The City in the Lake [Mass Market Paperback]

Strange and menacing things are going on in the Kingdom. It seems that the heart of the Kingdom is missing and everyone has to suffer because of it.
Months ago Timou's father, a mage, left their small village to solve the issues, but he never came back from the City. Timou learned the ways of magic from her father and decides go to the City to find him and learn more about the scary events that threaten the whole kingdom. On her dangerous journey she learns a lot about herself, her magic and her parentage. She also realizes that to restore the heart of the Kingdom she needs new allies.
Meanwhile Jonas, a young man from Timou's village, follows her because he wants to help her and has feelings for her. But he soon is captivated by a dangerous creature and it's not sure if he will ever be free again.
Will Timou and Jonas be able to heal the Kingdom? And will they find happiness?

When I first tried to read "The City in the lake" I stopped on page five. But not because the book wasn't great or didn't work for me. It was because to really enjoy and appreciate the story I had to read it in a quiet place and with a relaxed mind. I often read in the bus / on the train and most often that works perfectly. But sometimes a book like "A City in the lake" crosses my way that isn't made to read on the go, books like this one are best read when you are ready and willing to relax completely and forget everything around you.
The second time I started to read the book I was relaxed and at home. After only a few pages I knew that I was going to love Rachel Neumeier's writing style and the fantastic world she created. The rich language the author used is wonderful and nearly every sentence in "The City in the lake" created a detailed, fantastic picture in my mind. When I read about Timou's adventures it was like watching a beautiful fantasy movie and I was completely captured by it.

Timou was a wonderful heroine, I loved reading about her thoughts and feelings. The way she experienced the world was unique and captivating. I also liked reading about Jonas and I was fascinated with Lord Neill (Lord Bastard as he is also called). He was one of the most interesting characters in the book, the way he cared for the Kingdom and the people in it, despite what happened to him in the past, was impressive.
I enjoyed that all of the main characters contributed to the story and the rescue of the kingdom, everyone was equally important and got a chance to shine. I furthermore enjoyed the way the love story between Timou and Jonas was written. Like everything else in this book their relationship developed gently, beautifully and quietly.

When I finished "The City in the lake" I was so happy to have discovered a wonderful new to me author who writes fantasy novels that are beautifully written and touch my heart. I already ordered more books by Rachel Neumeier and can't wait to read them.

cover
I'm not really happy with the cover, I think it looks a bit weird, something about the young woman doesn't work for me.

final appraisal
"The city in the lake" is a beautifully written, impressive and quiet book that I loved reading. This book deserves to be read when you can concentrate completely on the rich language Rachel Neumeier uses.
I would recommend this book to all readers who enjoy reading fantasy and quiet, thoughtful books.

The story begins with the disappearance of a Prince. The heart of the Kingdom is the City, the heart of the City is the King, and the heart of the King is the Prince. After the disappearance of the Prince, many things go wrong, from the city to the farthest outlying villages.

Timou lives in a remote village where her father is a powerful mage. When the damage to the Kingdom becomes too much for them to ignore, Timou's father, Kapoen, makes a trek to the City to attempt to find the cause of it all. When he doesn't return, Timou decides it is up to her to unravel the mysteries in the Kingdom.

The world Ms. Neumeier created is very well put together and the characters are very distinctive. There were some elements that I wonder if they were suitable, such as the King's first illegitimate son being identified as Lord Bastard throughout the story, but I came to realize that it was really one of many talking points that teens can discuss with their parents.

THE CITY IN THE LAKE is listed as a young adult story, but I feel it would also be very appealing to adults. There were many layers to the Kingdom, just as there are many layers to this book. It was well written and inviting . I found the story to be very descriptive and it felt like a movie playing in my head. I enjoyed the book very much, but there may be elements in the story that some parents don't feel they are yet ready to introduce their children to.

Reviewed by: Breia "The Brain" Brickey