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The thing I love about this month's trio of heroines is that one of them is resurrected and two of them are dead, Yep, I'm talking heroines with a distinctly supernatural vibe. ;-)
Another thing I love about this otherworldly troika is how they hail from distinct Fantasy subgenres. Karou is from Laini Taylor's wonderful romantic fantasy, Daughter of Smoke and Bone. Rose Marshall stars in Seanan McGuire's paranormal urban fantasy/ horror Sparrow Hill Road (Ghost Roads #1) and Yorindesarinen is a 'best supporting heroine' in my own The Wall of Night series, which is epic-heroic fantasy all the way.
On the surface, Karou, Rose, and Yorindesarinen are as different as their Fantasy subgenres, but there
is one more element that ties them together. All three have died under traumatic circumstances in their past lives.
Rose and Yorindesarinen are both easy to talk about in this respect without fear of spoilers, because Rose is already a ghost when introduced, and Yorindesarinen a spirit being living in a between-realm called the Gate of Dreams.
In the Ghost Road series, Rose was murdered in a hit-and-run. Her murderer, Bobby Cross, has sold his soul for immortality and Rose's murder was intended to seal the deal. Fifty-two years later, Bobby is still hunting Rose's ghost to finish what he started. In a tale spun between diners and highways--some real, some ghosts themselves--and constant tension between the living and dead, Rose must elude pursuit, deal with crossroads spirits and old gods, and find a way to finish Bobby before he ends her, once and for all.
She's brave and determined, ruthless in her dealings with the road's many predators, but also kind to those in need -- and when the supernatural chips are down, you definitely want Rose on your side.
Yorindesarinen is a spirit guide and mentor to Malian, the main character in The Wall of Night series. And yes, you're right -- she does have a really long name. :D That's because in her clan, the more magically gifted an individual, the longer their name -- and Yorindesarinen was the greatest hero and champion of her people, the Derai.
Like Malian, Yorindesarinen was a Chosen hero named in prophecy, but when the Derai fled a monstrous, demonic, and apparently unstoppable opponent, she died battling it alone. She also slew the monster, and has survived in spirit form to guide Malian and ensure that when she faces similar demonic forces, she won't do so alone. Yet her chief role, as Malian grows in strength, is to provide a moral compass in dealing with allies and enemies -- and like Rose, she is kindly disposed.
Ghost, check; spirit guide, check -- and then there's Karou. Initially, despite distinctive blue hair, Karou presents as a fairly standard young woman, having fun and open to adventure as she makes her way in the world. The reader quickly learns, though, that there's far more to Karou than meets the eye, starting with living in two realms. One is our world, the other is Elsewhere, where she serves the magician, Brimstone, who uses teeth to transfer souls into new bodies.
When Karou's path crosses that of an angel called Akiva, she discovers that Elsewhere is a city of monsters and devils besieged by angels. She also learns of the star-crossed love of Akiva and Madrigal, a devil who gathered battlefield souls for Brimstone to reincarnate, but was executed for treachery and her soul forbidden reincarnation. The more Karou learns of Brimstone's work and Akiva's war, the more she comes to suspect that she, too, is one of the reincarnated...
Past lives and present, Karou, Rose, and Yorindesarinen, are all brave and resourceful, resolute and daring -- and in addition to being kind, all three have a sense of fun. All great reasons to have them in my fantasy hall of fame. :-)
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Prior Posts: A Year of Heroines in Fantasy
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About Helen Lowe
Helen Lowe is the award-winning author of Thornspell and The Wall Of Night fantasy series, as well as a poet, blogger, and lover of story. She has recently completed writing the final book in The Wall of Night series, which is now with publisher, Harper Voyager.
Helen posts regularly on her “…on Anything, Really” blog, monthly on the Supernatural Underground, and tweets @helenl0we.
