Reviewed by Shrabastee Chakraborty for Readers' Favorite

Lorelai knew the bond she shared with her witch mother, Breanne, was special. She was the anchor in Lorelai’s life, the only person who truly loved her. So what if her love sometimes became a little too intense? After all, it was Lorelai’s disobedience or misbehavior that earned her frequent punishments, the bruises, scratches, and knocked-out teeth. That is what Lorelai told Odele, a monster-hunter with no magical abilities. In a world rife with feuds between witches and mundane people, they had to keep their friendship secret. What happens when Breanne finds out and tries to protect her precious child? Will the two friends ever mend their broken trust? What dangerous secrets haunt Breanne? Find out in The Rampion Child, a young-adult fantasy novel by Minerva Hart.

In this coming-of-age story, Minerva Hart deftly weaves separate subplots into an intricate and gorgeous tapestry. Starting with Lorelai, Odele, and Erin’s childhood days, the novel tracks them throughout the years until their storylines merge seamlessly into a bigger picture. The parallel world Hart depicts is not unlike our own, where the corrupt believers of True Faith obliterate all vestiges of different ways of life and demand absolute loyalty from the masses. The witches are afraid of prosecution, while everyone deems the monster hunters as outcasts. We shudder in terror as a war between royals, fueled by religious fanatics, tears apart the realm, drowning the commoners in abject poverty and hunger. Hart masterfully portrays the social injustice and the ever-rising conflicts between different factions. She highlights the contrasts between Breanne’s obsessive love, Sita, and Soraya’s nurturing love, and the king’s utter dismissal of his daughters with equal clarity. Her eloquent storytelling makes us empathize with the characters, each striving to overcome their emotional scars. The fantasy elements, including horrifying monsters, majestic dragons, and a twisted retelling of Rapunzel’s story, offer an immersive reading experience. I recommend The Rampion Child to any reader who enjoys fantasy.