This review contains affiliate links, which earn me a small commission when you click and purchase, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my small business and allowing me to continue providing you a reliable resource for clean book ratings.
In the dark, cold reaches of the north, Satu grew up with her father’s many stories. The most important story he told her was his own. For her father, the storyteller, was once the formidable North Wind, who lost his power by trading it away in exchange for mortality. He loved her mother too much to live without her, he confessed. The loss of his magic impacted more than just their family, though. The world is unraveling in the wake of this magical imbalance.
The save the north, Satu embarks on a journey to reclaim her father’s magic, but she isn’t the only one searching for it. Through snow-laden mountains and ice-encrusted plains, she finds herself in a dangerous race with the Winter Lord, who wants the North Wind’s destructive powers for himself.
This is Satu’s chance to become the heroine of her own fairy tale, but not all fairy tales have happy endings, and not all heroines are made for adventuring.
Wind Daughter, set in the same world as Echo North, does exactly what a companion novel is supposed to—expand the world, dig deeper into lore, and give readers the nostalgia of familiar character cameos. (Though it’s certainly not necessary to read Echo North first to enjoy this story.)
Wind Daughter follows a stricter fairy tale style—in both the writing style and the storytelling. This does lead to the characters feeling more distant at times. However, Satu is a truly unique character—one rarely portrayed in fiction, especially fantasy. She’s easily overstimulated by people and sounds and has a heart that feels every bit of wrong in the world. Being suddenly shoved into this adventure pushes her outside her comfort zone and every difficult decision cuts her deeply. Her journey may be far from easy, but it is easy to root for her as she slowly comes into herself in a way that is empowering and satisfying, especially for readers like me who are also sensitive introverts.
Overall, Wind Daughter is a wonderfully weird, beautifully atmospheric story with a touch of time-turning, mind-boggling magic that will keep readers on their toes. Some may find it an odd tale, but for those who liked Echo North (or fairy tales like East of the Sun, West of the Moon) you’ll probably like this too. And if you’re just looking for an atmospheric winter fairy tale, be sure to grab your favorite blanket and prepare to get cozy.
Rated: Mild, for 3 uses of mild language. There is brief non-sexual nudity.
Click here to purchase your copy of Wind Daughter on Amazon.Â
