Synopsis: Skin Hunger is a traditional fantasy novel set in a world where magic is real but has been outlawed, so the understanding of it has died out. The only ‘magicians’ left are fakes and charlatans who prey on the poor, weak and needy. Sadima’s mother dies in childbirth at the hands of one of these magicians and so Sadima’s father is deeply mistrustful of anything that hints of magic. Sadima must therefore hide her ability to communicate with animals from him and feels out of place in her own home. A chance meeting with an earnest young man makes her realise that the world is a much bigger place than her own farm and she yearns to discover it.

 Review: Skin Hunger is a fantasy for teenagers and young adults. It is a sombre and serious story which alternates between two parallel narratives; the connection between the two only becomes apparent later in the book. The reader follows the story of Sadima as she joins two young men who are determined to restore magic – Franklin, the man who showed her the possibilities of the world and of her own abilities, and the sinister, single-minded and often frightening Somiss. Alongside this runs the story of Hahp, a boy sent to the academy of magic by his cruel father, this being his last chance to succeed at something. It proves to be literally his last chance as Hahp realises that those that fail the tasks set by the wizard masters die, and that his father knew this when he enrolled him. Hatred for his father and friendship with the peasant boy Gerrard, give Hahp the strength of will and incentive to survive. It is only as the book progresses that it becomes apparent that Hahp’s story is set years after Sadima’s.

This book is clearly the first instalment in the trilogy and much of it is about setting up the situation and inviting the reader to care about the characters. I found it a compelling read albeit a steady one. The ending is a disappointment as there is no sense of resolution; we are forced to wait for the next instalment.

Many questions are left unanswered. This is an enjoyable book which would appeal to young people who favour character driven fantasy rather than action-packed ones. The magic is cerebral rather than dynamic and much of the book is about meditating, controlling thoughts and stoically enduring extreme hardship. Definitely not the next Harry Potter! Although this is an extremely well-crafted novel with endearing characters, I would only recommend this book to the few students who would have the patience to wait for the next instalment – most would find the ending something of a let down.

Publishing January 2008

2007-11-18