Recommended Read: Maresi by Maria Turtschaninoff

This week we have another recommended read for young adults. This one comes from Lydia Croft, whose been doing work experience with us here at The Reader, she's chosen fantasy novel Maresi.

Maresi is a fantasy novel written by the Finnish author, Maria Turtschaninoff. It is part of the Red Abbey Chronicles, of which the sequel, Naondel, is due to come out later this year.

The story is about an island, which is a safe-haven for girls who are struggling in a male dominated society, where women are repressed and persecuted. Maresi has lived on the island for many years as a ‘novice’ and is happy there and manages to adapt, despite her troubled past.

“I am no storyteller ... I will do my best only to describe what is relevant to my story and leave out everything else.” - Maresi, Maria Turtschaninoff

She takes a great interest in having knowledge of the island, and how it was created by the First Sisters, who came to build it as a sanctuary. Jai arrives and quickly becomes Maresi’s shadow, not leaving her side for fear that her father and other men from her hometown will find her and want to kill her, as they have already buried alive her beloved sister, Unai.

It is a fantastic story of women, the sisters and the novices, uniting against the male forces that want to harm them and the growing friendship of Jai and Maresi who eventually see each other as sisters. I would recommend it to any young adult as its story of sacrifice, friendship and unity make it a very intriguing read.