This book was an unexpected surprise though a very welcome one. I had seen it on the shelves of my libraries for quite a while and had been resisting its siren call when suddenly, I thought, well, why not?I can understand that a lot of readers will have problems with the main character, the female protagonist but to me, it is the portrayal of the female character that wins me over entirely. I hadn’t even realized that the story was going to be a historical one so when I turned the page and started reading, I was surprised.Now, the fundamental question is, how do you write a character who is not human? Oh I don’t mean the elves, vampires, all other supernatural races who often grace the pages of beloved YA novels – those who could be human if they didn’t have the supernatural powers. Ms. Cypess writes a character who is intrinsically inhuman and she is true to it. She makes an attempt to portray Isabel in a manner that makes the reader realize from the get-go that the “person” speaking to them is not, in fact, a person. And that is where many readers will be troubled.Isabel doesn’t behave in a way that is common or familiar to other heroines (who are people, powers or not) do. I applaud that. She doesn’t react in the same way people do to situations or emotions because that is not who (what?) she is. And I find this whole thing complex and fascinating and perhaps one of the rare times that an author manages to make a supernatural element mean more than just a titillation of the senses.(How do you, being human, write a non-human character?)Moving on from what I could talk about for a long time, let’s discuss (where I talk and you…read?) the other characters. The story is set in the midst of (and in anticipation of) political upheaval. The narrative and characters set against courtly intrigue, where what the characters say is almost certainly not what they mean. Rokan is an interesting character. For a hero, he is flawed. And I don’t just mean “trauma in his past so he require TLC from the main character to make him better.” I mean, that his choices, actions and words do not always illuminate him in a good light. But you are asked to look beyond that and into him. Perhaps not to understand him but to accept him.His sister makes a much more intriguing character and after Isabel, she is my favourite character. You’ll understand why if/when you read the story.All the other side characters are crafted with care and that won me over. Though they were shadowed by the enigma that is Isabel, they were still interesting to read.Isabel’s gradual return to humanity, her growth in increments into a humanity she didn’t know she possessed is fascinating. Her reactions and her puzzlement is very reminiscent to that of a cat but it is all executed with an elegance that makes Mistwood a very fun and interesting read. I recommend it to anyone who likes good writing, an interesting plot and a challenge.
