Why am I passionate about this?
Raised on Nancy Drew who was herself outspoken and independent, I’m attracted to stories about barrier-breaking determined women who don’t back down from a fight. While many of the heroines of fantasy fiction have special abilities or can work magic, being able to stand up for oneself and speak one’s mind in the face of opposition is itself a superpower. I enjoy seeing how other authors portray it, what wrongs the heroines aim to put right, and how they do it.
Devorah's book list on stories featuring a strong female character
Why did Devorah love this book?
I was fascinated with the heroine Isabella and enjoyed watching her grow throughout this series. In Book 1, The Tower's Alchemist, she is like most young women her age. She could be content to spend her time having fun with friends, reading brides' magazines, and planning a future with the man she loves. But the world is at war and the good guys need her for her unique and particular talents. She accepts what she thinks will be her last mission. It’s no small task; she aims to stop the Nazis from deploying a monstrously deadly bio-weapon. The secret service she works for and the bio-warfare were inspired by actual WWII events which made the story even more believable. By Book Three she has embraced her special powers without losing her humanity. I liked her persistence and dedication.
1 author picked The Tower's Alchemist as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.
British intelligence wants her spying skills. A vampiric warlock wants to steal her powers. The Master Wizards who trained her want her dead...
Nazis have unleashed occult forces throughout Europe, and the Allies are forced to recruit wizards to counter their attacks. Among them is battle weary spy, Isabella George, a Gray Tower dropout trained in Alchemy. Longing for retirement and a life of peace, she accepts one final job...extract a deadly warlock from Nazi-occupied France and prevent him from unleashing an alchemical weapon that will devour the continent.
But France is crawling with the Cruenti, vampiric warlocks who feed…