The Shamer's Daughter by Lene Kaaberbøl

Mexican sterling silver dragon brooch

One of the best things about HK Battle of The Books is that they always chose at least one translated book to include on the list. This year it was the Danish story The Shamer's Daughter [Skammerens Datter] by Lene Kaaberbøl, the first in The Shamer Chronicles trilogy. Reading in translation allows access to stories that I would otherwise never have read. It brings new ideas, new worldviews, new worlds, new sensibilities.

Be careful what you wish for, because wishes sometimes come true.

Shame and Shamelessness

In a meadevel world, where dragons are kept as dreadful pets, in a quet village there lives the family of the The Shamer. The Shamer is a woman who can make you experience all your deeply concealed shame just by looking in your eyes. The gift is passed on the Shamer's daughter when she is old enought. Although, people are generally afraid of the Shamer and her eyes, they allow her to use her gift to restore order and punish the wrongdoers.

However, there are evil people in this world who can look straight in the eyes of the Shamer and never feel a thing. And that is how the Order of the Dragon has been created, and the army of man with dragon badge.

I have never before met a completely shamess human being. It must be strange to have no conscience at all.

The Shamer's daughter, Dina, is a brave girl who defies all challenges in order to save the ones that are falsely accused, wronged against and in need of the truth.

I looked my friend straight in the eye until she could feel that I knew she was a strong and brave girl who dared do practically anything.

It is so rare to have a heroine in a fantasy that I was really taken by this beautiful and heartstoping adventures. It is so harsh and bloody at points that it makes you cringe. But I still hardly wait to read the other two parts and maybe even wathch the movie (if I find it with subtitles).