To Cage the Spirit

Touchstone by Letitia Coyne

Disclaimer: I received this book from the author in exchange for a review. 

Summary: When war is all you've ever known, the promise of peace is more terrifying than any battle. For Freya, there is no life worth remembering before the army, and none worth imagining after. Born to the lowest caste of a brutally bigoted society, she's found no more horror on the battlefield than she knew on the streets.And she's earned a lot more respect with a sword in her hand.As a young man, Dragan was blooded on the rush of adrenaline and sated by the euphoria of victory. With Freya beside him as his partner, he was indestructible. But age and mortality are gaining ground, and cracks have started to appear.He's had fifteen years of war and he's earned his retirement.Together they survived the war. But can they survive peace when it means different things to each of them?

Review: A poignant story with a bittersweet ending.

I was warned that there was a sad ending so all throughout the book I was keeping an eye out for it. I was able to figure out what the sad ending would be. The ending was more bittersweet than actually sad. Although I am sure we all wish for a happy ending (unless we really dislike the characters), Touchstone needed the ending it had. Anything else would have been casting more characters into misery. I can only hope that Freya will be able to find true happiness and that Dragan will be able to find his own peace.

Touchstone, although not specific to any place, time, or country, does an incredible job of showing what war can do to people and how it affects them differently. Dragan wishes for peace and an end to his fighting. Freya wishes to continue doing what she knows best even as her body ages and injuries plague her. It was hard reading this book. Dragan was well meaning, but he still has the same prejudices as other men in the book. He never did see Freya for who see really is and that is a tragedy.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to those who want a realistic tale of how war affects people.