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Supply management, infrastructure among the issues raised at first debate
TOPICS:2019 Federal ElectionBay of Quinte MPDebateweek-40-2019
UP FOR A DEBATE- Incumbent Bay of Quinte MP Neil Ellis makes a point while challengers Tim Durkin, Paul Bordonaro, Danny Celovsky and Stephanie Bell listen on at the Prince Edward County Chamber of Commerce/Prince Edward Federation of Agriculture sponsored candidates debate at the Regent Theatre Wednesday. (Sarah Williams/Gazette Staff)
On Wednesday, the federal candidates for the Bay of Quinte Riding converged on the stage of the Regent Theatre in a debate hosted by the Prince Edward County Chamber of Commerce.
The event lasted two hours, wherein the candidates fielded questions from the local Chamber of Commerce and the Prince Edward Federation of Agriculture as well as members of the audience.
Bay of Quinte MP Neil Ellis. (Sarah Williams/Gazette Staff)
Before responding to questions, the candidates took time to explain their platform and introduce themselves.
Incumbent Bay of Quinte MPP Neil Ellis focused on the importance of supporting small businesses while also investing in infrastructure as being key elements to helping constituents of this riding succeed.
"The cost of infrastructure deficit outweighs the financial deficit in the long term," said Ellis. "The people I've seen and helped over the past four years are one of the biggest reasons why I'm running for re-election."
Ellis also took the time to explain some of the investments the federal government has made since being elected and stated the federal government's goal is to reduce poverty by 20 per cent by 2022.
"Over the past four years $375,000,000 has been invested by the federal level to our riding. This translates to $34,000/person in the Bay of Quinte."
Tim Durkin is a fresh face for the Conservative Party, being a broadcaster by trade.
Durkin asserts that his professional training as a broadcaster taught him how to listen which has helped while talking to constituents on the campaign trail.
"Since we started this venture last April, we have talked to over 60,000 people and the same thing keeps coming up. And that is that people are getting by, but they're not getting ahead," stated Durkin, borrowing campaign messaging from party leader Andrew Scheer
Durkin's introduction focused primarily on national deficit and rising water levels in the BoQ.
"There's good borrowing, but in the last 40 years we have had the largest deficit any Canadian Government has had in a time of war and in a time of recession," asserted Durkin, adding that Plan 2014 needed to be reassessed as well.
Paul Bordonaro, the local candidate for the newly formed People's Party, opened his comments by expressing excitement to be part of a political party that, as he states, is the fastest growing party in Canadian history.
Tim Durkin. (Sarah Williams/Gazette Staff)
He focused on rallying support from the general population while explaining the platform of the newly formed party. Bordonaro cited four principles that guide the policies of his party.
"The People's Party is built on the foundation of four core values…personal responsibility, individual freedom, respect and fairness," he stated.
"The Conservatives and Liberals are globalists. We are nationalists," said Bordonaro. "Our plan looks after all Canadians first, not the rest of the world. With a population of 37 million, we only represent half of the planet. Yet, somehow, our two main parties feel they can be the welfare state of the planet."
Getting down to some details, Bordonaro states that his party would eliminate unnecessary foreign aid while focusing on humanitarian aid. He also stated that the PPC wants to put immigration in line with the needs of Canadians.
"The present immigration policies are costing tax payers billions of dollars a year and lowering our standard of living and quality of life. We want immigration reform to improve our country, not destroy it," said Bordonaro.
Danny Celovsky, the Green Party Candidate, conceded that he gave some thought to opening remarks, but decided they were written better by Greta Thunberg, who recently spoke to the UN about climate change.
His speech, like that of Thunberg, focused on the need for action on climate change.
"The climate crisis was treated like every other issue or even less than that. We must admit that we do not have the situation under control. And, we must admit that we are losing the battle. We must stop playing with words and numbers because we no longer have time for that," quoted Celovsky.
Last but not least, in her opening remarks Stephanie Bell touched on several policy platforms put forth by the NDP.
Like The Green Candidate, Bell invoked Greta Thunberg in her opening remarks, lauding Thunberg's efforts to bring more attention to climate change, meanwhile decrying what little has been done about this issue.
"I'm sure many of you, like me or like Danny, were struck by how much we haven't done-that we had let her (Greta Thunberg) down. That she was right. It reminded me a lot of myself as a child, actually," expressed Bell. "I'm so disappointed that I haven't made more of an effort for her and her generation…and so, her speech has really motivated me again today, and this week and at this time, to be and to say again, we have to deal with climate change."
