Write2Ignite

To follow up on last week’s interview with Amy Earls, here is a review of THE KING’S FEATHER by a young adult reader. We’re excited that Amy’s book debuts on Friday!

Pero Moshe’s mom vanished from their Oregon home, and the prophecy says it will happen to Pero, too. But when it does—and Pero is transported to an older universe on another planet, life gets more than a little nuts.

Throw in a bodyguard who is almost criminally cute, a corrupt and brilliant doctor who wants to steal Pero’s power and rule all of Moon City, and her mom showing up as a pawn in the whole thing. All Pero wants is to grab her mom and go home.

But as one of Elohim’s three chosen, Pero learns she must stand up for what she believes even in the face of fear.

In the end, Pero is forced to choose between forgiveness or escaping with those she loves before a shout crumbles Moon City’s walls to pieces. And both choices come at a cost she’s not sure she’s willing to pay.

This book was written in first person, which made for an especially engaging read. You get to experience Pero’s journey to faith intimately and in her own words, which really helped me to identify with her as a character.

 Even though everyone has a different journey to faith, the issues Pero encounters and faces on her journey hit close to home, and her arrival at “the king’s feet” was my favorite part of the book. I really felt like the narrative portrayed emotional pain, anger, and fear realistically in Pero’s character, yet never leaving out the hope of the gospel message that this book emanates.

I sensed Yeshua watch me. My heart tightened, unsure of what to say. It was too much. Since Mom disappeared, I’d never fully trusted people but lived in fear I’d be taken too… My life was a mess, but without the messy parts of me, I had nothing (p. 149).

Pero was a troubled character that wasn’t troublesome. She wanted to do right and be alright, but she needed help from Someone bigger than herself and stronger than the problems in the world around her.

You’re under my wing. Elohim’s voice rang calm yet deep, peaceful yet dangerous. 

I closed my eyes and imagined that an eagle flew into that very room. The eagle paused time. The eagle opened his wing. I ran there and felt his warm, soft feathers. Like a pillow to sink into. He closed his wing over me. The walls would fall, but I wouldn’t fear. I was the King’s feather, and I found safety under His wings (p. 237).

Pero’s journey was gradual and worked well into the plot which unfolded around her. I found myself re-reading sections of those moments where she experienced freedom from her fears–the narrative was especially vivid in those sections. 

My heart beat a slow pace. My stomach loosened its hold. The messy parts of me I’d held onto ripped free… I was boundless (p. 151).

Her struggle in her emotional and spiritual journey was my favorite aspect of this story, and the author included discussion questions at the back of the book that I believe every teen should ask themselves. 

Though this book is based on the Bible’s account of the fall of Jericho and includes characters that are reminiscent of Rahab, Joshua, and the spies; there are other characters that symbolize people further down the line in Jesus’ genealogy such as Ruth, Boaz, and King Saul. I haven’t read many Bible story retellings, so it was interesting to see the clever ways that these characters related to each other through this reimagining. 

There were some more mature romantic themes in this book but I found that they were handled carefully, and without unnecessary depictions. That being said, the level of violence was higher than I had expected for this book, and I found the detailed descriptions from Pero’s perspective a little overly graphic and slightly out of place at times. 

Overall, I would recommend THE KING’S FEATHER to people who love Bible retellings, portal fantasy stories, don’t mind a little blood, and want to experience Pero’s journey for themselves.

GIVEAWAY

Don’t forget to leave a comment if you’re interested in receiving an autographed copy of Amy’s debut fantasy novel. The giveaway ends July 3. U.S. addresses only.

Hadassah Murdock is a nineteen-year-old homeschooled senior high student from South Carolina. When she’s not busy working on her family’s farm, she loves creating stories, thrift shopping, flower gardening, cooking, and creating art for her sketchbook. Though she enjoys long trips to the library, she prefers to read at home with a steamy cup of tea. last blogged for Write2Ignite about the game, Escape From Sin’s Curse.