Review: The Story Peddler

I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Story Peddler (The Weaver Trilogy #1) by Lindsay A. Franklin
Published by Enclave Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Pages: 336
Source: the author
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Selling stories is a deadly business

Tanwen doesn’t just tell stories—she weaves them into crystallized sculptures that sell for more than a few bits. But the only way to escape the control of her cruel mentor and claw her way from poverty is to set her sights on something grander: becoming Royal Storyteller to the king.

During her final story peddling tour, a tale of treason spills from her hands, threatening the king himself. Tanwen goes from peddler to prey as the king’s guard hunts her down . . . and they’re not known for their mercy. As Tanwen flees for her life, she unearths long-buried secrets and discovers she’s not the only outlaw in the empire. There’s a rebel group of weavers . . . and they’re after her too.

You guys! I have not been this immersed in a magical world since Harry Potter and Terry Pratchett’s Discworld!

I’ll back up a bit and let you in on some really fun stuff. If you read my last post, you’ll know that I read The Story Peddler as part of a blog tour leading up to it’s publication. This is my first blog tour so I was super excited when Laura from Unicorn Quester reached out to ask me to join in! Be sure to check out the other stops on the tour to meet some other great bloggers and see what they’ve got to say. You’ll also be able to learn a little more about the author and maybe even win something! If you’re here from other stops along the way, welcome!! I hope that you’ll come back soon.

Now let’s get down to it!

First of all, the world in which this story takes place is close enough to our reality not to be completely out of touch but with pieces to magic and fantasy that make me wish I lived in it. When a book has a map in it, it’s usually a sign that I’ll like it! I enjoyed the descriptive writing style as it really allowed me to see Tanwen’s cottage, the secret forest hideout and the palace which makes me feel more deeply connected to the story.

The character development is something else that stands out to me as a huge strength in The Story Peddler. Each character feels truly alive based on the authors descriptions and the dialogue between characters. I enjoyed the realistic awkwardness of romantic connections, bickering between comrades, and vile villains. I really liked the switch between the 2 strong, female protagonists. Each had very different lives and arrived at different circumstances but I was able to feel a connection with both women. Even secondary characters take on lives of their own and add great colour and depth to the story.

The aspects of fantasy and magic are by far my favorite part of the book and storytelling is at the center of the plot. Characters who are storytellers have the ability to weave story strands into tangible items and the way the author describes the process gives it a beautiful life of it’s own. The way that magic is presented in a story is always interesting to me and in The Story Peddler, these magical abilities are different than anything I’ve read before which is always nice.

Something I’m really excited about is that this book is only beginning and that it is the first in a series. I can’t wait to learn what happens next and hopefully hear about the other magical abilities of colormasters and songweavers which were briefly discussed but not fully fleshed out.

Check out The Story Peddler blog tour and visit a few other stops!