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A review by rosenectur
Beyond the Valley of Thorns by Patrick Carman
5.0
I'm going to group my thoughts on this trilogy into one entry. Wow! What an introduction to Patrick Carman. This series is fantastic. A fantasy story about a young girl (I know, I know some of you signed just then because every other YA fantasy story is a about a young girl who finds herself with some special power to save her world.) And yes this one is starts out just the same. Alexa Daley is given a special stone and thrust into a world she doesn't know beyond the safe walls of her city with a destiny to save her world from a coming war. (Again I know you've heard all that before.)
What sets this series apart and makes it something you really want to read is the connection between the creator Elyon and his land and his people. The mystery behind that relationship keeps it interesting. Plus there are other mysteries; why were the walls built? Where is this evil influence coming from? Why are the leaders so secretive?... It's starts out like those others YA fantasy stories but becomes a touching Christian allegory.
I copied this passage as a small example of that: "Elyon has only one hope for us Alexa. That we would know he loves us. Do you understand? The one who made you, the one who made everything... He loves you. And more than that, there is nothing you or I need do to earn his reckless affection for us. That love has driven me tho fight his enemy the enemy of us all... I have failed, and failed, and failed again... But no amount of failure can move Elyon's hand of affection away from me. It's inescapable. To live bodily for that kind of love is the least I can do." The visuals popped out from the pages and I was really able to get into the world of Elyon. He does a really great job with imagery and mood. You can not only see the world in your head you can feel it too.
What sets this series apart and makes it something you really want to read is the connection between the creator Elyon and his land and his people. The mystery behind that relationship keeps it interesting. Plus there are other mysteries; why were the walls built? Where is this evil influence coming from? Why are the leaders so secretive?... It's starts out like those others YA fantasy stories but becomes a touching Christian allegory.
I copied this passage as a small example of that: "Elyon has only one hope for us Alexa. That we would know he loves us. Do you understand? The one who made you, the one who made everything... He loves you. And more than that, there is nothing you or I need do to earn his reckless affection for us. That love has driven me tho fight his enemy the enemy of us all... I have failed, and failed, and failed again... But no amount of failure can move Elyon's hand of affection away from me. It's inescapable. To live bodily for that kind of love is the least I can do." The visuals popped out from the pages and I was really able to get into the world of Elyon. He does a really great job with imagery and mood. You can not only see the world in your head you can feel it too.