Avielle of Rhia - Hardcover

Calhoun, Dia

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0761453202 ISBN 13: 9780761453208

Publisher: Skyscape, 2006

Synopsis

Since the blood of her great-great-grandmother, Dolvoka, had sprung up in Princess Avielle-because she looked Dredonian-would Dolvoka's evil magic spring up in her, too?

With her silver skin and silver hair, fifteen-year-old Princess Avielle of Rhia resembles her Dredonian great-great grandmother who practiced evil magic. Everyone in Rhia expects Avielle to turn evil, too. Shunned by those around her, she feels unloved and unable to love others. In addition, Rhia is on the verge of war with Dredonia, which suffers under the rule of evil wizard-priests: the Brethren of the Black Cloaks. They have placed impossible demands upon Rhia, but the king and queen have refused to acquiesce.

One terrible night, the Brethren attack, killing the royal family and hundreds of others. Only Avielle escapes. She must keep her identity secret to avoid death from the enemy. While hiding among the common people, she learns that she has a magical gift for weaving. But will this gift, rooted in her Dredonian blood, lead Avielle to the same evil that possessed her great-great grandmother? Or will it help her free her people from further attacks?

About this title

About the Author:

DIA CALHOUN lives in Tacoma, Washington. Her other prize-winning novels include The Phoenix Dance, White Midnight, Aria of the Sea, and Firegold.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 8 Up–Avielle is a Rhian princess, but her own people fear her. She has the silver skin and hair of her great-great-grandmother, a Dredonian who used her evil magic against Rhia. The 15-year-old, ever fearful of taking after her relative, takes comfort in her lack of magic: no magic, she reasons, no evil. Her eldest brother is in line for the throne, and she hopes to live out of the public eye. Dredonia, however, is ruled by the Brethren of the Black Cloak, evil-wizard priests who will eagerly give their lives, be it only to see one Rhian dead. They attack, and Avielle is the only member of the royal family who survives. She is taken in by a kind weaver and learns that her gift is weaving. At first she hides her identity, but as the attacks continue and suspicion of Dredonian Rhians grows, she must find the courage to come forward and save her people. This is not a light-and-fluffy fantasy: in Avielle's world, readers will see some reflection of their own. They might also see echoes of the Holocaust, as Dredonian Rhians are required to wear identifying badges when they go out in public. Themes of free will and the classic nature-vs.-nurture debate are examined as Avielle discovers her magic and learns how to control it. This is a coming-of-age story disguised as a fantasy, and it should appeal to any girl who has ever felt uncomfortable in her own skin.–Laurie Slagenwhite, Baldwin Public Library, Birmingham, MI
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About this edition

• Publisher: Skyscape
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0761453202
• ISBN 13: 9780761453208
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 397