DAUNTLESS By Dina Sleiman
After the brutal murder of her family and the people from her former village, Merry Ellison has lived in the woods with her band of children, nicknamed “The Ghosts of Farthingale Forest”—all survivors of the murder attack. No one knows the children of Ellsworth are still alive, but that will change soon. In the two years after the massacre, they have survived by stealing from the rich, much like Robin Hood did. After stealing a chest of taxes headed to the king, they are wanted; dead or alive.
Lord Wyndemere does not tolerate thieves in his realm and charges Timothy Grey with the order to find the leaders of the thieves (rumored to be “The Ghosts of Farthingale Forest”) to be hanged from the city walls.Timothy was Merry’s childhood friend and intended. When Merry’s village was massacred, he believed Merry had died as well. After grieving her death, Timothy found a job as scribe for the local earl, Lord Wyndemere. During his search of “The Ghosts of Farthingale Forest”, he stumbles upon the presumed dead Lady Merry Ellison. Thinking the “Ghosts” are keeping her hostage, he kidnaps her and brings her to Lord Wyndemere’s castle.
Merry is not happy that Timothy has found and kidnapped her. He may have been her best friend and intended, but she is not sure if she can still trust him. After all, he works for Lord Wyndemere—a man loyal to the king. Is Timothy loyal to the king as well? And what will he do when he discovers that Merry is the leader of the “Ghosts”?
Energetic and refreshing, Sleiman’s writing style drew me in and had me hooked from the first pages. The rich descriptions of the environment painted a vivid image in my mind and I could easily picture myself along Merry and her “men” in the woods.
This is an exciting tale about a strong and determined young woman, willing to do anything to provide safety for the children she loves – and two men trying to protect her and hoping to win her hand and heart.
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