The Bonemender

by Holly Bennett

Overview

Gabrielle is a bonemender of extraordinary talent. Between her work as a healer and her duties as one of the royal family of Verdeau, her life is busy, comfortable and predictable -- until the day a stranger arrives at her gate, desperately seeking help for his injured friend. To Gabrielle's wonder, they are Elves, a people not seen in Verdeau in many years. And they bring news of a coming invasion that threatens the freedom of the entire Krylian basin, human and Elvish alike. As Verdeau arms for war, Gabrielle must mobilize the bonemenders and prepare herself for the nightmarish work of battlefield healing. But what awaits her on that bloody field is worse than anything she has imagined. And what is she to do with the love in her heart?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781554697342
Publisher:	Orca Book Publishers
Publication date:	09/01/2005
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	208
File size:	2 MB
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

About the Author

Holly Bennett is the editor-in-chief of Today's Parent Special Editions and the author of The Warrior's Daughter, and the Bonemender series. Before becoming a writer and editor, Holly was a researcher for Aboriginal organizations and a youth employment counselor. Born in Montreal, Holly now lives in Peterborough, Ontario, with her family.

Read an Excerpt

The man stared at her and his brow cleared. He smiled with a kind of wonderment. "You're a healer." A statement, not a question. "I never hoped to find such a one in a place like this."

Editorial Reviews

Lady Gabrielle, of the Kingdom of Verdeau, is a bonemender—a healer. Bonemenders are not common and among bonemenders, Gabrielle is quite extraordinary. Daughter to King Jerome and Queen Solange, Gabrielle has powers to heal through touch—touch and an intense physical concentration of her thoughts and energy. When a strange traveler named Denais is attacked by a wild boar, his companion Feolan is able to get him to Gabrielle. She immediately senses something is different about these men, but accepts them into her kingdom and heals Denais as she would any other man. Feolan ultimately tells Gabrielle and her family they are Elves, and during their scouting mission they discovered that enemies of Verdeau are mounting an attack to take over the territories. In this story of good vs. evil there is also love, loss, pain, discovery, and intense grief. The lines of fantasy and reality are wonderfully blurred as readers are enveloped in the sounds, smells, and emotions of battle and the pull of ties among family and friends. This story, with a Lord of the Rings feel to it, will appeal to fantasy and adventure fans alike. Told through alternating views within Verdeau, the enemy's camp, and the Elvish world, there are many twists and surprises to keep readers turning the pages and awaiting the sequel, The Bonemender's Oath. KLIATT Codes: JS—Recommended for junior and senior high school students. 2005, Orca, 203p. map., Ages 12 to 18.
—Stephanie Squicciarini

KLIATT

Gr 7 Up-When Gabrielle meets Feolan and Danais, who are elves, Danais has been horribly gored by a boar. A trained healer, she tends to him with no thought of their differences. When her father, the king of Verdeau, meets with Feolan, he learns that their mutual ancient enemy, the Greffaires, plan an invasion. As Verdeau begins to gather allies to fight the coming menace, Gabrielle begins to fall in love with Feolan. But how can she be with someone who lives hundreds of years? And what is the secret that her mother has carried about Gabrielle's past? Will the elves break their centuries of solitude and help the human armies defeat the Greffaires? This is a multilayered story filled with romance, brutal battles, elves, a bit of mystery, and great characters. Bennett has created a new world with people (and elves) who have problems, flaws, and heart. Gabrielle is a wonderfully strong young woman who defies convention as she is not content to simply be a royal princess. Bennett is definitely a fantasy writer to watch.-Saleena L. Davidson, South Brunswick Public Library, Monmouth Junction, NJ Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

Readers who prefer their fantasy stocked with cozily familiar situations and character types will swoon over this romantic tale of a willowy, chestnut-haired princess and her Elven lover. Along with her other notable attributes, Gabrielle DesChenes is a gifted Healer, dedicated enough to her profession to remain unmarried at 27. But into passionately requited love she falls, with elegant, point-eared Feolan, who rides into the castle one day out of legend to warn that brutish invaders are massing just over the mountains. Amid preparations for war, the two must part-Gabrielle particularly troubled by the fact that Feolan's expected lifespan is ten times her own. Bedight with formal-toned dialogue-"The wound is mending cleanly, and he did awaken earlier and speak to me"- bloody battles, medical miracles and numerous tearful partings and reunions (but no sex), this tale will delight tea-sippers of all ages. A sequel is announced, though as by the end, the invaders are routed and the two lovers betrothed, it's hard to see where the story could go. (Fantasy. 11-13)

Kirkus Reviews

"A truly beautiful story that will stay in your mind well after the last page has been read."

Canadian Children's Book News

This is one compelling book.

Parent and kid will both be talking about The Bonemender, for sure.
— Chris DeVito

CD Syndicated

"This first novel by Holly Bennett is well-written and fast-paced. It will appeal to teenaged readers who are looking for a good story in the fantasy genre."

Resource Links

"Totally engaging, and peopled with interesting and engaging characters, The Bonemender is a strongly told, highly readable, and very enjoyable fantasy."

Deakin Newsletter

"A captivating fantasy tale that delivers warm, believable characters who continue to develop throughout the book...Readers will no doubt anxiously await the sequel...Highly Recommended."

CM Magazine

"This is one compelling book."
"Parent and kid will both be talking about The Bonemender, for sure."

CD Syndicated - Chris DeVito