Silvermay (Silvermay, #1) in Aussie Readers

Apr 17, 2014 Anne Hamilton rated it it was amazing

Shelves: children, australia-nz, fantasy, ya, spec-fic

A lustrous menarche fantasy, hitting all the right notes to appeal to young teenage girls. And readers like me who still love that kind of book.

Silvermay is a young village girl who falls for the looks of a gorgeous boy, Tamlyn, who seeks shelter for himself and the ailing mother of a small baby. At first Silvermay thinks Tamlyn is the father of the baby, as do the rest of her village. But little by little she begins to notice that Tamlyn's protection of the mother, Nerigold, doesn't include aff A lustrous menarche fantasy, hitting all the right notes to appeal to young teenage girls. And readers like me who still love that kind of book.

Silvermay is a young village girl who falls for the looks of a gorgeous boy, Tamlyn, who seeks shelter for himself and the ailing mother of a small baby. At first Silvermay thinks Tamlyn is the father of the baby, as do the rest of her village. But little by little she begins to notice that Tamlyn's protection of the mother, Nerigold, doesn't include affection. As Tamlyn fixes the thatch on houses throughout the village, Nerigold wastes away. Even as the baby thrives.

Silvermay's own heart is leading her into treacherous ground - she makes friends with Nerigold, begins to love the baby she calls 'Smiler' and is wholly infatuated by Tamlyn. One day, looking for mushrooms, she sees Tamlyn 'talking' to a hawk before killing it. She is appalled: she's been brought up to love these wild majestic birds by her father who knows how to train them.

Tamlyn abruptly announces his intention to leave and take Nerigold and the baby. Nerigold is sick and they know they won't get far but it transpires that she and the baby have been sought by the Wyrdborn lord, Coyle Strongbow - a cruel amoral magic-wielder who serves the king and who, like most of his kind, want only to dominate and control. Coyle's men are closing in and they will think nothing of wiping out an entire village to get the mother and baby.

Silvermay travels with Nerigold and Tamlyn to take care of 'Smiler'. She is more and more troubled by her heart's yearning for Tamlyn and by the apparent lack of affection between him and Nerigold.

As the violent Wyrdborn catch up with the tiny group, they are startled to discover Tamlyn travelling with Nerigold. But Silvermay is even more startled: he is revealed as Wyrdborn himself and as the baby's brother, not his father.

The world is shifting day by day for Silvermay. The baby is revealed as the subject of a prophetic mosaic in a cave system, high in the mountains in an archaeological dig. What choice is possible when it seems that this baby is destined to kill thousands and usher in a rule of evil in the world?

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