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The Kingdom of Little Wounds | LitPick Book Reviews
The Kingdom of Little Wounds
The Kingdom of Little Wounds
The Kingdom of Little Wounds
Susann Cokal
A 2014 Michael L. Printz Honor BookA young seamstress and a royal nursemaid find themselves at the center of an epic power struggle in this stunning young-adult debut.On the eve of Princess Sophia’s wedding, the Scandinavian city of Skyggehavn prepares to fete the occasion with a sumptuous display of riches: brocade and satin and jewels, feasts of sugar fruit and sweet spiced wine. Yet beneath the veneer of celebration, a shiver of darkness creeps through the palace halls. A mysterious illness plagues the royal family, threatening the lives of the throne’s heirs, and a courtier’s wolfish hunger for the king’s favors sets a devious plot in motion. Here in the palace at Skyggehavn, things are seldom as they seem — and when a single errant prick of a needle sets off a series of events that will alter the course of history, the fates of seamstress Ava Bingen and mute nursemaid Midi Sorte become irrevocably intertwined with that of mad Queen Isabel. As they navigate a tangled web of palace intrigue, power-lust, and deception, Ava and Midi must carve out their own survival any way they can.

Book Details

Genre: 

  • Adventure
  • Fantasy
  • Fiction
  • Historical Fiction
  • Literary Collection

Age Level: 

  • Adult
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In a what seems like a twist of fate, Ava Bingen, a young seamstress, comes to the court of Skyggehavn after she is cast out of her village. There, she witnesses the deception and treachery of powerful members of the king's court. A mysterious illness ravages the court, extending up to the royal family itself. Ava finds herself unwillingly pulled into the network of spies, which threatens her existence at the court. With her unlikely companion Midi, the mute nursemaid, Ava must tread carefully for her own survival.

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In the imaginary Scandinavian city of Skyggehavn in a time that seems to be the Renaissance, three women--the seamstress Ava Bingen, mute nursemaid Midi Sorte, and mad Queen Isabel--must try as best they can to survive the deadly sickness that is raging through the court. As one royal heir after another dies, the situation grows evermore dangerous. What no one knows is that the royal sickness is unstoppable because it originates from the Queen herself.

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After Princess Sophia's wedding, she falls to a mysterious illness like the rest of her siblings. In the palace, when a single errant prick of a needle sets off a series of events that will alter the course of history, the fates of seamstress Ava Bingen and mute nursemaid Midi Sorte become intertwined. As they navigate a tangled web of palace intrigue, a power lust, and deception, Ava and Midi must carve out their own survival any way they can.

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