The Sleeping Prince

Reviewed by: Sheila Dube - Springvale Public Library, Springvale, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: October 4, 2016

Review

Salisbury has created a complex high-fantasy world set in medieval times involving three kingdoms. This is the second book in the Sin Eater's Daughter series. The prologue describes the bloody night attack by The Sleeping Prince and his golems on the King of Lormere. The story line focuses on Errin Vastel who lives next to the bordering forest and her town is being evacuated. This places her and her mother, who has recently began acting violently as a Varulv (werewolf)at risk. Errin's brother Lief left them to go to Lormere and he has not returned, so Errin is left to deal with the abandonment, poverty and Varulv violence on her own. Her only friend and connection to hope is Silas, a mysterious stranger, who pays her for her apothecary skills and inhabits her dreams at night. Myths and superstitions become real as the independent and head-strong Errin becomes entangled in the larger picture of the war in the Kingdom. Readers new to the series will not be hinder with the complex alchemy myths until the final third of the book when characters and reveals happen that refer to the first book which seem disjointed from the suspense of Errin's storyline. The map illustrated by Plasse is helpful during the political discourses between characters. A map or list of the characters lineage may have assisted in making the complex connections clearer. Errin's life circumstances and motives are turned upside down in a cliff hanger ending.

Overall Book Score: good