LoveReading4Kids Says
LoveReading4Kids Says
September 2024 Debut of the Month
“There were daemons in the garden”. So begins Heartseer: The Tale of Anise Star in characteristically intriguing style, kickstarting a spellbinding fantasy quest that sees a young heroine strive to save the daemons of her beloved White Woods, and beyond.
At once delicately direct and poetic, Rowan Foxwood’s writing has commanding sway as she tells the story of Anise Star, a Heartseer who can see daemons and deities, and is responsible for helping humans and daemons co-exist in peace.
All is well in the wondrous White Woods, until Mr Babbitt declares he’s Anise’s legal guardian and has plans for her future: “You’ve been living wild for too long, without proper structure or direction. It is high time you returned to school”. Worse still, Babbitt has possession of her land and house and intends to raze everything to the ground to build a factory. As a result, the daemons will be driven out.
And so, Anise and her daemon-dog Wolf embark on a dangerous quest to find the one entity who might be able to help — the High King — encountering much magic and a cast of vibrantly conjured characters along the way. As such, The Tale of Anise Star is a dream of a debut for fans of nature-based fantasy, Abi Elphinstone, and Sophie Anderson.
Joanne Owen
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About
Heartseer: The Tale of Anise Star Synopsis
A lush and lyrical folklore inspired fantasy adventure from a startling new talent, with a joyous magic reminiscent of Neil Gaiman and Studio Ghibli.
There are more deities and daemons in the world than stars in the sky. But only Heartseers like Anise Star can see them - because only they still believe... Anise's job is to help humans and daemons live happily together. But when the villainous Mr Babbitt tries to steal her home in the White Woods and drive the daemons out, she is forced to travel to the capital to ask the High King for help. First, though, she'll have to convince him that daemons still exist.
Accompanied by loyal daemon-dog Wolf, Anise sets out on a spellbinding and treacherous journey, meeting magical musician Robin and fox god Whin, and facing the cunning Magpie Queen and a deadly poisonous ink monster. In the midst of her battles she learns that it's not just the daemons of the White Wood she must save, but all the daemons of the world.
The first book in a series of standalone adventures set in the same fantasy world all featuring themes of magic, found family, and the natural world verses industry and innovation. Inspired by Rowan's love of folklore and mythology, fans of Neil Gaiman and Studio Ghibli will adore this uplifting and joyful fantasy.
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781803707372 |
| Publication date: |
12th September 2024 |
| Author: |
Rowan Foxwood |
| Illustrator: |
Kade Dorzla |
| Publisher: |
Usborne Publishing Ltd |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
336 pages |
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Press Reviews
Rowan Foxwood Press Reviews
'Heartseer is exciting, magical and wonderfully warm-hearted. Anise and Wolf transported me wholly from the very first page and I loved adventuring with them on their marvellous quest.' - Sophie Kirtley, author of The Wild Way Home
'Heartseer has a Spirited Away meets Northern Lights vibe and is bursting with things that fill the soul. Sparkling with legend and crackling with humour, it's a treasury of wonders. A truly special book, the kind that only comes along once in a blue moon.' - Loris Owen, author of the Earth Quicksmith series
'An absolute gem of a story! Magic shimmers up from every page.' - Siobhan McDermott, author of Paper Dragons
Author
About Rowan Foxwood
Rowan Foxwood is a Lecturer of Creative Writing, and holds a Masters in Writing for Children. Born into a family of globe-trotters, her world-wide travels as a child inspired a deep love of mythology, fairy tales and folklore that has saturated her writing. Settled now in the south of England, Rowan continues to indulge her wanderlust whenever possible, seeking out new myths and legends wherever she goes. She can be easily ensnared with the promise of books, cats and a nice cup of tea. Heart-Seer: The Tale of Anise Star is her first book for children.
More About Rowan Foxwood
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Rowan Foxwood on the inspiration behine Heartseer:
"The world of Heartseer was borne from a life-long fascination of folklore and mythology. The first character to appear to me was The Stanger, inspired by the folk tradition of hobby-horsing. I wondered how it would feel to be greeted at the door by a dark figure in a horse-skull...and how much worse that would be if no-one else could see him. Then Anise Star emerged, bright,sweet and starry. From there, the rest of the characters poured out and banded together, picking at things from my life and taking them for their own. Robin took my antique mandolin, while my childhood stuffed toy Wolfie became the magestic Wolf, and the little stone fox from my favourite reading spot burst into life as Whin."
