Book Review: The Strangeling, by Saskia Walker

Reviewer: Mathilde Madden

Prophecies have foretold that sweet-natured ingénue Maerose is the only person who can save the peaceful land of Edren from the dark armies of undead set to rise in three moons time. This leads to battle between good and evil factions for control of Maerose and control of the future of Edren, which is only one pesky curse (and indeed only one pesky letter) away from paradise.

New imprint Juno Books has recently sparked debate about their shameless genre straddling. Are they paranormal romance? Fantasy? Erotica? However, from the italicised first paragraph that opens the prologue to The Strangeling, it is clear we are in Fantasy Land of the Diana Wynne Jones Tough Guide variety. Seers? Check. A chosen one? Check. Evil armies massing on the borders of a peaceful land? Check. Jolly good.

This is all perfectly and seamlessly done. If you are a fan of this kind of stuff you will find this book a joy. Walker knows her genre and she riffs on its themes brilliantly. From the heroine chained in a dungeon by the sneering villain to the race to fulfil a hundred year old prophecy, we have a pitch-perfect and highly enjoyable romp. Yes, it feels a little hoary in places, but that does nothing to detract from its essential sense of good, smutty fun.

This is short book and the story, though simple, would have benefited in places from a little more space. The initial kidnap of Maerose by the villainous Veldor happens before we are really aware of any threat - more tension here would have raised the stakes and increased the thrill. And Maerose's eventual rescue from Veldor's dungeon is a place where this pacing problem has more serious repercussions. While her near rape by Veldor - the book's darkest moment - is a well written scene, tense and horrifying, Maerose's rescue is followed by sudden and overwhelming lustful feelings for her saviour, Bron. Although this arousal was a result of the two's magical bond, a little more space in the narrative would have overcome this slight queasiness.

Throughout the dungeon imprisonment sequence, Veldor is particularly well drawn - camply sadistic, with all the best lines and more than a shade of Alan Rickman's Sheriff of Nottingham. He steals scene after scene. The hero, Bron, just can't compete. Poor Bron: even his dull-sounding name seems to relegate him to bystander in the Veldor floorshow.

But - unfortunate name aside - Bron is more than up to the job of coupling with Maerose. The themes of paganism, especially the sex magic that is central to the plot, could easily become risible if not handled with the carefulest touch. Walker manages to artfully make theses scenes sexy and consistent with the world she has built, without falling into the trap of hyperbole.

This is a world where feminine power can only be unleashed by a woman giving herself to a man - something Maerose expresses verbally to Bron during one of their unions. Maerose's status as a chosen one, and the resultant battle over her by hero and villain, clearly alludes to a broader theme of male attempts to posses feminine power - which ties into the strong thread of paganism running through the story. For all Veldor's attempts to steal Maerose's power and sexuality, it is quite clearly something that has to be freely given.

The Strangeling is, at heart, a female sexual awakening story. Maerose struggles to come to terms with her destiny, and her womanhood. This ultimately gives this story its strength, as Maerose, in turn, finds hers.

On a final note, Juno have clearly gone out of their way to produce beautiful books; everything from the fonts to the choice of cover art is faultless.

To buy a copy of this book, click here.

Other books with romantic plots and fantasy, SF, or paranormal settings include:

Warprize, by Elizabeth Vaughan

Ill Wind, by Rachel Caine

Always Coming Home, by Ursula K. Le Guin

The Mists of Avalon, by Marion Zimmer Bradley

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© Mathilde Madden

Mathilde Madden is an author, a journalist, and a lover of genre fiction. Her latest novel is Equal Opportunities, from Black Lace/Virgin Books. To read more of her work on-line, visit www.mathildemadden.co.uk, or read her past contributions to Reflection's Edge here.