Haley was born with the gift of death-magic, and at the age of seven her mother abandons her to the witchling to be raised as her successor. But as Haley grows older and learns her craft - as invading armies pass through her town, people are born and die on her floor, and loyalties shift and dissolve around her - she finds it harder and harder to keep her vows and be the perfect and impassive healer.
But if she can't, it will be her downfall - and that of everyone she's not supposed to love . . .
Helena Coggan writes amazing worlds. Everything is so detailed, the rules make sense, the ways people act make sense. I thought that the exposition was much better here than in the last one of hers I read, which tend towards info dumping. This one is much more subtle; information is given out over time, as it becomes relevant.
I did think it was quite long, but given that it covers years where a lot of things happen, the length is probably justified. Just be aware going into it that it's going to take a while to get through.
If you like well crafted, intricate, unusual fantasy worlds with occasionally unlikeable but always well meaning heroines, this is one for you.
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