Treasure at the Heart of the Tanglewood

First, she is Brown Hannah - a healer who lives in the Tanglewood, a drab girl who for reasons unknown to her, unnerves the villagers who come for salves and charms. But when she challenges the magician who has held her captive for longer than she can remember, she becomes Green Hannah. Then she is Golden Hannah, traveling through the land, her talking animals and birds (and one silent fox) by her side. And, finally, Russet Hannah, when she finishes the long journey back to where she first grew, and learns the story of who she is, and why her long flaxen hair is interwoven with deep-rooted flowers, plants, berries, and wheat. A world that utterly involves the reader, bone-deep imagery, a journey that strides through the heart - this eagerly anticipated novel, Meredith Ann Pierce's first in five years, is well worth the wait.