The Weaver

By: Emmi Itäranta

Narrated by: Aysha Kala

The author of the critically acclaimed Memory of Water returns with this literary ecological tale in the vein of Ursula K. Le Guin and Sheri S. Tepper, in which an innocent young woman becomes entangled in a web of ancient secrets and deadly lies that lie at the dark center of her prosperous island world.

Eliana is a model citizen of the island, a weaver in the prestigious House of Webs. She also harbors a dangerous secret: She can dream, an ability forbidden by the island's elusive council of elders. No one talks about the dreamers, the undesirables ostracized from society.

But the web of protection Eliana has woven around herself begins to unravel when a young girl is found lying unconscious in a pool of blood on the stones outside the house. Robbed of speech by her attackers, the only clue to her identity is one word tattooed in invisible ink across her palm: Eliana. Why does this mysterious girl bear her name? What links her to the weaver - and could she hold Eliana's fate in her hand?

As Eliana finds herself growing closer to this injured girl she is bound to in ways she doesn't understand, the enchanting lies of the island begin to crumble, revealing a deep and ancient corruption. Joining a band of brave rebels determined to expose the island's dark secrets, Eliana becomes a target of ruthless forces determined to destroy her. To save herself and those she loves, she must call on the power within her she thought was her greatest weakness: her dreams.

©2016 Emmi Itäranta (P)2016 HarperCollins Publishers

I Says, She Says, He Says

Would you try another book from Emmi Itäranta and/or Aysha Kala?

Yes, I do like her writing style.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Not what I would have expected, disappointing as the message came down to the last few lines, even though you could tell where things were going. However I do like her writing style.

Would you be willing to try another one of Aysha Kala’s performances?

Yes, possibly. I think she needs to speed it up a little.

Did The Weaver inspire you to do anything?

Check reviews first. Unfortunately I took a chance on this, as no reviews were posted yet.

Any additional comments?

The narrator had a pleasant voice, just a little too slow and much too many unnecessary " I says, she says, he says", made it very hard to listen to. The voice of the "prophet" was just too much. Maybe this if for adolescents, definitely not for me.

Not as Strong as Other Works

I felt like there was a lot of repetition in this book and not in an effective way, like the repetition in Memory of Water. Overall the characters felt lacking and there was less of a feeling of connection which then made any actions in the book less effective. I'd check out either The Moonday Letters or Memory of Water for better examples from the author. Audio performance was ok, but I felt that at times it lacked conviction.