Far From Reality

“Women serve men, and you must prove that you can be a man before you may lead.”

 The Bear tribe have always ruled the Nation of Ruxdor, though with no male heirs to continue the line, Klawdia, the chieftain’s daughter and only child, must compete in a bestial rite of passage against four other tribal boys to retain her family’s sovereignty.

 The competition is set among the perils of the Death Peak Mountains and pits representatives from Ruxdor's five strongest tribes—Bear, Lion, Wolf, Snake, and Hawgrald—against each other in a race to slaughter their tribe’s animal and return home. Each competitor is overseen by an opposing tribe’s elder to discourage dishonesty.

 Klawdia is seriously injured by the bear she must slaughter, and a rival both saves her life and sabotages her chance of victory by cheating. When elders start disappearing from the competition, Klawdia must draw on the last of her strength to expose the truth and save her family’s lineage

For a short novella Bear Heart definatly packs a punch. Klawdia being a female must partake of a challenge (the first in more than 200 years) against 54other boys from the neighboring tribes (Wolf, Snake, Hawgrald and Lion) In order to be able to rule the Bear clan after her father dies. 

 From the get-go the book was fast paced and mesmerizing. I loved Klawdia's tough character and she definatly made some hard choices during the trial and afterwards. Not that it was easy for her, Skelkra of the Wolves was definatly a great bad guy and made me want to punch him in his naughty bits quite a few times. He just had that air of "I do what i want to get what i want no matter who it hurts or how badly i ruin someone" and that is what a great antagonist is all about. 

 Jaykel and the other boys did not get much play time but they add to the story. Klawdia's father was another one I wanted to punch, since Klawdia was a girl she was below the males and thus could be hit, slapped, beaten without recompense. It bothers me a lot when this happens in books but i think that is what the author wants, emotion: and this book will give you that for sure! 

 I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a short day read or a fan of fantasy and wants somethign different. The only complaint i think i have is the cover, it is god-aweful creepy! I do not like it and I do not picture Klawdia looking so "I'm going to eat your soul"-ish. Other than that, great book.