The Bonemender

December 1, 2005
Gr 7 Up -When Gabrielle meets Fé olan and Danaï s, who are elves, Danaï s has been horribly gored by a boar. A trained healer, she tends to him with no thought of their differences. When her father, the king of Verdeau, meets with Fé olan, he learns that their mutual ancient enemy, the Greffaires, plan an invasion. As Verdeau begins to gather allies to fight the coming menace, Gabrielle begins to fall in love with Fé olan. But how can she be with someone who lives hundreds of years? And what is the secret that her mother has carried about Gabrielle's past? Will the elves break their centuries of solitude and help the human armies defeat the Greffaires? This is a multilayered story filled with romance, brutal battles, elves, a bit of mystery, and great characters. Bennett has created a new world with people (and elves) who have problems, flaws, and heart. Gabrielle is a wonderfully strong young woman who defies convention as she is not content to simply be a royal princess. Bennett is definitely a fantasy writer to watch." -Saleena L. Davidson, South Brunswick Public Library, Monmouth Junction, NJ"

Copyright 2005 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2005
Gr. 6-9. Gabrielle is a bonemender and daughter to the king of Verdeau, and she has long given up the prospect of marriage; she is too devoted to her work as a healer. When a stranger arrives needing help for a seriously wounded friend, Gabrielle's comfortable life changes: the stranger is an Elf, part of a group of creatures thought to exist only in legends, who bring news of a coming invasion from the people beyond the mountains. Gabrielle and the Elf Feolan cannot help but fall in love, but between the duties of war and their own different natures (Feolan will live hundreds more years than Gabrielle), it's doubtful that they can ever be together. This war-torn romance unfolds amid descriptive scenes of battle: the pounding momentum of the war carries readers through the slower moments, while the happy ending rewards those looking for gentler things. Although a plot device whereby Gabrielle turns out to be half Elf, therefore averting the potential tragedy of a doomed romance, will be seen by readers long before its actual revelation, the romantic payoff here is still high.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)