Heartsinger

Heartsinger

by Karlijn Stoffels
Translated by Laura Watkinson

Synopsis (from Barnes & Noble)

Smee was born with a great gift: the ability to sing other people's stories and heal their pain. But Mee also carries his own pain -- his failure to reach his deaf mother and heal her grief at his father's death. As he travels the country, he eases many people's sorrows, but he cannot connect with anyone himself.

Mitou also has a gift: spreading joy through a few notes from her accordion. When she hears about Mee--who was born on the same day she was--she knows that surely they belong together, each of them helping others through their music.

They finally meet on the way to the king's castle to sing for the beautiful Princess Esperanza. But will Mitou's hopes be fulfilled--or is the pain of the past too great?

This book really surprised me. I really, for once, had no clue what the book was about before I read it. Bad me, not reading the jacket description. I was very surprised to find a sort of fantasy, olden-times story about a boy who sings sorrowful tunes and helps those mourn the death of others, as well as a girl who sings just as lovely, but inspires dance and joy in all who hear her.

I loved the way Mee (Barnes and Noble got the name wrong, so I changed their description slightly) travels and when he encounters someone who recently died, he pulls their life out into a song. I like how the author shared the stories behind the various encounters of these people, along with the princess who would not stop staring in the mirror.

It was a lovely, but short novel that took you away and and kept you completely entranced.

5/5 Roses


(This book is a hardcover, signed by both the author and translator, and is up for grabs in the August Comment Contest.)