My Review

Eleanor is expecting a high level assignment straight from school, but when she receives a lowly post in a remote town her hopes are disappointed. Brought up in the Empire, where all children go to live in schools almost immediately after birth, families don’t exist and everyone has a place assigned to them based on their abilities, Eleanor has never known anything different. Her talents have been honed by the mysterious Leban, and when, disappointment arrives she seeks him out in the cave he calls home. Leban isn’t in but a book he left for Eleanor sparks a new idea.

Eleanor leaves school to become an Assassin.

Thus begins the adventure.

I quite enjoyed this novel; the character of Eleanor grew on me as she developed from a spoilt and cossetted school girl to an Assassin used to starvation and hard work. The world is well drawn and intriguing, with bits of the Empires history, politics and future mentioned which whet the appetite. The writing style was a little clunky at first but became more fluent as the novel progressed.

A YA fantasy I recommend and an author to watch.

4/5