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Patricia Reding
a book bubble about
Oathtaker
Science Fiction & Fantasy
Author Insight
There Are No "Ruins" Here
Nina's story is a difficult one. She came from a place that did not value women or children, and as a result, she suffered at the hands of those in power. Her losses were great. I cannot imagine the pain that would come with the lost of a child, for example. To say it would be crushing, would do it the deepest injustice. That said, I expect we've all known people who have gone through such a loss. As my years have advanced, I've found the most intriguing aspect of the loss and pain that I witness, is how different people handle it in such different ways. Here we see that Nina mourns her losses and that she has not, and will not, forget them. But at the same time, she has risen above them. She is more than a single event or two, and she is not allowing her past suffering to determine her future or to rob it of joy. I am saddened by those I see these days--especially young people--who think that a single awful event can "ruin" a life. In my experience, it can shape a life, but it cannot "ruin" it unless the person allows it to do so. What do you think?
Book Excerpt
Oathtaker
“You bore your second child?”
“A beautiful baby girl.” The young woman’s body shook. “She was just minutes old. The guards . . . slaughtered her.” She gulped back tears.
“The midwife told me it was my own fault for having had a girl and that the next time, if I wanted to see my child survive, I’d best bear a son.”
Nina was quiet for a minute, lost in her thoughts. “A year or so passed,” she finally said.
“And then?”
She took another taste of her wine. “Shortly before I became pregnant for the third time, I was chosen to attend a special event in honor of some of Zarek’s prized soldiers.” She closed her eyes and lost herself in her story.
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