I recently purchased the Amazon Kindle edition of The Name-Bearer by Natalia Hernandez. I like the image of the indigenous woman on the cover. I believe her image is underrepresented in works of literature and other forms of media today. The book cover is visually captivating and it is followed by the image of a Royal Decree. After reading it, you will understand what a Name-Bearer is and why they are important to society.
When reading works of fiction, I like to start with a blank canvas. I am so happy that I had this approach when reading The Name-Bearer. The author uses language to describe the characters and their environments. The words paint excellent pictures for readers to experience. The writing in chapter one is mesmerizing; the descriptive language gives readers the opportunity to experience who the characters are, the visual composition of where they are in the kingdom, and the interpersonal relationships they have with each other.
I was immediately drawn to the story. It reminded me of the first time I read J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter; I enjoyed the story so much that I didn’t want to stop reading it. As the story unfolds, more paint is added to the canvas. Readers will quickly discover details on many aspects of culture in Andala-which is filled with magic, fantasy, and vibrancy.
The rising action in the story is filled with wonderment, excitement, and some obstacles. On the surface, Andala may appear to be somewhat of a utopian society, but that idea is juxtaposed with the reality of conflict that causes some of the female characters to train as warriors in order to protect the monarchy and its people. The new class of warriors are a collection of women who each have their own opinions and aspirations regarding their warrior training. Each member is described excellently by the author. In the middle chapters of the book, I enjoyed the process of learning about each prospective warrior and their outlook on society. Some were confident in their ability to become warriors and others did not think they could pass the trial. The interactions between these characters depict the emotional nature of their interpersonal relationships. It is particularly emotional when some members are away from the group. When these characters moved along in their journey, as a reader I learned about friendship, honor, respect and love. Each of these concepts are important in life and the world is made much better when people are receptive to them.
I also appreciated the depiction of some of the female characters having a friendship and a possible romantic interest in those who are away. This is a very important part of the story in my opinion. I am an ally to the LGBTQIA+ community, and I think both young and adult audiences who are receptive to what the characters are experiencing will find that they can relate to them, and see a beautiful depiction of love that should be appreciated in the story and in their lives.
There is so much more in The Name-Bearer. The main plot remains interesting throughout the entirety of the book, the plot twists and subplots are unique as well. My favorite parts of the story focus on the Flowers of Prophecy, which the Name-Bearer must communicate with in order to discover the name for the monarchy’s new born child. I think the Flowers of Prophecy is a great literary device that many readers will enjoy.
One of the things that has stayed with me after reading the story is the concept of being chosen as a Name-Bearer. It isn’t something that is always glamourous, although they are dressed in beautiful clothing and get the chance to spend more time closer to the monarchy in the kingdom. Before the age of three, Name-Bearers are chosen and are subsequently taken away from their parents and families. As they grow up, they have little to no memory of who their parents are and contacting them is strictly forbidden. These details are in the Royal Decree at the start of the book. After reading it, I began to empathize with the Name-Bearer. Over the past couple years, I have been a member of Ancestry.com and I had my DNA traced by them because I did not want to go through life and not know who I descend from. Before doing this, I struggled with issues of identify in much the same way as the Name-Bearer does. I can’t image my life without knowing the truth, which causes me to relate to what she is going through.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who is a fan of fantasy, fiction and Hispanic literature. At its core, The Name-Bearer is a phenomenal story that I think many readers will enjoy. The second book in the Flowers of Prophecy series is set to release in May of 2023. I am very much looking forward to reading it and seeing the success of both books. I think each book is going to do extremely well. Also, when I was reading, I thought The Name-Bearer could be adapted for TV or film. I think it would make a great series for a streaming service or a feature film. In the meantime, again I highly recommend this book as there are aspects within it I think many audiences will appreciate.
Buy The Name-Bearer (print version) here.
Buy The Name-Bearer (Kindle version) here.