Description
Frozen meets Greenwild in this incredible debut, full of wild magic, spooky ghouls and adventure.
The children of Twigswick are taught three things-
- Never stray past the rune posts at the edge of town
- Run home as fast as you can when the warning bell chimes
- Spirits are very real and very dangerous
Nettle Sourbud lives in the shadow of her older sister, Fern; fearless, tough and confident, Fern is everything Nettle is not.
So, when Fern runs off to join the Wildheart Rangers - the protectors of towns from the spirits and ghouls of Dryda Forest - Nettle thinks she's lost her sister forever, as she'll never be brave enough to follow her into the enchanted woods.
Then news reaches Twigswick that Fern has abandoned the Rangers to join the infamous Shadow Stalkers and Nettle knows something isn't right. Fearing her sister is in danger, she ventures into the forest to find the truth . . .
Joining the Rangers, Nettle realises she'll have to face her fears and defeat the Hollow Spirits who haunt the forest if she wants to rescue Fern. But soon Nettle starts to wonder if her sister needs saving at all, or Fern is the one who must be stopped . . .
Review
Twelve-year-old Nettle and her fourteen-year-old sister Fern are close, but nothing alike. Fern is fearless, while Nettle is scared of everything. She is especially afraid of the Hollow Spirits who haunt the forest near her village - thank goodness the Wildheart Rangers protect them.
Fern has always dreamed of joining the Rangers and protecting her family, but when she does Nettle is sad and lost without her. When Nettle is told that Fern has left the Rangers and joined the evil Shadow Stalkers instead she is certain that Fern is in danger - she would never do such a thing!
Trying to bury her fears, Nettle bravely goes into the forest to search for Fern. She meets some of the Rangers and soon finds herself joining them. She quickly makes friends and discovers that everyone thinks Fern has betrayed them.
When Fern starts invading her dreams Nettle needs to work out if Fern is in danger, or if she is the one causing the danger they are all facing... Nettle realises that her fear can’t keep her safe unless she can find her courage. But who can she really trust?
This is a great story full of adventure, friends, wild magic and evil spirits. Nettle is a wonderful character who loves her sister dearly, but is so scared of everything that she doesn’t realise how much courage she has buried deep down. Nettle learns that it is ok to be scared, but you can be brave at the same time.
This will be well-loved by those who enjoy an adventure story with a few ghoulish creatures, wonderful friendships and lots of action. Best suited to those in lower secondary.
