Northlander

Meg Burden
Brown Barn Books (2007)
ISBN 9780976812685
Reviewed by Emily Judah (age 13) for Reader Views (11/07)


When I first received “Northlander” I thought that it would be a history book about some place called Northland.  But boy was I wrong. “Northlander” is an exciting book full of adventure and uncertainty.  Ms. Burden is skilled at making you feel like you are actually “in” the book.  I immediately fell in love with the characters and felt like I was with them during their good and bad times. 

“Northlander” is about Ellin, the sixteen-year-old daughter of one of the best healers in Southland.  Northland, the hated neighbor of Southland, is grieving over their soon-to-die king, King Allard the Prudent.  The Northland physicians know nothing whatsoever of how to help their beloved King.  In fact they are only making things worse for him by making him swallow horrible brews made of the most disgusting ingredients.  Finally one of the king’s physicians decides that the King’s only chance at life is the skilled healers of Southland.  If they can find a healer willing to come secretly to Northland and teach them how to make their brews full of fresh herbs and flowers, their King might have a chance.   So he invites Master healer Rowan Fisher to come and teach the Northlanders how to treat their King.  Healer Rowan agrees and travels with Ellin his daughter to move temporarily to Northland and heal the king.

Ellin is extremely unhappy in Northland. She has no friends to talk to, no familiar faces. She and her father must carry papers around and show them to the guards every time they go in and out of the city gates.  They are treated like animals by the locals and are always given nasty looks on the street.  One night she loses track of time while picking herbs for her father and the gates to the city close.  She is left pleading to the guard to let her in; he refuses and she is left to face the bitter cold and wild animals of Northland alone.  The guard then has pity on her and lets her stay in the abandoned guard house outside the city gates.  While huddled in the corner trying to stay warm, a young blonde-haired guard rushes in without noticing her and sobs uncontrollably at the table.  She decides that he is probably hurt, so she stands up to see what she can do.  She learns that he is not hurt but he is the youngest son of the King and that if her father doesn’t help the King now it will be too late.

I’m not going to go on with the story because I don’t want to spoil it for you but I have to say that “Northlander” is a great book that I will put on my favorite list for sure.  Ms. Burden is an awesome author that knows how to “pull” you into the story with the first paragraph o

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