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Description
Now chief of Dun Alyn, fifteen-year-old Ilena disgraces herself on the battlefield and, while subsequently exiled from her people, becomes involved in a plan to rescue King Arthur from his Saxon captors.
Quick Summary
If your kid loves medieval adventures and stories about underdogs finding their way, this one's for them. Ilena becomes the young chief of her village but immediately faces a humiliating defeat in battle, which leads to exile and that's when things really get interesting. She ends up joining a risky plan to free King Arthur from Saxon captors, dealing with themes of redemption, honor, and figuring out who you really are when everything's fallen apart. There's some battle action, but it's not gratuitous just part of the story's stakes. It's a solid pick for readers who enjoyed books like "The Last Dragon Chronicles" or any of the modern Arthurian retellings aimed at middle graders. Kids who like strong female protagonists taking charge despite their mistakes will probably get attached to Ilena pretty quickly.