Reviews

KIRKUS REVIEW A debut YA fantasy stars a princess who must venture forth into the world before she's allowed to rule. Princess Adriana of Ayrden has just turned 16. Traditionally, royals of the kingdom leave on a Journey during their 16th year, and if they return, they may someday rule. Adriana's Teachers-in skills like fencing and archery-say that she's ready to leave, but she may take only a minimum of food and no weapons. The royal Gifters, however, bestow upon her the traits of courage, fidelity, and kindness. With these qualities, along with her father's advice that "when you are worried you will not make your best decisions," she departs Ayrden on a horse named Sultan. She rides until reaching a clearing in the nearby forest. Strangely, no animals, including birds, enliven the scene. After a nap, she wakes to the sound of woodland calamity, as trees uproot and shift, eventually presenting her with three paths to choose from: one lined with gemstones, one limned in golden light, and another marked by simple grass. For the sake of Sultan, Adriana takes the prosaic grassy trail and finds herself in the land of Chehalem, where odd new friends and foes await. In her novel, Stump crafts a voluptuous, nuanced fantasy that fans of classics like Peter Beagle's The Last Unicorn should enjoy. As Adriana explores each of the three routes, readers are treated to gorgeous sights and inventive sounds, like one scene in which "The walls of the ravine were green stone, and bright violet and amethyst flowers spilled down the steep embankments until they touched the water." The prose nearly lulls a reader into believing Adriana's Journey is all whimsy and self-discovery, yet dangers crop up (including lost uncles, slave traders, and dragons) that add grim shading to this multifaceted narrative. Certain magical elements, like how the forest changes shape, remain mysterious throughout, which allows Stump's capable heroine and her accomplishments to carry more narrative weight. Spellbinding and untraditional, this fantasy with a brave royal could teach Disney a few things about princess adventures. "Kim Love Stump's A Clearing in the Forest is an utterly engaging, fascinating page-turner of a book. ... As an adult reader, I marveled at the inventiveness of the author in creating such a remarkable, believable, alternate world, and loved every step of Adriana's journey. And I found myself wishing this book had been available back when I was a teenager. It's blend of fantasy world and real human emotion in challenging circumstances is spot on. I am sharing it with every teen I know and a number of adults as well, and look forward to forthcoming books in Stump's Journeys from Ayrden series." -Maureen Ryan Griffin, Author of Spinning Words into Gold "A Clearing in the Forest is an enchanting, delightful book." -Bridgett Bell Langson "An amazing book full of everything I love about fantasy but also grounded in everything true about growing up, overcoming fears, finding your place in your family, good triumphing over evil, and finding true love. I devoured the book in one day, I could NOT put it down!" -Stuart Mullens "A Clearing in The Forest is a beautifully written novel for all ages! Kim Love Stump drew me in on the first page and there I stayed until I closed the book. I found myself alongside the heroine, Adriana as she set out on the adventure of a lifetime. I rode with her through the lands that she traveled, experiencing all that came our way. What an adventure we had!" -Marcy Gregg