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This book is not the usual genre I am attracted to but I have to say this book fascinated me. I am also always on the look-out for books to inspire and interest my 12-year-old granddaughter Eden.
Harsu is a 12-year-old boy whose mother is Daama, the daughter of the Wind God. On the outside she looks like a woman but Daama is capable of changing into a stoat – hence the term werestoat.
When Harsu was 6 years old his father tried to teach Harsu about the world – also trying to teach him how to read. Harsu developed a terrible fever-dream breaking out in a rash, and remembers his parents fighting. By the time he recovered, his father was gone from the Palace.
Harsu’s mother started stealing babies as she wanted a perfect child, as thanks to the fever dream, Harsu wasn’t perfect anymore. Daama’s behaviour continues to be of concern to Harsu as she constantly wants praise for her job as a mother and often doesn’t get it. Staff in the Palace walk out as her temper tantrums become worse.
Harsu is torn as while he loves his mother, he does not condone her behaviour. As he is part human and totally devoted to her, he can’t stand by and let her behaviour continue as she contrives to steal older children. Moving via a mysterious portal, through history, finally settling in current-day New Zealand doesn’t seem to make any difference or contain her behaviour. It becomes even more bizarre.
The more I got into this book I realised that this was a modern-day fairy tale. Not all fairy stories I grew up with necessarily had happy beginnings or endings. This has a great ending that most would be happy with.
Eden you are going to be the recipient of a new book! Enjoy, my darling girl!
Reviewed by Christine Frayling
Harsu & The Werestoat
by Barbara Else
Published by Gecko Press
ISBN 9781776572199
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