The Apprentice Storyteller

I’d read book one of Astrid’s, Elisabeth and Edvard’s World Series, and I was very impressed with her style of writing. The Apprentice Storyteller—which is book one of her Wishmaster series—overstepped my initial impressions and left me in awe.

We shift between perspectives of a young boy, Jo, and the greatest storyteller known to the Haldrian Empire, Viola Alerion. Jo is instantly attracted to Viola’s magical tales and sets his sight on becoming her apprentice. However, Viola isn’t one to take another under her wing, especially a young boy that’s far too familiar with poverty. Jo soon finds out Viola has plenty of reason for her lone wolf nature, but his mysterious background just may give Viola answers in a way she never thought possible.

Viola and the boy’s polar opposite personalities make for a deeply intriguing read, especially when it came to their growing relationship and compelling character development throughout the book. Astrid’s unique talent of painting vivid pictures with words was thoroughly enjoyable, and she did an outstanding job in building a magical world tethered with realism.

My only real gripe is that the story came to an end lol but that’s the sort of book we all love to read, right? Overall, simply an amazing, immersive read that I highly recommend.

Plot: The plot of The Apprentice Storyteller moves in a linear and even fashion. The plot is interspersed with enjoyable tales that support the setting and characterization by fleshing out the larger lore of the world. The book shows much promise for a continued series worth readers’ time.

Prose/Style: The novel features strong writing that enhances the tone and setting of the book with its consistency. The dialogue is engaging and distinguishes the characters, while action is depicted with kinesthetic language.

Originality: Set amid an imaginative blend of sci-fi and fantasy, the novel’s fictional universe is vividly realized and will grab curious readers. The book works in thought-provoking themes that will further draw readers in.

Character Development: The relationship between master and apprentice lies at the center of the book’s heart. Their interactions and vulnerabilities create a touching experience for the reader that adds gravity to the plot’s conflicts.

Word painting. It is a talent that all authors pursue, but few ever accomplish. Astrid is a master word painter. In the matter of a few short sentences, you abandon the doldrums of your daily life and cross the threshold into the world of her creation.

But it’s more than just vivid scenery. So much more. Her characters breathe with their own life, bolstered by peccadilloes and emotions that evoke those same feelings from your own soul.

Our hero is a small boy, without home or family, but what he lacks in creature comforts, he makes up for in faith. Despite his pitiful existence, he believes fully in destiny. As he said himself, “it’s by knowing things that I survive.”

Viola is worn and weary from a world that doesn’t often play fair. She abides by the motto—kill or be killed. It’s not a preference. It’s a necessity...until her apprentice teaches her that there is more power in innocence and respect than there will ever be in all the weapons in the worlds. She has a choice—discard the boy and his foreign ideals or open herself up to the idea that this frail creature might open her heart up to limitless possibilities.

Once again, Astrid has woven lessons into the layers of story with skilled precision. Each chapter will leave you thinking—not only about the remainder of this story, but your very outlook on life.

This is the book I like most out of the ones I’ve read so far by this author. A woman on the run reluctantly pairing up with a boy too wise for his age definitely reminded me of Star Wars - if Leia’s parents had never approved of her rebelling. What you end up after reading this story is a feeling - quiet contemplation combined with hope. Different bits of the book will speak out to different people - the themes of loneliness and being shunned for not doing the expected, the wavering resolve of even the strongest of us needing buttressing from the most downtrodden, the magic, the fight scenes, the famous by association themes. The book is a journey where every writer will recognise finding their feet, like Viola who chose her gift and became the most fabled storyteller, although her family destined her for something else. I loved the flow of the story, the dialogue, the Sheherezade-like interludes of stories from a different kind of lore. If you love Coelho’s books, this one will definitely make you think. And feel. And yearn. The spaceships and jumping from one planet to another will appeal to Star Wars fans and the fans of Cloud Atlas, alike. Totally recommend for lovers of speculative fiction, space operas, transformational fiction and fiction in general.