The Healer


Fiction - Fantasy - General
330 Pages
Reviewed on 08/24/2020
Buy on Amazon

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    Book Review

Reviewed by Grant Leishman for Readers' Favorite

Leah Brown knew from an early age that she was different somehow; special. When she tried to help a fellow runner at school, who appeared to be suffering, she realized the instant she touched her that there was something seriously wrong with her and that the girl’s heart was in trouble. Nobody was going to listen to a child, though, and when the young girl died that evening, Leah was branded some sort of freak by the other kids. In The Healer by Lisa Fougere, we watch as Leah grows older and begins to understand the power that lies within her. Strange dreams and the connection with another “healer” begin to open her eyes to the amazing abilities she has been gifted all the way down from ancient antiquity. Leah has an excellent support system but what she doesn’t fully grasp, at this early stage, is the effect these abilities will have on her young life, her relationships, and her entire future in general. She wants desperately to help people and to use her strange abilities for the greater good but there are plenty of people willing and able to throw obstacles in her way, as well as make her and her loved ones lives a living hell as they begin to understand the power of what they have unleashed. Through it all, Leah holds on tight to her dream of simply being a healer and helping people in this broken world.

The Healer is undoubtedly one of the most enjoyable and fascinating books I have read this year. Author Lisa Fougere has created some unforgettable characters in this story. Leah is a strong young woman who readily identifies with everyone who has been branded as different or strange and realizes, along with the university professor, that our correctional institutes may well be full of people with special abilities who have not understood or harnessed them in the same way that Leah was able to do. I loved the flowing style of the author’s writing that just carried the reader along in a wonderful and exciting adventure. Her creative use of flashbacks to ancient Egypt and the gods and goddesses of antiquity to explain the source of these powers was inspired and gave the story completeness. The relationships developed throughout the story were the key to Leah’s survival in a sometimes harsh and judgmental world. Whilst reading, I couldn’t help but have flashes of the X-Men stories, especially with Leah’s desire to find others who possessed these abilities and to be able to bring them together and help them understand and share what it was they were going through. I absolutely loved this story and will certainly be looking for more from this talented author in the future. I can highly recommend this read.

K.C. Finn

The Healer is a work of fiction in the fantasy, interpersonal drama, and mythology sub-genres, and was penned by author Lisa Fougere. Suitable for most readers due to the inclusion of only mild explicit language in some scenes, the work follows a fascinating plotline concerned with the central protagonist’s ability to heal others with the touch of her hands. As Leah Brown tries to offer good in the world, the suffering all around her builds tension as she tries to discover her gifts, but also sees how those gifts will affect her. What results is an endearing read with some really heartfelt family drama and powerful emotive scenes.

Author Lisa Fougere has crafted a superb read which touches the heart and the mind from cover to cover. The opening is such a high point that it draws you into the rest of the plot immediately, and though the drama changes pace and develops in different and unexpected ways, it always comes back round to some really emotive peaks that keep the excitement and wonder going. I also felt that Leah was a strongly developed protagonist and unusually ‘good’ for the fantasy genre, which is so often filled with edgy, dark figures in the current market. This tale presents a different take on an empathetic character and showcases the positive message of altruism, but also teaches us important lessons about kindness and growth. Overall, I would highly recommend The Healer to fans of fantasy fiction and family drama who are looking for something well penned and unique.

Lisa McCombs

A lover of words even when their meaning is a mystery, young Leah finds herself in the unexplainable position of manifesting the actual essence of one of her newfound words. Supernatural: Attributed to or thought to reveal some force above the laws of nature; magical; occult; mystical. Maybe that explains why she suddenly is overcome by an overwhelming sense of calm when she realizes that she is not crazy; just a little (a lot?) different than her friends. When Leah’s classmate collapses in gym class, Leah touches her and is immediately overwhelmed by a disturbing message that the girl is seriously ill. Upon questioning Ella, Leah is told that no, Ella is in perfect physical shape. How does that explain the blue lines Leah saw around Ella’s heart when she touched her? The next day Ella is dead, leaving Leah with her first on a long list of accurate premonitions that plague her through life. Left to be raised by her Aunt Mary Ann upon the death of her parents, Leah’s life as a healer leads her to true love, undying friendships, and a clear purpose.

The Healer is a fast-paced story of one girl’s search for normalcy in an abnormal existence. Author Lisa Fougere creates this believable young adult story that could easily be construed as fantasy. After careful research, I discovered that healers do, indeed, exist in modern-day medicine. The accuracy of their success may be a point to debate, but Fougere’s reliance upon actuality is intriguing. The Healer contains equal amounts of humor and suspense in a cinematically constructed read. The possibility of a sequel is evident in the open-ended conclusion that leaves the reader wanting more.