Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 08/01/2017 *Starred Review* Sightings of the Ghost Girl of the Woods are met with terror, as misfortune swiftly falls on those who glimpse the slight, white-haired girl. For her part, Goldeline quite enjoys her dreadful reputation, though it’s Gruff and his bandits that travelers should fear, not the pale 11-year-old who works for them. Gruff became a surrogate father to Goldy after her mother was burned for witchcraft a few years earlier, and the woods have been her home ever since. But her life is upended again when she helps a boy, Tommy, escape Gruff’s men only for him to be intercepted by the person she fears most in the world—the evil preacher who killed her mother. Forging a path of destruction, the manic preacher hunts Goldy and Tommy with the single-minded purpose of cleansing them of witchcraft’s evil until an inevitable confrontation brings all to a head. First-time novelist Cajoleas writes with the ease of a seasoned author, conjuring an atmospheric setting that hums with menace and a compelling, unpolished protagonist. He explores the ambiguous nature of good and evil through the preacher’s misguided religious fervor and the love Goldeline receives from “bad” people, a witch and a bandit. Goldeline’s heart-pounding race through the woods reveals a complex, magical world that will give readers much to contemplate. - Copyright 2017 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 08/01/2017 Gr 4–6—Goldeline has lived a harsh life and is haunted by visions of her past. Her mother was burned at the stake for being a witch by the evil Preacher, and her fellow townspeople think that she must be a witch as well. Life in the Hinterlands is tough. Forced to live on the run from the Preacher, she spends her days colluding with a group of bandits attempting to steal from innocent passersby. While doing her "damsel in distress" act with the thieves, she encounters a young boy named Tommy who has lived a similar life—on the run, fending for himself. When she attempts to help Tommy, she unwittingly grabs the unwanted and dangerous attention of the Preacher. Goldeline and Tommy must work together to elude capture or face certain death. The only place to escape to is the dark, mysterious woods where magical creatures, undiscovered terrors, and her own potential magical powers await. Cajoleas crafts a story that echoes many elements of today's world while still being fully entrenched in the fantastical. Goldeline is a determined young girl who knows what she wants but is sometimes unsure of how to achieve it (a relatable feeling for many young readers). While the story suffers from pacing issues in the beginning, those who stick with it will be rewarded by a complex yet approachable mythology featuring a strong female protagonist. A solid purchase for most collections, particularly where middle grade fantasy is in demand.—Christopher Lassen, BookOps: The New York Public Library and Brooklyn Public Library - Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.