Domnall and the Borrowed Child by Sylvia Spruck Wrigley

The war claimed the best of the fae. Now there are no warriors and no elders with real wisdom. Those who remain do their best and work to train and prepare the young, but with only the fae who weren't strong or brave or smart enough to fight left it means the young are lacking in the better qualities as well.

Domnall isn't going to be the one to fix things. He's an older fae who'd rather avoid responsibility at all cost. Unfortunately, he's one of the few with the knowledge to help when a young fae falls ill, and even Domnall isn't coldhearted enough to risk one of their young!

Domnall knows that the only thing that can truly help is Mother's milk, which means finding a newborn human and swapping the two young ones temporarily. But the locals have taken extra precautions to guard against the fae, baptizing their children just days after the birth. Now will take all of Domnall's wit and cunning to save the young fae. And wit and cunning are key when Domnall's plan goes south fast.

Changelings! And fae! And changelings!

If I could make one request of Sylvia Spruck Wrigley, it would be for more stories set in Domnall's world. The tale is seated firmly in common fairy tale lore, but is told from the perspective of one of the fae.

And that fae is quite a fun one. He'll criticize the direction the other fae are heading but he isn't motivated to do anything about it unless it directly benefits him. His mission is undertaken in part to get others off his back and in part with the knowledge that it might impress a girl. And there's a little niggling guilt about the sick child as well. Like I said, he's not THAT coldhearted.

The story is pretty all encompassing, a wily adventure tale fraught with a little danger and suspense. I would very much like a tale about the war and a tale that takes place after Domnall and the Borrowed Child as well, but the one does stand alone without issue.

Domnall and the Borrowed Child is a story to be gobbled and gulped up in one sitting. I think Domnall himself would agree, considering. He'd also probably like it very much if you told everyone about his adventure.

Rating: 4/5