The Whisperers of Evernow
The Whisperers of Evernow
by Heidi Catherine
5 out of 5Synopsis
When the King owns your words, who will own your heart?
Manipulated by a vicious King, Jeremiah is stripped of his identity and forced into a life of silent submission as a Whisperer. Allowed only to speak at the command of the King, one thousand Whisperers must line up in rows and chant their sadistic ruler’s darkest desires. As each evil wish comes true, the King’s power over his impoverished kingdom grows.
When Jeremiah’s fears for the family he left behind are confirmed, he turns in desperation to the most unlikely person for help—the King’s eldest daughter. But is Princess Rose as kind as she is beautiful, or will she lure him into a trap?
To save those dearest to him, Jeremiah has no choice but to put his trust in Rose, whose own life is threatened as her father prepares to clear the path to the throne for his newborn son. Together they embark on a bold plan to overthrow the King and set the Whisperers free.
As love blossoms in this most unlikely place, Jeremiah and Rose must discover how to use the power of the spoken word to conquer more than just the kingdom. They will need to conquer their hearts.
The first book in the spellbinding The Kingdoms of Evernow series, this is a must-read by award-winning author, Heidi Catherine. Grab your copy now.
The Kingdoms of Evernow. Five kingdoms. Five senses. One secret that will change them all.
Review
Jeremiah doesn't even know that he's special, when he is tricked into serving a tyrannical king. The only people that can help him are his brave sister, and a beautiful princess that is as much a prisoner as Jeremiah.
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
The whole country is in ruin, with people starving and penniless; whilst their king has the power to grant wishes. The only problem is, the only wishes he grants are his own.
We follow Jeremiah, a young man who is tricked into serving in the King's army, in an attempt to save his family from starvation. Despite the torture and brainwashing that he undergoes, Jeremiah holds on to his identity, his good nature, and his hope for the future.
The narration is shared by other characters, including his sister Micah, and Princess Rose.
The Princess is the oldest daughter of the king. She has never been allowed outside, and even though she has some comfort, she's as much a prisoner as the whisperers. Rose is only alive to satisfy the whims of her father, his legal heir until a son can be born.
Rose knows when that happens, she has to save her sisters from being 'removed' from their right to the throne.
This story was very sweet, which feels odd to say, with all the brutal murder that goes on in it. It had the feeling of a Grimm fairytale, where the innocent princess and her white knight (reluctantly) embrace violence.
The poor whisperers, trapped in the castle and effectively good people, do what needs to be done. It reminded me of rats fighting in a trap.
The story felt very original, and I loved the whisperers, a grey army with the ability to make words come true, a dangerous and faceless force. Even in their own ranks, Jeremiah thinks he is the only one to hold onto his sanity, after the brutal training; so it is interesting to see their resilience shine through.
The way the story was built is unusual, with not only varying narrators, but switches between "Now" and "Then", before starting a countdown to the "Now".
It might sound confusing, but I thought it was cleverly done, and I quickly found it easy to follow.
The Whisperers of Evernow is a standalone story in its own right, but I'm looking forward to reading more books in this world Catherine has created.
Comments
Post a Comment