First published 2009
Cam Attling comes home from war carrying secrets. His hunger has driven him far from his northern village, through battles that claimed every other soldier in his company. Now he rides back on a fine horse, his body broken but his tongue speaking kindly of the enemies who wounded him. The townspeople whisper. How did he alone survive when better men perished? What bargains did he strike with the foe? His return sets off ripples that touch everyone he left behind. His little sister watches him with worried eyes. His closest friend struggles to recognize the man who departed. His betrothed wonders if the person she promised to marry still exists inside this damaged stranger. Even his enemy, the Lord who maimed him, cannot escape the consequences of their encounter. As Cam's story unfolds, it weaves together with the lives of all those around him, from humble croft dwellers to castle nobility. Hinwood captures the weight of war's aftermath and the complex bonds between people trying to rebuild what conflict has torn apart.
Genres: literary-fiction, historical-fiction, war, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: damaged-hero, found-family, redemption
Setting: Northern Village
Period: Post-War
216 pages · Kindle Edition · Allen & Unwin
Content warnings: violence, war