We were never given a sense of culture, and many important concepts – such as why the leaders refused to believe in magic and shunned the “old ways” – were glossed over, leaving many questions left unanswered. A few pages were spent in the village, a chapter was spent with dwarves, and the rest of the book was spent amongst the trees and magical creatures that inhabited Brume. We only got a glimpse of village life before Lia was swept away to Brume for a quest, and the setting continued to rapidly change. There were many creative, magical aspects to this book, but they were never elaborated upon. Throughout the story, Lia is challenged in various ways, resulting in increased confidence in her ability to solve problems and the discovery of new powers. Her knowledge of herbs and their uses in healing was really interesting to read about – especially the lore surrounding the trees and their associated passages in her Grandma’s Grimoire.

She is strong, brave, intelligent, caring, and determined to help her family at any cost. Lia reminded me a bit of Princess Merida from Brave, though that may be because she has fiery red hair and can wield a bow. Ultimately she must make a terrible choice: keep fighting to save her father and the people of the lands or join with the power behind the deadly roots to help nature start anew.Īrrow of the Mist reminded me of a Disney movie as it immediately immerses the reader in a magical world filled with action and danger, and the characters neatly fell into their roles of “hero” or “villain.”

When she discovers the enchanted root’s maker, it forces her to question everything about who she is and what is her destiny. The deeper they trek into the land, the stronger Lia’s untapped gift as a tree mage unfolds. Lia relies on her powerful herbal wisdom and the memorized pages of her late grandmother’s Grimoire for guidance through a land of soul-hungry shades, trickster creatures, and uncovered truths about the origin of Brume and her family’s unexpected ties to it. But after her elder kinsman is attacked and poisoned, she and her cousin, Wynn, are forced to finish the quest on their own. Lia and three others embark on a quest to the forbidden land of Brume to gather ingredients for the cure. Terror strikes the Celtic inspired kingdom of Nemetona when barbed roots breach the veil of a forbidden land and poison woodsmen, including 15-year-old Lia’s beloved father.

Arrow of the Mist by Christina Mercer