Healer: A Novel (The Brides of Alba Series)

Guest Post by Amber Litke:

“Healer” is a 351 page book, written by Linda Windsor and published by David C. Cook.  The novel is set in 6th century Alba, or Scotland.  Its plot is centered around the warring of two clans, the Gowrys and the O’Byrnes, the cause of the conflict, and how it is all settled.

While reading this story I was completely amazed at the quality of the writing.  Linda Windsor wasted no words and gives you just enough image in your mind without drawing the descriptions out forever.  The book flows at a steady pace, not to fast and no unbearably slow so that you can register and understand what’s going on, but not feel bored reading.  She sections the tale in an incredible way, giving us a look into what characters are thinking and allowing us to know exactly what drives them on.  To top it all off, the Christian element upon which this book is written is excellently weaved into the ideas an thoughts of the characters.  They struggle with faith, both old and new, just like we do day to day.

The focus of the tale is the prophecy given by Joanna of Gowrys to Tarlach O’Byrne that her child would divide his household.  Joanna’s daughter, Brenna, is forced into hiding for twenty years because of it.  She lives in the hills as a healer with the white wolf Faol, isolated from the rest of the world.  This changes when she saves an ambushed man from dying and ends up falling in love with him.  The turn of events will push Brenna down the path to fulfilling her mother’s prophecy, whether she’s prepared for it or not.

I very much enjoyed this book but reccomend it to older audiences  The characters often fight mature urges and while they seek God to aid them in ignoring, they are still lightly and vaguely mentioned.  The ending to the issues of this first book felt incomplete, nevertheless I’m looking forward to the next story in the series.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I wrote this post on behalf of David C. Cook and received a copy of Healer to facilitate my review.

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