I have reviewed The Strangest Woman – The Past and Passed By by Lydia R. Outland for Reader’s Favorite.
The Strangest Woman – The Past and Passed By by Lydia R. Outland is a fiction novel in fantasy subgenre. The protagonist, Kyana, avoided humans like plague. Hiding in the deepest forests, she hunted animals for food and reminisced the old times. One fateful day, unknowingly, she saved the life of the king of Neira kingdom. It was during this fight that she got a deep gash on the side of her stomach. The grateful king, Damian Lystad, took her to Castle Lyist to cure her wound. The moment she gained consciousness, she wanted to leave the castle and go back to the safety of deep forests. This, however, was not meant to be. Days went by and she made connections with the knights, handmaids, and the king himself. Eventually, they became an important part of her life. Nevertheless, she could not stay here forever. So, as soon as she regained her strength, she left the castle. Destiny intervened once again, when Kyana saw an infamous “Faithful” leading an attack on Castle Lyist. Despite her logical brain begging her to stay out of it, she surrendered to her heart and paid a heavy price for that.
“That’s why you risked your life? That’s why you got stabbed? That’s why you nearly bleed to death on the back of my horse… Because the fight was not fair?”
Kyana shrugged. “Every battle deserves a chance. Everybody deserves a fighting chance…” No one deserves to be caught off guard… slaughtered in their sleep or snuck up on by cowards… “besides I was the only one around.”
– The Strangest Woman – The Past and Passed By by Lydia R. Outland
The Strangest Woman – The Past and Passed By begins with a king comforting his young prince in the midst of a heavy storm. He recollects the past when dragons enveloped the grounds and the skies. Magic resided in these dragons. Many people devoted their lives to caring for these dragons. These were curious people, interested in magic and devoted to a particular dragon or a specific family of dragons. They were called Faithfuls. What followed was a horrifying tale of fear and slaughter. Faithful is not the only concept that Lydia R. Outland, the author, has introduced. In fact, the gripping terminologies spanned from faithful, hirelings to fictional historical events like the First War and the First Peace. This is a clever trick of building the authenticity of the plot. Instead of bombarding names, events, and terms, Lydia R. Outland planted the seed of curiosity in the hearts of the readers slowly by mentioning one significant information at a time. This way, the audience not only comprehended the plot better, but also remembered the backstory in a much better way.
“After this execution, known now as The Sacrifice, the kingdoms set out to rid the world of these dangerous beasts. Eight more dragon egg swords were made and given to the most skilled and trusted knights among the kingdoms. These knights were dubbed Liberators and were burdened with a singular mission. They, along with their armies, scoured the forests, mountains, lakes, and valleys until they slayed every dragon. We, humans, pulled these creatures from the stone… and it was time we put them back. We cut out the monsters from this world, and we freed the Faithfuls of their poisonous influences. It too came with a price.
– The Strangest Woman – The Past and Passed By by Lydia R. Outland
The author has bestowed the same level of sincerity in creating believable side characters as the protagonist. In fact, dare I say, some of the side characters, like Ira, were unforgettable. The curiosity to discover the secret of Kyana compelled the readers to keep the pages turning. And even after the secret was revealed, the hunger to find out the consequences it would have on Kyana was insatiable. With a hint of romance, a gripping storyline, and an edge-of-the-seat action, The Strangest Woman – The Past and Passed By by Lydia R. Outland has all the right ingredients to be a bestseller.
Wish to request a book review/ beta reader? Click here.
“Ankita is a wonderful and professional reviewer who provides in depth and meaningful feedback. I have a lot of respect for her craft and carefully considered reviews . I’d highly recommend her to other authors .– Gill D Anderson – Author of Chosen 7 & Melita
“Working with Ankita was a pleasure as well as fun. She really enjoys what she does and this is evident in her quality of work and dealing with her. She was timely and professional with everything she did, and she even took the extra steps to create a thoughtful, engaging interview regarding my novel and…
“Very nice review. Ankita understood what I was trying to convey. The parallels in regard to today’s gender concerns apparently struck a cord. I know it’s a simple story about good vs evil, but I wanted Ankita and other readers to be able to look beneath the surface of the story. She does this in…
“I love this beautifully written review from Ankita Shukla. She summarized the book superbly, giving just enough to tease readers without spoilers. I felt like she really ‘got’ the book too, the characters, their complex relationship, the central themes, the emotional introspection. Her reader experience was very well articulated. This will be a great review…
“Hi Ankita, thank you for taking the time to read and review my book. I am, of course, always pleased to know when someone has enjoyed my writing. I am also pleased with all the specifics you were able to offer in your review, beginning with your well thought out summary. This inclusion in your…
“Thank you so much for reviewing my book. I thought it was wonderful that you picked out the best bits and made sense of what the book is about for new readers. I loved your choice of words – especially the final sentence ‘a phenomenal narrator’ . As a reader, I thought that the two-paragraph…
“This is a wonderful, exceptionally well-written review which shows a profound understanding of the story as well as its heroine and the dilemma she must resolve. In particular I appreciate the descriptiveness of the last two sentences. I am very grateful to this reviewer. Thank you, Ankita! – Elena Douglas, the author of Shadow of…
“Thank you Ankita Shukla for your honest, well- written review. I was pleasantly surprised to see it was ready sooner than I expected. – Darlene Williams, the author of Guarding Angel
“I really appreciate that the reviewer doesn’t just cover the setup of the book but also comments on the writing style and aspects of the book they enjoyed or were frustrated by. Obviously, I also appreciate the kind words! With regards to the cast confusion, I 100% understand and agree. I did my best to…
“Ankita thoroughly understood the story I was trying tell and eloquently captured it in her review of my book. She was quick in her read, thorough in her review, and expressed the essence of the story in a couple short paragraphs. Her phrase that my book is a “tapestry of immense emotions” was important to…
“Ankita Shukla is a superb reviewer. Ankita was able to pick up on details both large and small, recognized the greater themes as work, and expressed the layered quality of the book without giving to much material away. Ankita expressed her personal views about my book, Issaura’s Claws, in ways that fellow readers can appreciate…
“Wow. This review left me speechless. Of course it makes me happy to see that the reviewer loved the book, but the detail she uses to describe what exactly she liked is what sets this review apart. I’m so pleased that I can use it to help others decide to read my book. Exceptional job….
“Very grateful for such a wonderful review. It is hard to know how a book that you have labored over will be received. I feel I can hold my head high with this review. It gave appreciation where I never expected. – C.G. Abbot, The author of The Society (Elizabeth Grant Thrillers Book 1)
“The reviewer did an extensive and thorough review of the book pointing out the important themes and the plot points. I appreciate the time and effort she put into writing this amazing review. – Deanna Lynn Sletten, the author of The Women of Great Heron
“Ankita has proven to be professional and timely with her reviews, and her words are balanced and unbiased. Unlike a lot of reviewers I have come across, Ankita is passionate about the books she reads and her detailed critique shows she has invested herself deeply in an authors work. I highly recommend her to all…
“Working with Ankita was a wonderful experience. She was clear about what to expect and provided the review in a timely manner. The amount of promotion and places she posted is also great for an author wanting to get exposure. The best part was the review itself, which was so much more than the standard ‘plot…
