The Wintrish Girl (Talismans of Fate #1) by Melanie La’Brooy

Title: The Wintrish Girl (Talismans of Fate #1)

Author: Melanie La’Brooy

Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: UQP

Published: 30^th August 2022

Format: Paperback

Pages: 440

Price: $17.99

Synopsis: On Talisman Day in Arylia, every child receives an object that gives them special powers and reveals their destiny. Every child except for the Wintrish girl, Penn, that is. There’s no need for a Talisman to reveal her fate. Penn already knows that she’s doomed to a miserable, lonely life as a servant and outcast.

All Penn has ever wanted is the impossible: to return to her home in Midwinter and find her true family. But she’s trapped in Arylia, where a long-forgotten evil is stirring…

When sinister events start to occur, the blame falls on the Wintrish girl. Suddenly Penn finds herself running for her life. Straight into deadly peril. Facing dangerous enemies with terrifying powers, what can an ordinary Wintrish girl do? Because without a Talisman, there’s no changing your fate… is there?

A wildly fun adventure featuring at least five impossibly daring escapes, important life lessons about friendship and cucumbers, a dragon with a fear of unicorns and some stylish execution wear.

And one vicious berry.

Winner, Aurealis Awards 2022 — Best Children’s Fiction

Shortlisted, 2023 Readings Children’s Prize

Winner, 2023 DANZ Children’s Book Award — Middle Grade

Notable, 2023 CBCA Book of the Year — Younger Readers

~*~

Penn lives in Arylia, and for year, has been the outcast as the Wintrish Girl from Midwinter, a region of the country that has been thwarted in war. She’s been the Knot-Sister of Princess Seraphine for years, but a year ago, she was exiled to the home of the other Wintrish person nearby, Goody. She knows her fate, and she doesn’t need a Talisman to tell her that. So Talisman Day doesn’t mean anything to her, because her fate is sealed. She’s an enemy, a Slumweed, a servant.

And all she wants is to get home to Midwinter and find her family. She’s trapped though, and there’s evil stirring in Arylia. An evil that has been dormant for a long time. But Talisman Day changes everything. She’s called up, she finds something, and things start to go wrong. Incredibly wrong. The blame falls on Penn, so she runs with the only friend she has, Juniper. They set out to find answers about where the princess has been taken, and what is going on, and who is behind it. Little do they know that they will find some unusual companions, magical clues, and hints to Penn’s past. Oh, and there are about five captures and escapes, a dragon with a fear of unicorns, Arthur, cucumbers, and stylish clothing. What more could you want? It’s a fantastic combination that sounds odd, but it works so well and everything just comes together seamlessly and had me wanting to read on all the time.

Wow! I have had this book on my shelf for a few years, and only just got to it. I love a good fantasy novel, and I wasn’t disappointed by Melanie La’Brooy’s debut middle grade novel. She’s taken three people that the society wouldn’t think would be friends and put them together. Penn and Juniper are friends at the start of the novel, and I loved their friendship and relationship with the dragon, Ajax. There’s always a sense of uncertainty and misinformation, as though what they have been told has purposely been obscured. But this worked well, because it added to the mystery they were unravelling throughout the book. Penn, Juniper and Arthur are such a fun trio, as they all bring something unique to things. Juniper is the book smart person, Arthur is the comedic relief, and Penn is the reluctant hero, but each has strengths that drive them and make them work well as individuals and a team. Arthur does tend to ramble, and hopefully, that works in their favour, right?

It’s a great book, and it has so many things within in it that make it a truly special read, and one that has me eager to read book two. I do have the second book ready to go! It’s one of those books that introduces the characters and overarching series themes, but allows the plot of this one to wrap itself up somewhat neatly so it can lead into the next book. The rich world of Arylia has so much to learn about, so hopefully there is more to come in book two, The Lost History. It’s a great way of world building, to dribble things, to hint at things, and show that what we might know at the start of the novel is not necessarily the truth, and maybe there are only certain people we can trust in this series. Like Penn, Juniper and her parents and Arthur. I reckon we all need an Arthur in our lives to make things a bit lighter when it feels like everything is going wrong.

I think this is a great first book in a series, as it sets everything up very well. Everything worked well, and came together well, and I loved the Huggle Beast, the cucumbers and the unicorn-phobic dragon. Come on Ajax, who is scared of unicorns? And why is he scared? You’ll have to read the book to find out! I cannot wait to read the next book and tie up some more loose ends, and find out what is really going on. I hope there will be more to come too!