Wind Walker
by Esther Supernault
Trafford Publishing


"Only you can keep our lives from being in vain with no honorable place in history, forgotten forevermore."

Sazani Ayan isn't the typical village child. The tips of her fingers bend backwards like stars, and she has a gift for sorcery. Sazani tries to conform for the sake of her mom, but slips often, making her an outcast among her own. Everything changes, though, when she meets a woman named Magda. From her, Sazani learns that she is not human, but of a race known as the Ishtari. Her mission is to write the stories of Earth's people so that they are not forgotten. As if this wasn't startling enough, she also meets a impetuous yet irresistible boy named Xeno along the way, who is just as mysterious as her teacher.

The author composes a story whose prose conveys a light-hearted and ethereal atmosphere that is reminiscent of folklore and fairytales. The light tone is refreshing when so many popular works promote a dystopian vision of the future, but it becomes exhausting at points. Sazani's mischievous curiosity and innocent nature allows her to connect with characters in the story while also endearing her to younger readers, but when she becomes a teenager it seems unbelievable. There is a distinction between naivety and innocence, which the author does not seem to balance well as the main character grows. Additionally, the creatures Sazani meets, like the Thunderbirds, Magda, and Tonas, incessantly preach about love, magic, and Mother Nature until it seems more preachy than character trait. Nonetheless, Wind Walker is rich with faelike tales, and as Sazani journeys to capture them all, it will enchant young and adult readers alike who wish for a more whimsical tale amidst a genre that is saturated with dystopians and dark paranormal tales.

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