Hidden away in a small village in a distant land, Oriane lives with a secret. Like her mother before her, she has the power to call the sun. Oriane is the skylark and, in her world, the sun will only rise if she wills it to. She’s been safe in seclusion her whole life, yet one day, she longs for adventure and freedom. She takes flight into the unknown and is taken to the palace – as a goddess and a prisoner. In C A Wright’s Skysong, there is a battle between faith and politics, with Oriane a pawn.
Oriane’s maid, Andala, has her own secrets in this world where everyone is not as they seem. Oriane has entered a world of intrigue and power plays, where people are driven to desperation. And as a darkness descends upon the world, and with everyone desperate, Oriane too, is lonely and locked away inside herself .
She’s not just a woman – but a skylark. She can transform at will into the bird – and she does so every morning to call the day. Due to her strange powers, she is sought after by many who want to exploit her or do her harm. But she’s not as alone as she thinks – especially when she finds out about another goddess like her: the nightingale.Â
C A Wright’s novel is a beautiful retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale, The Nightingale. Much like in the fairy tale, the king in Skysong longs to have the skylark all to himself. Yet there is more to it than this. Oriane is blissfully unaware that people believe she can call the sun and that she can heal people. This novel cleverly takes the original story and gives it a fantasy twist. It tests loyalties throughout as Andala and Oriane tell their stories and explore their identities. It asks how far we would go to save those we love and what people will do for a little bit of power, even if it means destroying something or someone else.Â
The endless darkness that perpetuates much of this book plays with our fears of the unknown. People respond differently to this darkness in Skysong – much like everyone does in the real world.
Ultimately it is a female-led story that focuses on Oriane and Andala, their powers and their relationship as it develops across the novel.
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Skysong pulls the reader into this invigorating story and takes them on an adventure of love, betrayal, loyalty and faith.
Skysong, C A Wright
Publisher: Pantera Press
ISBN: 9780645869057
Format:Â paperback
Pages: 384ppÂ
Publication date: 1 October 2024
RRP: $32.99
