Book Review: When Women Were Warriors – Book I by Catherine M Wilson

Book Review by Dawn "Belladonna" Thomas

ISBN: 9780981563619
In-Print Editions:
Trade Paperback $14.95
Kindle e-book $0.99
Adobe eBook $9.99

This is a fictional story of an old custom when a daughter turns sixteen she leaves her mother’s family and goes to another woman to be a companion or an apprentice to a warrior. This tradition is based on an old story of a queen’s daughter. The daughter was out hunting close to the edge of the forest near the borders. The son of the neighboring queen was also hunting the same deer and accidently killed the queen’s daughter with his spear. When the queen was finished grieving she dressed for battle. As she was preparing to leave a young women arrived unarmed. She stated that she was to replace the daughter that the queen lost and so starts the tradition.

The main character in the story is Tamras. She is the daughter of Tamnet, a friend of Lady Merin. In keeping with tradition, when Tamras turns sixteen her mother takes her to Lady Merin’s house. She is slight and not big enough to be a warrior. She becomes a companion to Maara. No one knows much of Maara since she comes from a distant land. She has dark hair and eyes and is so different from the others in the house that are fair. When her warrior is injured in battle, Tamras disobeys the healer and prepares different herbs to aid the fallen warrior. Because of this her warrior does not die and she begins a relationship of trust. After a sign of strength and trust she becomes an apprentice.

There are folklore type stories within the book: Two Sisters, The Queen’s Mirror, and Giant’s Bones. This is a story of love between women. Tamras is young and did not have any sexual experience before coming to Lady Merin’s house. She learns what it feels like to be loved and touched by a woman.

For a limited time you can read Book I online – Click here to begin reading: http://www.shieldmaidenpress.com/Book_I_Chapters/Chapter1.html