More of a 2.5 ( )

A gruesome tale of a barber/surgeon, who is filled with guilt, gets sent off to the war in 14th century England and discovers a fantastical secret about himself. It is a first person story that can be graphic with the descriptions of surgical procedures. While it is a fantasy, it is more of a historical fiction until the latter parts of the book. The first book in the series seems to be more about set up on who Elisha is and the type of world he is apart of. Overall the book is okay. Has potential and I'm interested on where the story will go, but Elisha's character is a bit uninteresting and there really isn't a plot to the book. ( )

Boooooooring. Impossible to connect or engage with this book. Was thrilled to be done with it ( )

As a teenager, I was obsessed with the medieval period. In recent years, it hasn't attracted me as much--so many books repeat the same themes and decades. This book reminded me of how awesome well-written medieval fiction can be, in part because it hit on another one of my major obsessions: healers. Usually they are utilized as handy side characters, patching up the hero when in need. Not so here. Ambrose explores the occupation of the medieval barber, a multitasking field that involves hair-cutting, beard-trimming, and all your down-and-dirty doctoring needs.

Elisha is a dark and gritty protagonist. He's not some squeaky-clean goody-two-shoes. He's a damaged man who shares a house with his brother and his wife, and hasn't spoken to either in two years. He tends to the medical needs of a street of brothels. He's closed off emotionally. However, his heart is in the right place, and he has a healer's touch and intuition.

There's a touch of realism to the events. It truly feels like Ambrose researched the medieval battlefield, the injuries, and the crude surgical methods of the time period. The magical element isn't all lights and glitter; no, it's as down-and-dirty as the mud of the battlefield.

I immensely enjoyed the book. It just brings so many fabulous elements together--a medical lead character, an unglamorous and real setting, and a magical system that brings chaos and wonder to the plot. I definitely want to read more books in this series as they are released. ( )

What an engaging story! I was drawn into the world that E. C. Ambrose has created from the first page and was sorry to have to say goodbye as I read the last words.

The story begins with a death, actually two deaths and then another one. And then a man confessing to a murder he didn't do so that the man who did do it can be buried in holy ground. The confessed murderer agrees to treat casualties at a local war, to escape his death sentence. And then it gets really bloody. Just another day in medieval England, yes? Not exactly. In this version of history, witches who are burned at the stake sometimes turn into angels who bless small children and mark them forever. One such child, Elisha, grew up to be a barber, so he could help the next angel he should happen to meet. Oh, and help his fellow man as well, along the way. He is also the man who witnessed the two deaths and confessed to murdering his brother, to conceal that his brother had killed himself. And, most importantly, he is the man who, as the story progresses, discovers that not only are there angels all around him, though they call themselves magi, he is one himself. Ambrose does an excellent job of conveying the true grit of life behind the scenes of a medieval battle, with all the blood and saws and cauteries that are a very real part of that life. She also convincingly creates a magical system that works with Elisha's barbering skills to save lives and change futures.

Elisha Barber is very talented at healing, but is also very talented at getting himself into trouble. He has a tendency to say things to the wrong people or not say things when he should or, well just a whole set of missteps that lead him to be whipped, branded, and even hung. But he just keeps plugging along, somehow surviving all that happens and healing all he meets, both physically and spiritually.

This is the first book in what is hoped to be a long saga about Elisha Barber, a magical, talented man who seems determined to get himself killed in every chapter. ( )