Book Review; Daughter Of The Zel- Phoebe Ritter

Page Count 191

 Publication date September 2017

GoodReads link

 

Synopsis

Raised on the border between Nevda and Zel, Efa has two certainties in life.

Their country’s neighbours, the warlike Zel, are to be feared.

Her touch will kill, so she can never leave the island.

When Efa is kidnapped and discovers she is half-Zel, certainty will be hard to come by.

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Review

Daughter of the Zel is a fantastic opening novel. Following the perspective of main character Efa, we follow her on a journey of discovery after her abduction (or was it a rescue?) from a mundane life of seclusion and limitations.
Everything Efa thought she knew about herself is turned upside down in moments.

I liked and pitied Efa, she’s such a kind and good natured character (completely at odds with her murderous abilities), but she has been deceived by all around her and her naivety is almost painful to read at times. We really see her come out of her shell throughout the book and I look forward to her continuing character progression.

‘The Eight’ children who were either rescued or stolen from Zel consist of your usual mix; a shy polite girl, vain chatty girl, bitchy girl, handsome rich lad, impoverished defensive boy, the joker and the thinker. Forced into close living quarters with Efa, a girl who holds the power of death in one hand, this pack of teens react in typical ways producing both heart-warming and heart-breaking scenes.

Secrecy and lies are woven brilliantly through Daughter Of The Zel. By sharing the story through the eyes of Efa alone Phoebe ensures the reader is kept on their toes. We only know as much as Efa, making it hard to choose who or what to trust.

There are two sides to every story, and with the Nevda and Zel communities teaching two very different versions of history, how can we decide which to believe?
Every time I thought I’d chosen a side new plot twists left me puzzling anew!

Daughter Of The Zel ended with me desperate to unravel their secrets. I need to know the Sezel’s intentions! Which tale of history is true? What is the Zel’ end game here?
Alright Phoebe, you’ve hooked me in!

Roxanne’s Reactions:

 

*I obtained my copy of Daughter Of The Zel via Kindle Unlimited library following a request to review from Phoebe Ritter