The Marsh King’s Daughter by Karen Dionne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Read June 12-13, 2017
This one came in from the library the day before I was leaving town and I was so excited to get it. I wasn’t sure how I could read it in a day along with the other things I had to do. Well once I started reading I couldn’t put it down and everything else just waited. It became a very quick read for me.
The Marsh King’s daughter is a heart pounding, compelling, interesting and unique character driven psychological thriller. When we first meet Helena she is happy and living with her family but news that her convicted father has escaped from prison has Helena is a heart stopping game and race against time to stop her father from reaching her family.
As Helena is racing against time we learn from flashbacks about her childhood being raised in captivity by her father. Innocent and naive, young Helena is oblivious to the fact that her and her Mother are being held captive. We see how she pieces together who and what her father really is. We see her go from adoring her father to realizing how controlling and evil he is and seeing how her weak cold mother is controlled by her father to understanding her Mother’s love for her.
Karen Dionne has created some compelling characters here that had me feeling very different emotions towards each. I loved Helena and her determination to stop her father. I felt sorry and heartbroken for her broken Mother and I loathed her Father.
Just a heads up there is a hunting scene that I was unprepared for for that was a bit disturbing and I didn’t like that.
The Marsh King’s Daughter was a highly engaging, entertaining, fast paced race against time for me, that I am very glad I finished in time. I highly recommend.
Penny For Our Thoughts 