Orla Carson lives all by herself in a little hut surrounded by her garden, with Captain, her horse. Orla is an orphan, her mother died of an illness and lies buried somewhere, but Orla doesn’t know where.
Her hometown is a little place somewhere probably in northern Europe a few hundred years ago. People live off their land or are Haulers or are employed (more being enslaved, actually) by the Warden of the town. He produces ink, which he makes with pitchstone, mined out of a dark mountain.
Orla finds that her plants in her garden are sick, they have black stems. She needs the plants, because her mother was a healer, she made medicine for the townspeople. Orla has helped her, but she is still a young girl, she doesn’t know all of it. But she has the gift to understand plants, they talk to her. In search of the cure for the plants mysterious sickness, and the “mapafoglia” the sickness who condemns many of the townfolk to a quick death she decides to leave and follow a trace her mother left for her. It’s a long and dangerous journey because the Warden wants the cure for himself, to sell it with profit, he chases her. But she has some help from Idris (the brother of a sick hauler) and Ariana, the niece of the warden. Orla is very cautious and doesn’t trust ligthly, but Idris and Ariana prove their loyalty. Together they succeed, they’re able to make the medicine with the notes of Orlas Mom, left behind in her notebook, the greatest treasure Orla has.
It is a story that tells of very hard times, of being suppressed and lied to, and with no real chances of being able to stand up for your own rights. But nevertheless there’s hope. Even if it is very difficult for Orla to trust, she knows what’s necessary and her strong will and determination in combination with her friends special abilities like Idris knowledge of rowing boats and Arianas knowledge of chemistry finally help the entire townspeople to see that together they’re strong enough to punish the Warden.
A powerful story to remind you to keep on doing what is right and stand up against injustice.
