Review--Hero by Alethea Kontis

"You got a sword and a destiny. That's more than most people get."

For rough and tumble Saturday, it's no fun being the only one in her family without any magical talent. Too tall, too strong, too normal, that's her lot in life--until the day she accidentally creats an ocean in the backyard. 

Suddenly things are looking up. With her sword in tow, Saturday sets sail on the sudden sea, only to find herself kidnapped and whisked off to the mountain at the top of the world. Held captive by a blind witch who gives her a series of impossible tasks, Saturday is aided by a very appealing young man who knows all the witch's tricks. But he turns out to be under a spell that only Saturday can break--and that will only happen when this seemingly normal girl digs deep enough to find her own hidden talents.

Back to the magical world of Alethea Kontis, Hero is the second tale in her Woodcutter series. Now that Sunday is set in her happily ever after we move on to the next sister, Saturday. Saturday was the sister who didn't get any magical gifts. She's not overly pretty, she's too tall, too strong...pretty much your first tomboy ever. She prefers working with her hands in the woods and when her fairy godmother's gift of an ax turns into a sword, she's more than eager to use it.

Saturday wasn't expecting much from life, but then when her mother's sister and Trix's real mother dies, her mother was all set to go and see her sisters for the first time in years. But then Trix puts a spell on them and leaves without them, since it was his mother.

Once the spell wears off, Saturday and her mother team up with Thursday and set sail on the ocean trying to find her brother. When she gets kidnapped nearly right away by a giant bird and taken to a mountain at the top of the world, she's a bit disoriented, but not scared. Saturday is quite brave and strong and can handle herself.

That's when she meets Peregrine. He has his own story as well, he was tricked by the witch's daughter to take her place on the mountain. So now Peregrine wears a dress and pretends to be a girl, the witch is blind and can't see the difference, for some time ago, Jack Woodcutter stole her eyes and then hid them.

Saturday's story was quite more adventurous than Sunday's. Saturday was not about a girl needed to be saved. She can handle herself and it's admirable. She doesn't play the role of damsel in distress. But she does have to undergo quite a few impossible tasks for the witch and she'll have to learn that it's okay to ask for help, for Peregrine wants to help her. He's been waiting for Saturday his whole life, having dreamt about her and not knowing who she really was until she landed on the mountaintop with him.

There wasn't as many fairy tale appearances in this one as last time. At least, not as many I could recognize. There was Snow White, Hansel and Gretel and maybe a few others. But as I said, there weren't as noticeable as last time. But I still enjoyed the references from the fairy tales.

I very much enjoyed the romance here, possibly even more than in Enchanted. For Saturday was never one for romance. She didn't believe it was meant to be in her future and naturally, when she meets Peregrine that changes a bit. But, not right away! Yay for no insta-love in a fairy tale! Granted Peregrine was pretty much in love with Saturday right away, but Saturday had to get used to Peregrine first. They get to know each other somewhat during their time together. Of course, it isn't til the near end when Peregrine is off to go see his betrothed--the one he never got to marry before he was whisked away to the mountain top--that Saturday realized she was in love with him. Tragic love and all!

There were quite a few surprises at the end of this one! One was one I kept expecting to happen at some point in the series and a few others were ones took me completely by surprise! The ending here isn't quite like Enchanted. There were quite a few cliffhangers. So now, I am left wondering what on earth is going to happen to our characters that we kind of left hanging in limbo! Furthermore, I am wondering what sister could we possibly be going to next! And how will she help out and help the characters left hanging in limbo?!

Note that when I saw limbo, I don't actually mean the place between heaven and hell--as that's what I remember thinking of limbo as. Limbo isn't really a place in the way I am using it here. I am basically trying to not tell you what is happening to the characters. They are not well off, basically and are in need of help to get out of their sticky situation.

I'll be quite curious as to what the next book will be like! That one is Friday's story apparently with Beloved. The ending here was good, it is a sort of finished and unfinished one. There is still lots to do, but I am wondering how will we know of it? The next book is Friday's, who was absent during this one because she's taken on her apprenticeship. I wonder if she will get in the know of what was going on. I really want to know how Saturday handles her last few items on the list that weren't accomplished by the end of her book. As I say somewhat periodically...only time will tell! And naturally, of course, I hate the waiting!


Overall Rating 4.5/5 stars