests in her fingertips. She will either be a savior, weaving together the frayed bonds between Saldorra and Auster, or the disastrous force that destroys both kingdoms forever.
Author Notes
Alexandra Bracken was born in Phoenix, Arizona, on February 27th, 1987.
She graduated from The College of William & Mary in Virginia in May 2009, with a degree in History and English.
She began her first published novel, Brightly Woven, as a birthday present to a close friend in college.
She is also the author of The Darkest Minds Series. Her title from that series, In the Afterlight, made The Young New Adult Titles List. In 2017 she made The New York Times Best Seller List with her title, Passenger.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (5)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Syd is a talented weaver who lives in a poor, remote village, long plagued by drought and largely removed from the politics and duels of the ruling wizard class. On the day of the first rain in decades, a handsome wizard, North, arrives and warns of approaching soldiers-a war between kingdoms is brewing and the village will soon be overrun. To save Syd, her parents promise the 16-year-old to North as a wizard's tailor, and the two set out to try and stop the war, Syd angrily so. Bracken's vivid prose and storytelling offer a fresh, fun take on magic and wizardry, with North as a tantalizing, brooding hero and Syd, as a feisty, strong woman of many talents, her most extraordinary yet undiscovered. Between her sharp tongue and emerging powers and North's grungy appearance and hipster attitude, they make a charismatic pair. Though at times the dialogue can be melodramatic and overwritten, and the plot occasionally falls out of focus, overall this fantasy novel is a delight, and Bracken is a debut author to watch. Ages 12-up. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
Sixteen-year-old Sydelle, a gifted weaver, lands in the middle of a political and magical melee when the king dies mysteriously. A strange wizard whisks Sydelle away from her village, using her as a tool to prevent all-out war. Although the thinly written narrative leaves puzzling gaps in the story's development, its themes of romance, ingenuity, and self-discovery make for an enjoyable read. Copyright 2010 of The Horn Book, Inc. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
Sixteen-year-old Sydelle's world changes forever after the appearance of Wayland North, a mischievous wizard who lives on the fringes of society. He enlists her help in a race to the capital to prevent all-out war with countries bordering their homeland. North claims to have chosen Sydelle, a weaver, because she is able to repair his cloaks without damaging their magic. But as they are chased through the countryside by wild weather and a vengeful sorcerer, and held back by North's sudden bouts of illness, Sydelle suspects he has selected her for other reasons. The pair's romance develops slowly. At first they bicker like children, with Sydelle's wild rages only outmatched by the unpredictable weather. Despite North's manipulations and Sydelle's disagreeable nature, they are fun to follow. Bracken's debut starts out strong, but the first-person narration wears thin as the book draws to a close. Nevertheless, readers will be caught up by the pair's breathless adventure, the impending darkness, and their ultimate triumph, story elements some more experienced authors can't always nail down.--Jones, Courtney Copyright 2010 Booklist
School Library Journal Review
Gr 7 Up-A young, rogue wizard ends a 10-year drought in an isolated mountain village. As payment he asks for Sydelle, the daughter of the village elder. Despite her protests, he whisks her away just as an invading army arrives in the village. The wizard, Wayland, has information that may prevent the coming war. But he and "his assistant" must make a harrowing, weeks-long journey to reach the capital and deliver the information. Along the way, Sydelle must overcome her anger toward Wayland, discover the dark secret that haunts him, and unravel the mystery of why he chose her in the first place. Sydelle is a strong, brave, likable heroine. Hers is a story of a young woman finding the great power within herself. Wayland is a tortured soul who saves and is saved by her. The supporting characters add color and depth to the story. Danger appears at every turn, and action keeps the plot moving briskly along. First-time author Bracken weaves a compulsively readable tale that belongs beside Kristin Cashore's Graceling (Harcourt, 2008) and Fire (Dial, 2009) and Tamora Pierce's "Song of the Lioness" series (S & S).-Anthony C. Doyle, Livingston High School, CA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Conventional teen tropes translate surprisingly well to fantasy romance in an uneven debut. Sixteen-year-old weaver Sydelle is presented to North, a wizard scarcely older, as an unwilling payment for ending her village's devastating drought. North has the information to stop an imminent war, and he needs Sydelle to guide him to the capital. Sydelle slowly overcomes her resentment of her mysterious, arrogant captor as she learns about the ways of magic and her own unexpected place within it. Sydelle's narration portrays her as the stereotypical feisty-yet-commonsensical redhead, entirely unaware of her hidden powers and irresistible attractiveness, while North is the bad-boy hero with the angsty-secret back story. Everyone else is a stock character, especially the Crazy McEvilpants villain. But archetypes exist because they work, and, despite cursory world-building and awkward prose, the romance is chastely sweet while the plot trots along at a ripping pace, culminating in a (literally) earthshaking climax, with just enough unresolved questions to make a sequel welcome. A guilty pleasure, perhaps, but a pleasure nonetheless. (Fantasy. 12 up) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