Questions were moderated by Paul Martin with each candidate given fair time to respond.
Danny Celvosky. (Sarah Williams/Gazette Staff)
The first question was posed by the Chamber of Commerce, who asked what each candidate what their party would do to invest in vital, rural infrastructure.
"The current federal government made investing in infrastructure a priority. Most of the investment appears to be focused on urban infrastructure," stated the chamber.
Responding first to this was Durkin, who reiterated the lack of federal funding for local infrastructure.
"We hear the numbers that are thrown around about investments and infrastructure in this riding. I've talked to the mayors. Those numbers are not for your roads or your sewers or your bridges," stated Durkin, citing Highway 49 and other roadways in the BoQ that are in desperate need of repair.
Bordonaro took his answer in a different direction than Durkin, drawing attention, instead to what he feels is a lack of "follow-through" by the federal government with regards to funding.
"We're all concerned about affordable housing…but the problem is, it isn't just money, because the government often hands over money-for example, provincially, they hand it over to every board of education and they don't follow the money," he stated, adding that he would try to expedite programs when money was delivered.
Celovsky emphasized that while more money does need to be spent, Canadians need to be careful what infrastructure they support.
"In terms of infrastructure, we need to put a lot of money into infrastructure. But, we need to put it into the right infrastructure. We need to put it into the infrastructure of the new economy. The new economy is a green economy-a multi-trillion dollar opportunity worldwide," stated Celovsky.
The local Green Candidate believes now is the time to make sure the emerging green infrastructure sector has a presence across Canada, in both rural and urban settings. Celovsky also believes that doing so would create jobs and subsequent prosperity across the country.
"We have to get our share of that opportunity and that comes from leading. I would rather be a leader than a follower. And, my proposition is that we lead. And, that involves three levels of government working together, not one in isolation," argued Celovsky.
Speaking to the need for better rural infrastructure, Bell touched on the need for affordable housing as being at a crisis point.
Paul Bordonaro. (Sarah Williams/Gazette Staff)
"I'm so glad to be working with a party that is committed to building 500,000 affordable homes if elected. I'm also excited that they're talking about expanding all rural high speed broadband as soon as possible," stated Bell.
Among the other infrastructure changes the NDP are proposing, as Bell points out, is reliable public transportation.
Bell further stated the NDP have a plan, 'The New Deal for People', which offers green solutions for delivering the infrastructure, as opposed to relying on methods that may be less effective and more polluting.
Ellis pointed out the Liberal Government has delivered $33 billion in funding, across various streams, since being elected.
However, Ellis also notes the process of infrastructure funding is not entirely up to the federal government with the provinces ultimately deciding where the allotted money goes.
Of the $33 billion given to provinces for infrastructure, $20 billion is for transit, $9.2 billion is for green infrastructure and $2 billion is given to rural and northern communities for wide-ranging infrastructure needs.
"The process of infrastructure funding is not entirely, as I've said before, in the federal hands. Applications are submitted to the province for review, the province then makes recommendations and prioritizes projects for the federal level of funding approval," stated Ellis. "Prior to the start of the election, I was working with both the Minister of Rural Economic Development and the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities. We determined that with Doug Ford's government, the province did not prioritize our local projects and therefore there is a waiting process wherein the applications are under review."
Bloomfield dairy farmer Don Williams posed the second question to candidates.
"Supply management is a huge factor for our operation. What are you going to do to defend supply management when Canada is negotiating trade agreements with countries who want to access our market for dairy, chicken and eggs? How do you intend to compensate Canadian producers who have lost revenue to the agreements that have already taken place, and make it in a timely manner?" Williams wondered.
Stephanie Bell. (Sarah Williams/Gazette Staff)
Bordonaro was quick to respond that the People's Party intends to abolish supply management.
"Our position may not be favourable to you, but it is what it is. We intend to abolish supply management. It will help consumers by making dairy and poultry cheaper for a lot of people. There are a lot of families suffering out there with the cost of living. Over a five year period, we would compensate the farmers for their quotas. We would open up the markets by removing the inter-provincial trade barriers," stated the People's Party Candidate.
Celovsky stated that farmers seem to be happy with supply management, so the Green Party would rather not "mess with it".
