Review of In the Heart of the Linden Wood

[Sarah Deming]

[Following is a volunteer review of "In the Heart of the Linden Wood" by Ekta R. Garg.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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In the Heart of the Linden Wood by Ekta R. Garg was a delightful fairy tale that begins after the happily-ever-after. The evil king is dead, love reigns, the kingdom is thriving, and yet tragedy falls, and adventure begins. King Christopher must ultimately choose whether to open his mind and heart to his people or to make the same mistakes as his father. With concise, fast-paced writing and subtle, effective world building, this was a family-friendly, feel-good novel.
At the beginning of the story, the king and kingdom lose their beloved queen and newborn heir. The descriptions of grief were so accurate and visceral that I would not recommend this book to anyone who has recently experienced a deep loss. I would, however, recommend this book highly and widely otherwise. There were minimal errors and typos; I was thrilled to be able to give it a solid five out of five stars.
During the intense mourning period, double calamities strike at once and King Christopher must enlist the help of unlikely allies in addition to his trusted Guardsmaster. As the heroes follow their quest to restore the magic of the famous Linden trees, their journey is balanced by the events at the castle as the Councilors do their best to maintain the dignity and diplomacy of a kingdom in danger. The shifts in narration between the two are seamless, and lend to the fast-paced, can’t-put-it-down feeling of this excellent novel.
There was so much love, in so many forms, across the course of this story. It was heart-warming in so many ways. I particularly liked the relationship between King Malcolm and Queen Celia, and their love and support for their widowed son-in-law. Again, consider waiting if you are in the throes of fresh grief, but otherwise put this at the top of your to-read list!

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In the Heart of the Linden Wood
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