The Shamer's Daughter (Shamer Chronicles) [Hardcover]

Lene Kaaberbol (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 11 and up | Series: Shamer Chronicles

"It ought to be quite a show," said the squire, obviously enjoying the attention of the crowd. "The false Shamer has been convicted of witchcraft and treason and is to be executed tomorrow."
I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. I knew now where my mother was. Drakan had her. And tomorrow he would give her to the dragons.

Who dares look into the Shamer's eyes?

Dina has unwillingly inherited her mother's gift: the ability to elicit shamed confessions simply by looking into someone's eyes. To Dina, however, these powers are not a gift but a curse. Surrounded by hostility and fear, she longs for simple friendship.

But when her mother is called to Dunark Castle to uncover the truth about a bloody triple murder, Dina must come to terms with her Shamer's eyes-or let her mother fall prey to the vicious and revolting dragons of Dunark. And one of those dragons is human.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-9–Like her mother, the local Shamer, Dina can see the shameful truths hidden in the souls of her fellow villagers–if only they will look her in the eye. Of course, everyone avoids her, and she has grown to hate her so-called "gift." Then Mama is taken prisoner, and Dina must use her truth-telling ability to solve a triple murder and rescue her mother and the young man falsely accused of the crime. Suspenseful and sometimes gory, this fantasy features interesting secondary characters and a well-drawn preindustrial setting. Occasional corny dialogue and overlong escape scenes won't deter readers, who will speed through the unfolding of the story's many mysteries: Who really killed the noble Castellan and his family? Why are there ravenous dragons at his castle? Whom can Dina trust now that the killer has seized control of the kingdom? Although only 10, she thinks and acts like an older child, and her increasing courage and resourcefulness in the face of evil doings, exhaustion, and the strains of her own talent will appeal to fans of Tamora Pierce's work. By the end of the book, Dina finds some peace as she makes a new friend and learns that her gift can heal as well as cause pain. Since the killer remains in power, plenty of conflict has yet to be resolved in the novel's proposed sequels.–Beth Wright, Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, VT
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 6-8. Dina, nearly 11, bitterly resents having inherited her mother's power as a Shamer; she would rather be normal and have friends. When wrongdoers look into the Shamer's eyes, they are forced to face all their hidden, shameful secrets, which the Shamer also sees. After her mother is summoned to Dunark Castle to solve a violent triple murder, Dina, who is misled into believing that her mother needs her, is taken to the castle. There she must use her Shamer's eyes to save both her mother and the accused 17-year-old Nico, who is innocent of the crime. The story involves a dank dungeon and a dark pit of voracious dragons as well as the real villain, who is as vicious as the dragons. This first book in the Shamer Chronicles is a page-turner; readers will eagerly await the next episode. Sally Estes
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 11 and up
  
• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR); First Edition edition (May 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805075410
• ISBN-13: 978-0805075410
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,194,496 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Lene Kaaberbøl was born in Copenhagen in 1960, with suitable drama: the obstetrician had to rush from banquet and was still wearing his white tie and tails. She was 15 when her first two books were published, and since then she has written more than thirty novels and children's books. She has won several national and international awards for her fiction, and her work has been translated into more than 30 languages. At her recent nomination for the Hans Christian Andersen Medal, the IBBY Committee wrote: "She is incredibly skilled at constructing universes and shows remarkable loyalty to her stories and her characters. Lene Kaaberbøl's writing captivates the reader; her worlds draw you in, move you, make you laugh and cry and give you ample food for thought. And it is our assessment that her works have not just national and international potential, but the potential to become classics."

While fantasy is her preferred genre when writing for children and YA, there is nothing remotely fairytale-like about her crime novels for adults. The Boy in the Suitcase, written in collaboration with Agnete Friis, was called a "first rate thriller" by Michelle Wiener of Associated Press: "Written in that sparse, uniquely Scandinavian style sure to draw comparisons with a certain blockbuster trilogy (this is better), this story packs plenty of emotional suspense and interpersonal friction without veering into melodrama."

"I really enjoy writing in many different worlds - including our own - and for many different audiences. I sometimes feel it's the literary version of living in an auto camper: you can always change the view, and you're constantly meeting new people," says Kaaberbøl, who in real life lives in an old water mill in the countryside near Aarhus, Denmark, with her four dogs.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent fantasy book for children and adults alike!, May 23, 2003

By 

L. Kragh "lokra" (denmark) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shamer's Daughter (Hodder silver series) (Paperback)

The story is about Dina, a young girl coming of age, who has inherited her mothers gift - the shamer's eyes. When people look into the eyes of a person with this gift, they are confronted with the things they have done in their lives, and the kind of person they really are.
Most people find this experience very unpleasant or at least unsettling, but some people can look a shamer in the eye - without being affected by it.
Those are people who are very balanced with who they are; Because they are *good*, and therefore has very little to be ashamed about, or because they are so evil or selfish - they don't have any shame in them... But how do you know whether they're the one kind or the other? How do you know when you're only 10 years old?

When her mother is taken captive, Dina is forced to experience and understand the world on her own. Who can you trust? How do you know which choices to make? Dina finds herself caught in the middle of a political intrigue for the throne. The Lord Drakan wants to use her powers for his own ends - and Dina has to find out what's going on, defend herself against witch-charges, AND find a way of freeing her mother.

This is an excellent fantasy book. It's really well written, and the author masterfully ends each chapter with a cliffhanger that makes you go "What happens next???"
The story is about trust, friendship, courage and choice. It's amusing, full of suspense, and it gives children and adults alike lots of food for thought!

This book is a must-have for every child aged 9-13, and every adult who enjoyed reading Harry Potter!
It's the first in a series of four. (the last one will be published in Denmark this fall).

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I'm so glad there are MORE of these!, July 29, 2004

By 

Aspiring Inkling "KSC" (USofA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Shamer's Daughter (Shamer Chronicles) (Hardcover)

First of all, I must say that I am completely jealous of Ms Kaaberbol because she is bilingual and can translate her books into different languages-- and yet her English is amazing and creative! Her use of description, character development, and on-going action make this a very enjoyable-- and tense-- read. It is very suspensful and unpredictable.
My only draw back would be the hasty ending, but I'm sure that the future additions to the chronicles will make up for it!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic books! - Review of all 4 books (by a danish girl), October 11, 2004

By 

Amanda Borghus "The Dane" (Denmark) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Shamer's Daughter (Shamer Chronicles) (Hardcover)

The first book about Dina is a succes BUT
- It gets so much better! There are four books about the shamers children and you HAVE to read all of them!

In the second book we'll hear about Dina's brother Davin (or that's what he is called in the original version) and Dina's fight for justice for themselves and their new friend Nico.

The first book is fantastic and you have to read it to understand the second, the thierd and ofcourse the last one!

Amanda - the Dane who read them all in just a few dayes!