CECILIA (The Cecilia Series Book 1) by Sandra L. Rostirolla – Teen & Young Adult Myths and Legends, Teen & YA Dystopian, Teen & YA Dark Fantasy

Content and happy in a village nestled deep within the forest, eighteen-year-old Cecilia never realized a bigger world existed in Cecilia (The Cecilia Series Book 1) by Sandra L. Rostirolla.

After the Great War, Cecilia’s great ancestor led a small group of followers far away from the destruction left behind. For many years, they lived underground away from the poisonous air until it was safe to begin life above ground again. Now, generations later, Cecilia lives an idyllic life with her mother and two older brothers. One day, a group of dark riders decimates her village, killing every female and old person and taking prisoner all of the males old enough to join their ranks or serve as slaves for Vitus, a city Cecilia never knew existed.

After narrowly escaping the riders, Cecilia is visited by Siersha, the Goddess of Light. Cecilia now has a deep drive to save her brothers though she knows nothing of the world beyond her forest. Not long into her journey, Cecilia is attacked by Amalardh, a professional killer sent to find the lone survivor of the village massacre. When Cecilia saves Amalardh from a horrible accident, he can’t bring himself to kill the beautiful, innocent girl. He agrees to take her to Vitus to find her brothers. However, as the two become closer, it is clear Siersha has a purpose for them both unfolding from an ancient prophecy that must be fulfilled by the Flower Princess and the Wolf.

As the Dark Shadow named Eifa moves across the land, Cecilia and Amalardh know they must defeat the darkness before it annihilates the tiny shred of human goodness left in the world. But with an army of dark riders and the sadistic rulers of Vitus, the two will face a greater evil than they know.

A central theme of the novel is resilience.

Cecilia is an untested, completely innocent girl with no knowledge of evil. In fact, her greatest “sin” is her refusal to kiss Leighton, a boy with a hard crush on his former friend. Because Cecilia loves and respects the connection between all living things – and loves to tell stories of the myths and legends of her people, the village girls gather to listen to her stories about the Flower Princess and the Wolf while she braids their hair.

To Cecilia, the stories of the brave warrior princess are just beloved fairy tales until her initial visit from Siersha. At first, she resists Siersha’s urging to take the challenge of returning light to the world of men. However, when she sees the villagers’ bodies and that of her mother’s, she knows she cannot hide. That is when her resilience truly begins.

After burying the dead, Cecilia begins a journey she couldn’t have fathomed before the killings. She often questions her ability to accomplish such an enormous task, but she digs deep within herself to find the strength to go on each time. Even when confronted by Amalardh, the Dark Shadow of the Senators of Vitus, Cecilia refuses to give in to the darkness. When she begins to see the connection between herself, Amalardh, and the fairy tale she loves, she believes in her purpose. Through her resilience, Cecilia convinces Amalardh as well. Each group Cecilia meets questions her belief, but she never gives up and eventually convinces strangers to believe in her purpose as well. Cecilia rises to become the warrior princess, who, without her resilience, her incredible journey, both literal and metaphorical, could never have happened.

The love story between Amalardh and Cecilia is another beautiful facet of this novel.

Cecilia decided long ago never to love a man. but Amalardh’s story goes much deeper. Raised by the Senators for the sole purpose of killing, he has none of the softer emotions connected with love. After his father’s death, Amalardh was imprisoned and beaten for years, then trained as an assassin by the head of the army of Vitus. He has never known kindness from another human. When Cecilia, his next intended victim, saves his life, he cannot process his emotions. The evolution of his feelings in this savage world serves as an interesting juxtaposition with Cecilia.

Seeing the familiar world in this post-apocalyptic landscape will bewitch both lovers of fantasy and dystopian. Cecilia is a dark dystopian fantasy for young adults that promises more adventure to come. Sandra L. Rostirolla won First in Category for Cecilia in the CIBA 2017 Dante Rossetti Awards for Young Adult Fiction novels.