Shadow Dance — H.C. Turk

In 1853, on an island near Indonesia, a girl is selected to unite her nation. Starling Agara becomes Princess Of Betrothal at the age of fourteen. In seven years, she will marry the nation's prince, joining her country's opposing political factions. At the wedding, however, the king's opponents slaughter nearly everyone. Missionaries take Starling to America. Starling begins her true journey when the missionaries are killed by her countrymen. For the next year, Starling traverses her nation, gaining the throne by living the fantastic rituals that previously were only myths. Review by Diane Donovan, eBook Reviewer, Midwest Book Review: SHADOW DANCE is set in 1853 on an island near Indonesia and tells of teen Starling Agara, who is slated to marry the island's prince in seven years to join the opposing forces that threaten to tear apart her world. Sadly, being Princess isn't a solution to the violence wrecking her nation: on the eve of her wedding, opposing forces slaughter nearly everyone and Starling is rescued by missionaries who take her to America, still endangered when the missionaries are murdered by her countrymen. Her resulting journey will cross nations and bring her into a world of rituals and ongoing dangers. Descriptions throughout SHADOW DANCE are poetic and evocative: "The log's vibrations came as a hard knock that could have been God's tapping a clapboxof holy bamboo in Heaven's gamelan, orchestrating earthly success."Religious references abound, social conflicts never cease, and Starling is locked into a world that seems destined to repeat a cycle of hope and violence. Her participation in rituals of life and death result in a slowly-building resolve to save her world: Calm as the coral above, the goddess said:"One day, fem bird, I shall not be able to save you."That day," Starling whispered, "I shall save you."Linking all her experiences are demons and angels, rituals and rescue, and water and weddings: for Starling is being prepared for her ultimate dest