Book Review: The Storyspinner

Author: Becky Wallace
Publication Date: March 3, 2015
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Series: The Keepers’ Chronicles # 1

Drama and danger abound in this fantasy realm where dukes play a game for the throne, magical warriors race to find the missing heir, and romance blossoms where it is least expected.

In a world where dukes plot their way to the throne, a Performer’s life can get tricky. And in Johanna Von Arlo’s case, it can be fatal. Expelled from her troupe after her father’s death, Johanna is forced to work for the handsome Lord Rafael DeSilva. Too bad they don’t get along. But while Johanna’s father’s death was deemed an accident, the Keepers aren’t so sure.

The Keepers, a race of people with magical abilities, are on a quest to find the princess—the same princess who is supposed to be dead and whose throne the dukes are fighting over. But they aren’t the only ones looking for her. And in the wake of their search, murdered girls keep turning up—girls who look exactly like the princess, and exactly like Johanna.

With dukes, Keepers, and a killer all after the princess, Johanna finds herself caught up in political machinations for the throne, threats on her life, and an unexpected romance that could change everything.

No child should ever have to watch their father die.

Johanna smiled at the familiarity of it all. These people, seemingly crazy and loud, were her family. Not all of them were blood relatives, though she had a handful of cousins and an uncle in the troupe, but they cared for each other like kin.

Performers were secretive people by nature, keeping the tricks of their trade private, sharing only with family members and apprentices. They didn’t appreciate crowd members wandering through their camp and stealing the secrets that made their entertainment so valuable.

Becky Wallace’s debut novel was definitely one for the books! I don’t always get to read as much fantasy as I would like, and when I find a good one it is always such a treat. This story is told in multiple point of views and while some readers are skeptical of this in books, I find that I always look forward to it because of the versatility it adds to the novel and the plot. The multiple point of views really worked well in this novel and it made the characters feel so much more endearing. Johanna and Rafi were of course my favorites, and thankfully so seeing as they are the main characters. They felt so real and so much more personable than all the rest. I am already so excited to see where this story will go next.

With any fantasy story there will most likely have to be an incredible amount of world building early on; this one was no different. While world building can sometimes be overwhelming for characters, I felt that Becky writes this otherwise complicated world that Johanna and Rafi live in in a most uncomplicated way. I was enthralled and never bored when learning the background to the story, and I have no qualms in recommending this beautiful debut to other readers as well. Johanna’s position as a storyteller/performer is very intriguing and really added all the magic that made up this captivating tale! I am so excited to see what else Becky Wallace has up her sleeves!

***A free copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers in exchange for my honest review***