Undercover Review by Liz Sausto, ACLS Galloway Branch.
The first installment in Sarah Hawley’s “The Shards of Magic” series, SERVANT OF EARTH was an exhilarating read. The novel’s protagonist is a young woman named Kenna Heron, who, in an attempt to save her best friend from being sacrificed to the Fae, ends up in the strange and dangerous underground Faerie kingdom of Mistei. There, she is made a handmaiden to the heir to Earth House and finds that she must help her new mistress in a series of treacherous trials. Those who triumph will be granted immortality and those who fail will face certain death. Armed with only a sentient dagger with a thirst for blood, Kenna must do whatever she can to help her mistress succeed, for if she fails, Kenna will die alongside her. Along the way, Kenna gets caught up in a rebellion against Mistei’s sadistic king. When she develops romantic feelings for the rebellion’s leader, Kenna must rely on her wits and her heart to survive.
I was hooked on this story from start to finish. I loved the book’s main character, Kenna. I found that I could relate to her because she is humble, intelligent, and loyal. I cheered her on as she navigated her unforgiving new environment. I also enjoyed the book’s magic system, which was quite easy to understand, unlike the ones I’ve found in other stories. And I found the Faerie characters intriguing, with personalities ranging from haughty to terribly cruel.
I would definitely recommend SERVANT OF EARTH to anyone who is interested in romantic fantasy and I am looking forward to reading its sequel, PRINCESS OF BLOOD, once it is published.
