Review: Daughters of the Storm by Kim Wilkins

by MK French

"A thousand times he had murmured her name in the soft darkness; now, though, he didn't know her name. He didn't even know his own."

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March 2918; Del Rey; 978-0399177477
ebook, print (448 pages); fantasy, world lit

There are five sisters in a Nordic-inspired kingdom. Bluebell is the eldest and lives only for her country and battle. Rose is in a diplomatic marriage with a neighboring king and is in love with someone else. Ash holds dangerous magic she had tried to deny. Twins Ivy and Willow are diametric opposites: Ivy is interested in finery, being adored and having sex while Willow self-harms, hears voices of the trimartyr gods and is determined to follow their commands and bring the rest of her family into the religious fold. All five are in separate locations until their father is stricken with an illness that affects his body and mind, and Bluebell has to find someone skilled in magic to save him.

Though they are sisters, they all have very different goals and personalities. This puts them into conflict, sometimes undermining each others' wishes. There's definite desperation on Bluebell's part to have her father well again, and she is single-minded enough to want to hack and slash her way to his recovery even when there's nothing to attack. It drives part of the events and sets up the conflict with her stepbrother trying to kill her to take the throne. Each of the sisters has their own way of solving or creating problems, and don't see past their own interests until there are consequences to consider. As much as it would seem to be a cluttered narrative once they separate, it's very clear what is going on and how their stories all interweave.

I was completely sucked into the story and had to finish it within a single day. There are some slower, more contemplative passages, and it's difficult to really identify with any of the five sisters. Ash is probably the ones I connected with the most, and I felt sorry for Bluebell at times. It was difficult for me to really sympathize with the other sisters, but that didn't stop me from gobbling up their portions of the book anyway. The novel is the start of a series; the closing of this book is complete, but there are definitely enough questions about the sisters to continue the story.

Buy Daughters of the Storm at Amazon

Born and raised in New York City, M.K. French started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and golden retriever.

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