Vessel

by Sarah Beth Durst

Reviewed by

Elizabeth Mosolovich

Liyanna is a member of the Goat Clan, one of the many tribes of the desert. Each clan is protected by a patron deity, and every one hundred years that deity comes into the physical world to work magic among his or her clan to make it strong. To do this, though, they need a physical body, a vessel, and because two souls cannot share one body, the vessel must die so the god can have his or her body, for the good of all the clan.

Liyanna is the chosen vessel of her clan's goddess, Beyla. On the appointed day, after many good-byes and a ritual feast, she dances the summoning dance as the clan magician chants the words of magic that will pull Beyla into Liyanna's body and push her out. But even as Liyanna dances long into the night and the early morning, Beyla does not come and she remains herself, much to the confusion and ire of the clan. Convinced that Liyann must be unworthy, her clan abandons her to the desert, despite the mutinous protests of her parents, whom Liyanna eventually forces to leave her, but not before they leave her enough things to survive if she needs to come back to them.

As Liyanna survives sandstorms and wolf attacks, wondering if she truly is unworthy and trying to dislodge the blasphemous feeling of relief at being alive, a boy emerges from the sands. Not just a boy, though, a vessel; and not just a vessel, but a filled one, taken over by the trickster god of the Raven Clan (and lover of the goddess Beyla), Korbyn. He tells her that five desert gods including Beyla have been kidnapped and trapped in false vessels, and along with the other gods' vessels, they must make a journey to free the gods or all their clans will perish.

Liyanna agrees, of course, and so they set out to the other clans and then east, to the place where the gods were falsely summoned. But those they think are the enemy may not be as evil as they think, and the one whom they dismiss might be the most dangerous one of all. As Liyanna  struggles with both her growing feelings for her goddess' lover and the desperate urge to stay alive and free despite all she's been taught, a powerful and angry force threatens to destroy the gods and all the tribes of the desert.

This was a wonderfully written book. Liyanna's struggles, thoughts, and feelings are clearly and endearingly felt, and her interactions with her traveling companions, especially Korbyn, are a delight to read. The fictional culture of their desert home is very interesting and exciting, and there are many twists and turns that make the whole book come alive and dance. I recommend this for anyone with a taste for romance, adventure, friendship, and a little bit of the supernatural.