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Reviewed by Cloie Belle Daffon for Readers' Favorite
Guard in the Garden: Fables of Finlestia by Z.S. Diamanti begins with a terrifying battle in Galium, in which Felton Hudlom is badly injured. Months had passed since the tragedy, and things were slowly returning to normal, despite the severe devastation caused by the dragon's fire during the battle. Although the majority of Felton's injuries have healed, he still suffers severe pain in his leg. As a result, it appeared that his military duty would end early. He'd committed his entire life to serving and protecting the people; what else can he do now? While recuperating at his twin aunts' home, he mistook a young woman for a robber, only to discover she owned their town's beautiful garden. Although the kind woman invited him into the garden, Felton felt uneasy there because someone appeared to be watching him. But in this garden, he also found new meaning. Read Guard in the Garden to accompany Felton on the journey he takes.
Z.S. Diamanti’s Guard in the Garden is well-written and heartwarming. Apart from Felton, there were many characters I loved, such as Lotmeag the foredwarf for his genuine care for Felton, Commander Qwen for her unwavering support for Felton, Felton's very caring twin aunts Cleary and Gael, Tobin for his compassion and warm personality despite only meeting Felton for the first time, Tullen for looking out for Felton despite the few times he may have caused a bit of trouble in his tavern, Tem the Tortoise for his mysterious personality, Tilli for being a ray of sunshine throughout the story, and Lili for being the most adorable character. There were also some useful lessons learned from each character's statements, such as Aunt Cleary's line, "Words have the power to breathe life or death," which is true. What you say to yourself will unintentionally become your reality, which is why constantly being kind to yourself matters so much, even when it is difficult. Another sentence I agree with is, "Though results vary, effort, when properly placed, is always worthwhile," which was brilliantly shown by Felton's experiences, actions, and the outcome of everything he accomplished. His road to healing warmed my heart, and I liked reading Guard in the Garden. Great work!
