The Arrow and the Crown (Book Review)
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“When the Beast emerges after seven silent years to wreak havoc on her home and village, Anne braves all her fears to confront him. She soon discovers that there’s more to the Beast than she realized… and more to herself that she ever imagined.” — Emma C. Fox, The Arrow and the Crown (back cover)
We all have fears—fears of heights, spiders, the dark, snakes, and people. Fears are a means of our bodies protecting us from danger, whether real or imagined. Ever since I can remember, I’ve feared vomiting; nausea at times could send me into incapacitating panic attacks. The fear was like being sucked down a drain; I could see it coming and I could feel the pulling and sucking of the waters, but there was nothing I could do but let myself be drawn under the swirling waves. That fear enveloped me from early childhood, to adolescents, to college and adult years, and to motherhood.
When my twins began eating food, one of them had a strong gag reflex. Many meals he would gag and even throw up. In the beginning, my instinct was to run; my limbs became hot and my heart thumped in my chest like a caged bird. I jumped from my chair and gripped the table. Yet in my anxiety, a greater emotion held me there: Love. My child was suffering. Even as he threw up, and my own stomach riled from it, I stepped (although weak-kneed) to his side and cleaned him up through gritted teeth.
In Emma Fox’s book The Arrow and the Crown, Anna is faced with her greatest fear: The Grünwald Forest. For as long as she can remember, she’s feared the forest—so much so, she will barely approach it for firewood or berries. The villagers aren’t all that keen on it either; they claim it is haunted with vengeful spirits, but even more, it is where the savage Beast—who tears apart farms and peasants—resides.
In the opening pages of the story, Anna is faced with a choice. Her beloved horse has fled from the barn and the yard is covered in both horse and Beast tracks leading into the forest. Will she allow her beloved horse to be devoured by this creature, or will she pursue him in hopes of saving him? You see, this is more than just a beloved horse; he’s also a primary source of income for her and her injured uncle to make ends meet.
Anna decides to let love overcome her fears.
Inside this forest, Anna will be faced many more times with the decision to choose love or fear—but I’ll let you discover that when you read the book.
This novel is one of those books that you can only read slowly because each phrase is so beautifully crafted. As if painting a picture with her words, Emma brings to life this fictional kingdom of Weissburg, which was loosely inspired by the medieval German region of Swabia. You can see, feel, and smell every detail of this story. For lovers of Tolkien with his intricate world-building and vivid descriptions, I highly recommend this book to you.
But you have to keep your wits about you. This story is filled with many well-designed plot twists, and you need to be watchful that you don’t assume you have it all figured out; keep your eyes alert for the clues the author has scattered throughout the story.
While this is a love story, it’s not just about a girl and boy falling in love; it’s also about our love for family, friends, and our communities. Anna will frequently be faced with the question of how far she will go for love, and what love looks like in flawed relationships.
