Starred review from June 3, 2019
Rowland unleashes formidable skills in this worthy follow-up to 2018’s A Conspiracy of Truths. Heartbroken and disillusioned by his master’s treachery and lies, young storyteller Ylfing wanders the world trying to find peace. Settling in the prosperous market town of Heyrland, Ylfing finds work as a translator for Sterre de Waeyer, one of the richest merchants in the region. When Sterre discovers her newest employee’s talent with crafting narratives, she asks him to help sell a strange flower known as the stars-in-the-marsh. Their efforts spark a buying frenzy that quickly grows out of control. Through his work, Ylfing discovers true love and rediscovers his chanting talents, just in time to use his stories to save the city he’s nearly destroyed. Rowland’s characters are consistently surprising and supremely empathetic, and the footnotes, worldbuilding details, and tales sprinkled throughout create a full and complex reality for readers to wander at will. This is a wise, moving, and captivating adventure.