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Reviewed by Janelle Fila for Readers' Favorite
Calastan (Jein's Journey Book 1) by Cheryllynn Dyess is a young adult fantasy that is lyrical in nature and very descriptive. In Calastan, people live in peace with the surrounding landscape and harmonize with nature. They hold an ancient wisdom that allows them to respect each other as much as they respect nature. This isn't just a new fantasy world, but a completely new dimension that creates an almost spiritual connection to real life. Everything is created by the energy given by Mother Nature, or in this case, Goddess Alista.
However, in this new and beautiful world, there is a distinct line drawn between males and females. But the main character, Jein, is a strong female character who refuses to accept the roles that other upper class females in her land accept. She was raised to be a mother and is a beautiful woman, but she wants to be an elite hunter instead, which is certainly frowned upon in her social level. But she can't give up her fondness for activities that her society believes are more fitting for men. This, of course, results in a lot of conflict that moves the story forward and teaches a lesson that it is okay to be strong and different.
This is really a coming of age story and will resonate with readers who love a strong female main character. Young adult girls will especially appreciate Jein's strength and courage to be different and stand out in a crowd. It is an important message to send to all young people and one I think readers of this genre will greatly appreciate. I applaud the author for writing this story.
