Rose Red trusts no one with her secret. She hides in the forest, her face veiled in rags, shunning the company of all save her old father and her nanny goat. Her life is bleak and lonely.
Until she meets a privileged young man sent to spend his summer in the mountains. Headstrong young Leo startles everyone by befriending Rose Red, and together they begin searching for the monster rumored to be stalking these lands.
But the hunt, which began as a game, holds greater risk than either imagines. Soon both are forced to test their trust in each other as a far more terrifying scourge puts their entire land at risk.When the book arrived I was surprised to find that it was fantasy/allegory. I suppose I thought the description itself had been an allegorical illusion to a more realistic novel. I had agreed to read, and read I did, sometimes finding myself wrapped up in the story of Leo and Rose, more often wishing I had not begun. Perhaps that is how each of the characters felt about their journey as well.
What was good and was what evil is hard to discern here. I found myself trying hard to find Christ between the lines. Only the mention now and then of "the Name" that served as protection rang true in my spirit.
Spoiler alert*****
I was waiting for a thundering victory that I never found. There really is no happy ending here, no ending at all in fact, just more beginnings.
I will pay more attention next time I select a novel and choose realism over fantasy.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House a Divsion of Baker Publishing Group. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
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