Wednesday, July 26, 2017

The Marsh King's Daughter by Karen Dionne

This book takes place in the Tahquamenon River Valley in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.  That alone made it a fun read.  The descriptions of plants, animals, and insects is vivid.  Helena and her parents lived in a remote cabin that was surrounded by a marsh.  They didn’t have electricity, running water or a car.  She never went to school and learned how to read from old National Geographic magazines.  Her father taught her all about nature, how to hunt and gather food, and how to survive in her harsh environment.  She never saw anyone other than her parents.  Then, when she was 12, she discovered that her father had kidnapped her mother and was holding them captive.  After a harrowing turn of events, Helena and her mother escape and Helena suddenly finds herself thrown into a world she knows nothing about.  Years pass and the past that Helena fought so hard to leave behind is staring her down. There's only one thing for Helena to do . . .


Reviewed by Fiona Swift