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The Healer's Trilogy #2
The Matriarch's Devise
“If we turn our backs on who we are, who knows what danger we ourselves may become?”
Orpahned by war, haunted by unknown origins, KIRA is a young woman with a secret. She can psychically communicate with certain animals.
Determined to discover the truth of her heritage, Kira resumes her journey following the events of The Healer's Legacy. Together with Milos, and accompanied by her loyal companions, Kelmir and Vaith, she sets sail for the strange land across the Faersent Sea.
But when she arrives in her mother’s homeland, what awaits her is not the welcoming arms of loving relatives, but a land filled with political strife, dark intrigue, and a family secret that could shatter everything.
Orpahned by war, haunted by unknown origins, KIRA is a young woman with a secret. She can psychically communicate with certain animals.
Determined to discover the truth of her heritage, Kira resumes her journey following the events of The Healer's Legacy. Together with Milos, and accompanied by her loyal companions, Kelmir and Vaith, she sets sail for the strange land across the Faersent Sea.
But when she arrives in her mother’s homeland, what awaits her is not the welcoming arms of loving relatives, but a land filled with political strife, dark intrigue, and a family secret that could shatter everything.
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 2, 2015
About the author
Sharon Skinner
25 books63 followersSharon holds a GPC, a BA in English, an MA in Creative Writing, and a poetic license. She is a published author, workshop instructor and served as an Arizona State Library Writer in Residence for three years running. Sharon is an active member of SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) and serves as the Regional Advisor for SCBWI AZ. She is also a Freelance Editor and Book Coach. https://sharonskinner.com/ https://bookcoachingbysharon.com/
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 24, 2019
Matriarch's Devise
by Sharon Skinner
This is the second book I've read by Sharon Skinner – this is the sequel to the first book of hers which I read, The Healer's Legacy – and like the first, this one's going on the Keep Forever shelf. Maybe partly because Ms. Skinner signed it for me when I bought it from her at the Tucson Festival of Books, but that's not the main reason: the main reason is that this is a book I needed to read.
In some ways it's a second book in a series: the characters are already established, and of course I already had my favorites (Those who know me will be entirely unsurprised to hear it is the animals even more than the people, though I like the two main human characters quite a lot, especially Kira), and so I admit to some disappointment when my favorites were not the stars of this book; the animals and Kira are separated fairly early on, and the wyvern Vaith and the hunting cat Kelmir come back into the story later, but never play a major role. The plot picks up at the very second (almost) the last one left off, and after Skinner places the characters where she wants them, the book – ends. Something of a cliffhanger, though it does wrap up the story from this book (and MOST satisfactorily, I have to say), but yes, it leaves you wanting more. Perfectly normal, there's plenty of development in thiss novel to satisfy, we've seen our people go through a lot; now I have to get the third book, and I have no problem at all with that.
In some ways, though? This is an entirely new story. The twist regarding Kira's identity – by the end of the book you know who her parents were, what happened to them and to her, and also, how she has the ability to bond with her animal companions – is not something one could possibly see coming, aand the world she is thrown into because of it is fantastic and imaginative and basically entirely unlike the world of the first book. It's like reading, say, a Tamora Pierce novel, and then the sequel to that suddenly moves the characters into a Rick Riordan novel – like the second book starts with, “Oh, didn't you know? You're also an Olympian demigod. Let's deal with this, now!” Skinner shows a range of writing and world-building that I have not often seen. Let me also say that the change is not jarring: the stories do fit together, and there is more than enough consistency between the worlds and the characters to make it simply fascinating, to watch these characters jump into an entirely new situation.
No spoilers, but: I liked the new world and the people, and the depiction of their magical powers was super cool, especially the defense that keeps their land safe; the villain was extremely villainous, which made it a little frustrating (in a good way) that the villainy kept happening and I wanted to yell, “Why are you not figuring that out?!? IT'S THE BAD PERSON! GO GET THE BAD PERSON!” I was a little bummed that the final conflict sort of borrowed the bad guys from the first book; that did feel slightly out of place – but I loved how the book ended, and as I said, I love the characters and the ways they've developed over this book.
I also have to say that I am very pleased that Skinner has written a high fantasy book which not only has a female main character, who is involved with but in no way overshadowed by her romantic interest, but this book also has an absolutely lovely depiction of a long-term lesbian couple done in exactly the right way: like real people in a real relationship, without anything strange or remarkable about their love for each other. The two women are powerful and respected leaders in their country, interesting and sympathetic characters in the story, clearly in love but also with friction between them – it was wonderfully done. This element, though it doesn't predominate in the story, was another reason why I needed to read this book.
Now I need to read the sequel. I can't wait.
by Sharon Skinner
This is the second book I've read by Sharon Skinner – this is the sequel to the first book of hers which I read, The Healer's Legacy – and like the first, this one's going on the Keep Forever shelf. Maybe partly because Ms. Skinner signed it for me when I bought it from her at the Tucson Festival of Books, but that's not the main reason: the main reason is that this is a book I needed to read.
In some ways it's a second book in a series: the characters are already established, and of course I already had my favorites (Those who know me will be entirely unsurprised to hear it is the animals even more than the people, though I like the two main human characters quite a lot, especially Kira), and so I admit to some disappointment when my favorites were not the stars of this book; the animals and Kira are separated fairly early on, and the wyvern Vaith and the hunting cat Kelmir come back into the story later, but never play a major role. The plot picks up at the very second (almost) the last one left off, and after Skinner places the characters where she wants them, the book – ends. Something of a cliffhanger, though it does wrap up the story from this book (and MOST satisfactorily, I have to say), but yes, it leaves you wanting more. Perfectly normal, there's plenty of development in thiss novel to satisfy, we've seen our people go through a lot; now I have to get the third book, and I have no problem at all with that.
