A true classic of a tale

This was one incredible journey of a story. Archery has always interested me and I’ve never read a book set in historical Belgium. After becoming an orphan, Marieke makes a calculated decision to dress as a boy (changing her name to Marek) then becomes a squire for a competitive archery school. As it would be in real life, being a convincing boy is difficult for her and she realizes her time is limited before the truth reveals itself. I like how she muses “You can get used to anything” after spending some time with the other squires who smack each other regularly.

I really loved Marieke’s character – she’s very selfless, innocent, and wants the best for Tristan. The boys were also very realistic and everyone was so natural acting and unique. I loved her close relationship with Tristan, one of the best archers there, and how they become like brothers. While she loves him deeply, he sees her as a little brother.
The character who shocked me was Taran – he went from hating on Marek (though there always seemed to be an attraction/fascination there) to becoming more protective over her once he learned the truth.
(Spoiler alert: I found the chemistry between Taran and Marieke to be fascinating once he found out she was a girl, and the respect he showed for her skill considering the time period was pleasantly surprising. I kept wondering when he’d finally admit that he loves her despite their harsh encounters. Then his odd reaction at the end was confusing – he looked more annoyed at the fact that she was dying than torn up like Tristan and the other boys were. In the end, it was Tristan who loved her the most (even though it wasn’t romantic love).) I was sure there was going to be a sad ending and I couldn’t believe it was about to happen to her, but was then pleasantly surprised by what happened in the epilogue and the fact that there’s a sequel!
I cannot wait for Book 2 to see what happens between Marieke, Tristan, Taran, and the others!

My Rating: 5/5 stars

Where to buy Journeys: You can find out where to buy this book on Goodreads. 🙂

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