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Cynthia Voigt
Cynthia Voigt is an American author of books for young adults dealing with various topics such as adventure, mystery, racism and child abuse.
Elske
Synopsis
At twelve, Elske has been chosen to die — a fate assigned by the customs of her isolated, Viking-like Volkaric people. Her grandmother arranges to take her place, giving Elske the chance to flee to Trekkatrekker and then to Trastad, a merchant city far from everything she has known.
In Trastad she enters the service of Beriel, an imperious young noblewoman living in exile and determined to reclaim the throne of the Kingdom that treachery has denied her. The two could not be more different — Elske has never had a home to lose, while Beriel has never doubted her right to one — but their partnership becomes a real alliance as they travel toward Beriel's crown, each testing and shaping the other's sense of who she is.
The fourth of Cynthia Voigt's Tales of the Kingdom novels, Elske stands on its own but rewards readers who know the wider world established in Jackaroo, On Fortune's Wheel, and The Wings of a Falcon.
Vibe
Genres
Characters
ElskeProtagonist
A Volkaric girl saved from ritual death who becomes handmaiden to an exiled princess.
BerielSupporting
An exiled, headstrong princess fighting to reclaim the Kingdom's throne.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to read the other Tales of the Kingdom books before Elske?
No. Each Tales of the Kingdom novel follows different characters in the same world and can be read on its own, though reading Jackaroo, On Fortune's Wheel, and The Wings of a Falcon first adds background.