Waste of time. The main character is able to suddenly discover a new special magical power every time she needs it. The forest setting is a poorly done ripoff of Robin Hobb or Mercedes Lackey’s forest homes and peoples. I was expecting better from Terry Brooks. ( )

This book was my first Terry Brooks book ever read and unfortunately, the likelihood of me reading anything else by him is ruined.

The intro was so captivating where she is trying to escape a prison run by Goblins and loses all of her friends in the process. Action packed and intense.. for all of 20 pages.

She finds herself meeting Harrow, a fae male. He becomes 90% of what she thinks about. For some reason. There isn't any depth to their bond or relationship, it simply exists somehow.

We end up in a Fae city known as Viridian Deep. It's beautiful? But honestly not greatly described. Auris is so extremely bland. She washes herself, eats, and sits on benches for another 30% of the book.

She is trained on weapons by Harrow. Oh, nevermind for some reason she just knows how to use them all, but she has no memories of her past.

They bring her to Seers to see if she's part Fae and they determine she is and that she's likely a Changeling.

All Auris can think about is how she loves Harrow, but again.. why? He trains her and talks in old fashions and she just obsessively wants to spend her life with him despite not knowing anything of her past and being tortured in a prison for several years. Priorities.

Everything is peaceful until random battles have to happen. All of which are fought easily, because Auris is just naturally good at everything.

The same thoughts and sentences are repeated a million times throughout the book. Because if you haven't heard, she really loves Harrow.

The ending is predictable, her changeling self is discovered and she's marrying Harrow. Gasp. I didn't see that coming at all.

This book is the writing of an old man trying to be the voice of a young woman and it fails. ( )

A light, enjoyable story about a young human girl, Auris, escaping from tyranny. She finds an entire world of the Fae that she didn't know existed and secrets about her past she's been unable to ever remember. Good, some action, light. A bit on the YA side. Not related to any other Brooks novels. ( )

Edit out 90% of the yearning and 90% of the agonizing and this would be a decent action YA. Or dip the tone into mocking and it would be a decent spoof of a YA. But as is it's a tedious drawn out waste of any imagination went into it. ( )

This story is a big change from normal Terry Brooks books. It has a fairy-tale feel to it with a bit of danger, drama, mystery and light romance. I enjoyed it quite a bit. If you're looking for epic adventure this isn't it, but if you're looking for a fun read with a satisfying ending, give it a read. ( )