Geomancer: In the Shadow of the Wolf Queen

By Author / Illustrator

Kiran Millwood Hargrave

Genre

Fantasy

Age range(s)

Publisher

Orion Children's Books

ISBN

9781510107816

Format

Hardback

Published

31-08-2023

Synopsis

The start of an epic new fantasy trilogy from bestselling, award-winning author Kiran Millwood Hargrave.

The earth is stirring . . . Ysolda has lived her life in the shadow of the wolf queen's tyrannical rule but, safe in her forest haven, she has never truly felt its threat. Until one day when a mysterious earthquake shakes the land and her older sister Hari vanishes in its wake.

Accompanied by her loyal sea hawk, Nara, Ysolda embarks on a desperate rescue mission. But when she is forced to strike a bargain with the wolf queen herself, she soon finds herself embroiled in a quest for a magic more powerful - and more dangerous - than she could ever have imagined...

From the author of The Girl of Ink and Stars, Julia and the Shark and The Mercies, the Geomancer trilogy is a new modern classic for readers young and old.

'Destined to be a classic' Garth Nix
'A stunning adventure' Cressida Cowell
'Fierce, lyrical ... an earth-shattering fantasy' Piers Torday

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Reviews

When her sister vanishes after a mysterious earthquake, Ysolda sets off to find her, setting foot in the castle of the dreaded Wolf Queen. Can Ysolda rescue her sister by doing as the Wolf Queen commands?

In the Shadow of the Wolf Queen is a story of magic and adventure that takes Ysolda across a mythical land. The front cover of this book has a quote from Garth Nix, 'Destined to be a classic'. It most certainly is! Set in a mythical, timeless world that is also the UK, if the map inside the front cover is to be believed, this story is a breathtaking adventure.

The description is simply wonderful; I could imagine whole scenes in my head with ease and as always, Kiran Millwood Hargrave write beautifully. It would be hard to pigeonhole this into a genre, because whilst it is fantasy, the magic is of a natural kind and the concept of treating the natural world with respect is ever-present.

The Wolf Queen herself is not an out and out villain, but far more nuanced and complicated. She might be terrifying in many ways, but she is also a complex character and all the better for being so. There is something very satisfying about a villain you cannot quite get a handle on and who is so unpredictable. I loved the main character Ysolda, you feel as if you are travelling with her every step of the way.

When the book ended, I was literally shocked because I had become so involved, I did not realise I was near the end. It goes without saying that I would want to read the next book in the Geomancer series!

320 pages / Reviewed by Jacqueline Harris, teacher