genre: young adult fantasyThe Dragon lives in his tower, aloof above Agnieszka's beloved village. Of course, he's not really a dragon - he's a man, a wizard, whose power the village depends on in order to stay safe from the toxic corruptions of The Wood. The Wood that almost has a life of its own as it reaches out to ensnare those who wander too close.
When The Dragon and Agnieszka's fates become entwined with the kind of magic needed to fight the wood, truly everything beautiful in her life is at stake.
Wow. This book was an interesting ride. I loved it's Polish-ness, the names and the foods and the earthy scent of the magic. And so creative! To have a FOREST be the antagonist? I wasn't sure how it would work but it ended up sometimes startling me with its depth - some seriously dark magic happening here. Agnieszka is an intriguing heroine, purposefully wary of anything too feminine, she knows where her power lies and it is NOT in being beautiful or captivating anything with her wiles. Her strength is in her connection to the land and her love of home and family. While there were a couple scenes that were graphic enough that I would hesitate to give it to my 14 year old son, I really liked the plot and resolution here. Good stuff.
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