Title: The Assassins of Tamurin
Author: S.D. Tower
Rating: 5/5 Foundlings

Synopsis: She was only eleven years old and an orphan, yet the people of Lale’s village hated her and drove her into the wilderness. Cast out, she followed her destiny to a place of dark and shadowy purposes, a school for foundling girls in the land of Tamurin. There Lale found affection, sisterhood and a home…and a profession that may cost her everything she loves. Driven by the darkest sorcery, she must conceal the truth of what she truly is…

Review: I first read this book for an assignment in Grade 11 English. The teacher had told us we all had to read and review two books by Canadian authors. We both knew she meant actual ‘literature’, but she never said it out loud so when I brought her this book and Memory and Dream by Charles de Lint, she caved. Hurrah! This book has been one of my favorites ever since. I bought it for my collection a year or so ago but I just finished re-reading it about an hour ago.

While this book is a fantasy, no question, it’s not the fantastical elements that make it a great story. The plot is beautifully crafted and the main character, Lale, is both likeable and believable. The story is set in a fantasy world, with a distinctly Asian spin, which has always made this book stand out to me. While there are still swords and sorcery (but only in minor degrees as this book focuses more on subtlety and spies) the culture around it is different and so you’re forced to look at things in a new way.

Now, I’m the first to admit that maybe part of this books fantastic rating has to do with my being sentimental about it. I swear though, it’s an interesting mystery, a complicated love story and definitely worth a read!