I find Kaaberbol's young adult work to be compulsively readable -- the story moves along at pace, the characters have interesting lives and challenges, and it's a fascinating world.

For those who like Tamora Peirce or any pure fantasy writer. This one is fine for tweens and kids as well as teens -- can't remember if it gets more dicey as the series goes on. ( )

This book actually exceeded my expectations; it's relatively short and it didn't seem like anything that was really going to pull me in. I was mistaken though. This is a good foundational novel for a series I can't wait to get further into.

Dina is the titular Shamer's daughter, the heir to the powerful eyes of her mother the Shamer. Both of them can use their gaze and sometimes their voice to draw shame, guilt, and repentance from the most hardened of men. But no one wants to be around someone with such a power, and so Dina is isolated from everyone in her quiet village save for her brother and sister.

But all that changes when Dina's mother, and then Dina herself, is called away to the realm of Danark by a man named Lord Drakan to investigate a high profile crime; the murder of an aristocrat and his whole family. The accused is Nicodemus Raven, the teenage heir to the throne of Danark. But is he guilty? And if he isn't...than who would want to frame him?

It's hard to decide what about this book was so interesting. The plot was not fantastically inventive, nor were there any big twists or surprises. Maybe it was because I liked almost all of the characters immediately, or because the story moved so swiftly and straightforwardly along that you are pulled forward effortlessly. There are no long periods of downtime or exposition, suspense is sprinkled here and there, and the characters are real and appropriately creepy or likable. Dina is a good, strong heroine without being annoying or too perfect, and I liked Nico's flawed but well-meaning character too. I actually enjoyed the portrayal of dragons as vicious, oversized lizards; when so much fiction now shows them as increasingly cliche wise and beautiful beings, there's something unashamedly primal about these dragons. In the end, maybe I liked it because it just got right down to the meat of the story, with no padding or unnecessary additives. I look forward to the sequel. ( )

This is the cozy fantasy I was looking for. Well, maybe "cozy" isn't the right word, but it's well written. Good characters, good conflict, and good premise.

Said premise is that "shaming" is the magic here, which really means looking into the subject's eyes and making him feel guilty enough to confess his crimes. Sort of like Ghost Rider's "penance stare", only it's in Eragon. That's a solid setting in itself, but the characters are interesting enough to carry it, especially when it becomes a murder mystery and political throne-grabbing.

It reminded me of "Far Far Away" in terms of style. Maybe that's the translation at work. There is no slowness (maybe because it's YA, which also means it's not too long), and I see potential for storylines in the next sequence. Characters are not douchebags and no one holds an idiot ball, but there are a few trappings, like evil princes and dumb peasants. It's one of the few books of a series that makes me want to find out what happens next. ( )

YA fantasy set in a medieval-esque world where Shamer's can read people's minds to uncover any shame and discover their truths and lies. The protagonist, Dina, is an 11-year-old girl, the Shamer's daughter, described as lacking prettiness who has no friends as a result of her abilities, even though she's only just coming into her gift.

Dina used her brains and bravery on the quest, and she wasn't afraid to trust her instincts. No romance or love triangle in the future, but that could change depending on how much she ages in the subsequent books of the series. The dragons were serpentine creatures with poisonous fangs and magical blood, and they were kept in a pit and used much like the Rancor monster in Star Wars: Episode VI.

Fast-paced with a strong premise and a female hero with promise. Nothing earth-shattering, but fun nonetheless. Recommended to younger readers interested in YA high fantasy.

3.5 stars
(I may or may not read the next book... just depends on the story's pull after I've let it settle in the background.) ( )

Teaser – teater: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NPhWUD8ozU
Kom i stemning med middelaldermusik: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiY-w1NWrGM
Om forfatteren: http://www.pallesgavebod.dk/boeger/interview-p2/lene-kaaberboel/
Hvordan var det i middelalderen: http://www.middelaldercentret.dk/Bornesiden/deterforborn.html
Læs også: http://www.pallesgavebod.dk/boeger/det-levende-svaerd
Ligner, men er anderledes: http://www.pallesgavebod.dk/boeger/den-druknede-soldat-den-druknede-soldat-klode...