A review by niffler_for_words
The Healing Touch by Zofia Von Huck

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

“There is a balance in all things, " thought Lim. “The bad is always counteracted by some good. In turn, we recognise the good as good because we know what is bad. To know joy, one must know pain.”

The Healing Touch took me aback. It wasn’t what I expected when I first opened it. 

I guess I imagined I would read a book about a personal journey, full of magical creatures and (mostly introvert) adventures.

It was very different. The journey is –literally as much as metaphorically– a collective one. More than Lim’s realizations about life, the book is about his family and how they all need to heal, maybe more than he does. He doesn’t have control, and doesn’t gain so much of it in the end. But he learns a lot, and his family does too. I found it very interesting that the main character’s arc is the family’s, as a whole, and not just Lim’s (or his brother) as an individual. That aligns with one of the book’s messages, interconnections. If it was quite surprising, it was an interesting choice. I clearly didn’t expect either how hard the hospital part would be, especially in a cozy fantasy book. There are a lot of abuse situations, of “medical violences”, in this book. It is very well told, and IMO the idea to talk about it through a fantasy point of view is a great one. It concerns about 25% of the story, and mingles with other hard subjects (but most are more “light” and less “frontal” than this one, except for the bullying situation). 

I adored Lim. Despite all the difficulties that weigh on his frail shoulders, he’s a light, the most sweetheart you can find. He lingers as a ghost among his family, and gradually takes shape as his body gets stronger and his mind more confident about what he really wants. It felt very nice to have an AROACE representation, especially with a character who bonds easily with people to establish friendships. I really loved that part, and that character in general. 

I usually prefer a more “lyrical” writing in fantasy novels than the style here, as I like to be sensorially immersed, but that’s 100% a personal preference, and I would say it can make this book easier to be picked by some non-fantasy readers, as a good first dip in the genre, as it is very accessible and easy to read, with interesting and important themes –if you are emotionally prepared to all of it. 

Thank you to the author for the ARC of this book. My opinions are my own