Finding Ramanata
Daughter of the Summit and Sea: Book Two
Robyn Dabney’s exciting fantasy novel Finding Ramanata blends politics and climbing as a girl attempts to dismantle a tyrannical monarchy.
Ectair is a patriarchal kingdom that King Adolar rules with an oppressive hand. Here, Klarke, who loves to scale lava tubes, marries Prince Otto, who conceals his true sexual orientation. In a quest to dismantle the king’s rule, Klarke sets out to find Otto’s twin, who was hidden after her birth to prevent the revelation of a fulfilled prophecy. Klarke also searches for Ramanata, an elusive name stitched on a handkerchief by Klarke’s deceased, heroic mother.
The narration is expressive, introducing characters, settings, and the particulars of rock climbing with concise, relevant details. The relationships are developed in clear terms, too, as when Klarke and her friend Rayna reunite: “my heart both tightens and swells. Rayna wears a simple white dürmel, her hair tied … She is alarmingly thin, and she carries a darkness in her eyes that terrifies me.” Such descriptions illuminate people’s interior landscapes, giving depth to the various subplots, as with Rayna’s struggle with her abusive husband.
The story is also thick with action, as when Klarke climbs Mount Opasno with her team. After the necessary preparations are made for this risky venture, the group ascends; the tension is palpable. Subsequent scenes move in quick succession, with the group reaching various encampments up the slope until a trusted ally reveals troubling information, deepening the suspense of Klarke’s underlying political scheme.
Finding Ramanata is a riveting fantasy novel in which a girl fights to overthrow an authoritarian regime and build an equitable society.
Reviewed by
Jennifer Maveety
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