Saturday, March 7, 2009

Book Review: Drowned Ammet

Probably my favorite among the Dalemark Quartet books, Drowned Ammet introduces us to Mitt, a boy whose life takes so many twists and turns along the way that I'd ruin the story for you if I told you about it. I will at least explain the title, however. "Drowned Ammet" is a straw dummy who is thrown into the sea at the Holand Sea Festival every year, along with his made-entirely-of-fruit wife, Libby Beer. No one knows why this tradition is held; but not doing so, the Holanders believe, would bring the most frightful bad luck for the coming year. It is also said that whatever ship finds the straw figure of Ammet in the water is the luckiest ship in Dalemark, and the crew aboard will have good luck all their lives. Naturally, while fleeing for his life, Mitt (and the friends he makes along the way, Ynen and Hildy) find "Drowned Ammet" in the water. Adventures ensue. After everything he originally thought to be true is shown to be false, he eventually comes to terms with it and eventually learns a little more about his true purpose in life.

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