In some ways, though? This is an entirely new story. The twist regarding Kira's identity – by the end of the book you know who her parents were, what happened to them and to her, and also, how she has the ability to bond with her animal companions – is not something one could possibly see coming, aand the world she is thrown into because of it is fantastic and imaginative and basically entirely unlike the world of the first book. It's like reading, say, a Tamora Pierce novel, and then the sequel to that suddenly moves the characters into a Rick Riordan novel – like the second book starts with, “Oh, didn't you know? You're also an Olympian demigod. Let's deal with this, now!” Skinner shows a range of writing and world-building that I have not often seen. Let me also say that the change is not jarring: the stories do fit together, and there is more than enough consistency between the worlds and the characters to make it simply fascinating, to watch these characters jump into an entirely new situation.
No spoilers, but: I liked the new world and the people, and the depiction of their magical powers was super cool, especially the defense that keeps their land safe; the villain was extremely villainous, which made it a little frustrating (in a good way) that the villainy kept happening and I wanted to yell, “Why are you not figuring that out?!? IT'S THE BAD PERSON! GO GET THE BAD PERSON!” I was a little bummed that the final conflict sort of borrowed the bad guys from the first book; that did feel slightly out of place – but I loved how the book ended, and as I said, I love the characters and the ways they've developed over this book.
I also have to say that I am very pleased that Skinner has written a high fantasy book which not only has a female main character, who is involved with but in no way overshadowed by her romantic interest, but this book also has an absolutely lovely depiction of a long-term lesbian couple done in exactly the right way: like real people in a real relationship, without anything strange or remarkable about their love for each other. The two women are powerful and respected leaders in their country, interesting and sympathetic characters in the story, clearly in love but also with friction between them – it was wonderfully done. This element, though it doesn't predominate in the story, was another reason why I needed to read this book.
Now I need to read the sequel. I can't wait.
May 14, 2019
Slightly confusing but I really do enjoy the authers writing. I am anticipating the next book extremely due to the ending of the second.
Read
January 7, 2016I liked this book a lot better than the first, which was also enjoyable. I got to see more flaws of the main character and felt a lot more connected to her, even while the world around her seemed to go a little crazy. The main villain was also more believable - or more personal, I should say. He was actually present, effecting the plot in precise ways, and Skinner took the time to explain how he ended up like he did. Skinner didn't shy away from the inequalities of the new society they were in, even though this society was supposed to be more advance, civilized, and kinder than the rest of the world, but she didn't make it a dystopia, either.
I also loved the fact that the main character had a man as her love interest and traveling companion. There was some great play on gender roles and how heroic people tend to forget that there are other heroic people out there. I was upset at the end how their relationship turned out - not because I felt it poorly written but because I was hoping for a different outcome. I was invested in the main character a lot more in this book, and the society she found herself in was a really interesting look at a race of people with mind powers.
I was a little lost during the last battle with certain aspects of it. And while I didn't personally like the ending because I was hoping for a "ride off into the sunset with her love" ending, I'm interested in finding out what happens in the third book.
In this book, Skinner answers the question that was barely looked at in the first and answers - at least partially - all of the other questions she raised in this volume. If she were to end the series here, it actually would be a good ending, as things are wrapped up enough.
I also loved the fact that the main character had a man as her love interest and traveling companion. There was some great play on gender roles and how heroic people tend to forget that there are other heroic people out there. I was upset at the end how their relationship turned out - not because I felt it poorly written but because I was hoping for a different outcome. I was invested in the main character a lot more in this book, and the society she found herself in was a really interesting look at a race of people with mind powers.
I was a little lost during the last battle with certain aspects of it. And while I didn't personally like the ending because I was hoping for a "ride off into the sunset with her love" ending, I'm interested in finding out what happens in the third book.
In this book, Skinner answers the question that was barely looked at in the first and answers - at least partially - all of the other questions she raised in this volume. If she were to end the series here, it actually would be a good ending, as things are wrapped up enough.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2016
I'm a fan of Sharon's, I'll confess. I read "The Healer's Legacy" and really enjoyed it - the world, the characters, the story, the focus on bullying and its many forms and overcoming it. When she told me she was working on the sequel, I felt ECSTATIC. She left so many threads untied in the last book, I desperately wanted to know more.
And she does it again in this book. :) "The Matriarch's Devise" is the continuing story of Kira and Milos, beginning at their voyage across the sea to find Kira's homeland. Find it they did - by crashing on its shores. But Kira and Milos are separated, both trapped by insidious, unseen forces. I can't say too much without spoiling it, but I can say this is by far her busiest novel; there's a LOT going on, but not so much you can't keep track of it. There's definitely a few plot twists I didn't see coming, which are the best kind. One of my favorite moments has to be... well, I can't tell you cus SPOILERS.
Read it. Definitely read it. And read "The Healer's Legacy" first.
Support your local library!
And she does it again in this book. :) "The Matriarch's Devise" is the continuing story of Kira and Milos, beginning at their voyage across the sea to find Kira's homeland. Find it they did - by crashing on its shores. But Kira and Milos are separated, both trapped by insidious, unseen forces. I can't say too much without spoiling it, but I can say this is by far her busiest novel; there's a LOT going on, but not so much you can't keep track of it. There's definitely a few plot twists I didn't see coming, which are the best kind. One of my favorite moments has to be... well, I can't tell you cus SPOILERS.
Read it. Definitely read it. And read "The Healer's Legacy" first.
Support your local library!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews