Teenaged Kezi is devastated when her mother falls gravely ill. When her father prays to his god‚ Admah‚ in order to save his ailing wife‚ he offers to sacrifice the first person who congratulates him if she recovers. He's horrified when it is Kezi. She is granted a few days to live‚ and on the first of those days meets handsome Olus‚ the god of the winds. He is disguised as a wool merchant‚ and as they wander the countryside together‚ Kezi falls in love with him. Over the next thirty days she undertakes various exciting quests to become immortal‚ including a visit to the underworld of Wadir and the mountaintop temple of the gods.
This is a beautiful love story (Gail is so good at this sort of thing!) and an exploration of belief and religious certainty. (The story is based on the biblical story of Jephthah and his daughter.) Its thought-provoking themes will make the novel a subject of much discussion.
Ages: 10 +