"The concern here is about bringing in other agricultural products from other parts of the world, which affects the supply chain system and is either going to reduce the quota volume or drop the prices," said Celovsky. "What I'd like to do is tinker with it a little bit and see if we can get our local farmers to supply us locally."
Reading from the NDP party platform, Bell asserted that her party was fully prepared to protect the supply management system.
"We're interested in farm entrepreneurs and making them be able to innovate and grow. We will evaluate all potential trade deals for their social, environmental and gender impact on Canadians," quoted Bell.
The NDP candidate also added that she believes there is value in being able to shop locally for Canadian produce.
"I just like being able to go to the grocery store and buy eggs, milk and cheese that came from Canada," she stated.
Ellis also stated the Liberal Government supports supply management "through production control known as provincial quotas."
"We also support high tariffs on non-domestic goods coming into Canada to ensure a market for domestic dairy," stated Ellis.
Durkin stated the need for supply management as well, citing health concerns and other quality related discrepancies between domestic and non-domestic agricultural products.
"There are a couple issues, one is the standards for milk (elsewhere) are not the standards you have in Canada. On top of that, spent fowl have been found coming in. Spent fowl is a hen that has laid eggs all her life. It's not meant to be meat-but they're coming in with meat birds and that's unacceptable as well," stated Durkin.
Durkin also stated that when farmers lose trade deals, it is important they receive "back-end" money from the government.
With members of the audience lining up down the aisles of the Regent to ask questions, several candidates offered their time after the debate to field any unanswered questions.


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Author: cjconnollybooks
Ding, ding! Beach read round two
January 25, 2023 January 25, 2023 cjconnollybooks
Yep, it's happening, friends! This week I accepted a new deal with my lovely publisher, Joffe Books, for my second novel to be published! I'm so very happy. This is a contemporary romance novel that I wrote while furloughed from my day job during the pandemic, in summer 2020. It definitely has all the vibes… Continue reading Ding, ding! Beach read round two
Hangul on every (Korean) word
December 14, 2022 cjconnollybooks
Okay, the above is a really bad pun on the name for the Korean alphabet. But seriously, friends... my debut novel, The Love of My Other Life, is going to be translated into Korean and published and sold in Korea! Isn't that wild? I can't believe my luck. I got the news just this morning… Continue reading Hangul on every (Korean) word
The Love of My Other Life's most scathing reviews
November 28, 2022 cjconnollybooks
Honestly, some of these are hilarious. I mean, maybe it's odd that I want to share the absolute worst of the reviews I've seen for The Love of My Other Life, my debut novel. But after a while, and when you've got enough good reviews to feel confident in what you've put out there, the… Continue reading The Love of My Other Life's most scathing reviews
For those who like to listen
September 2, 2022 cjconnollybooks
Hi friends! I hope you've been having a great summer - I certainly have been, with my recent New York trip and then a fabulous, near-three-week European vacation that I've just returned from (check out my Instagram profile if you're interested in more on that). While I was in Croatia, the audiobook of The Love… Continue reading For those who like to listen
A hot New York minute
August 6, 2022 cjconnollybooks
Last weekend, I attended my second Writer's Digest Annual Conference (third, if you include the annual WD Novel Writing Conference in Pasadena), and I'm still buzzing from it. These events are always completely incredible experiences for writers. So many amazing sessions on craft, publishing, the business side, querying agents, and so on. And so many… Continue reading A hot New York minute
Weighing my first really tough decision
July 15, 2022 cjconnollybooks
I had my first truly challenging decision to make this past week, regarding my book, and I thought I would share what happened here. Some of you will have followed my posts explaining that a wonderful UK agent, Lorella Belli Literary Agency, is working with my publisher to sell additional publishing rights to other publishing… Continue reading Weighing my first really tough decision
A Spotify soundtrack to my story
July 8, 2022 July 8, 2022 cjconnollybooks
When I was a kid (showing my age here), I used to love mix tapes. And if you were given a mix tape by a friend - or even better, a crush - that was the ultimate compliment. It showed they thought about all the songs you might like, that they like too. It says,… Continue reading A Spotify soundtrack to my story
June 30, 2022 July 8, 2022 cjconnollybooks
My debut novel is finally published, and I'm so happy! I'm incredibly grateful to everyone who has helped me along this journey, which was six-and-a-half years in the making. Of course, I've thanked them all in my acknowledgments at the back of the book, which I wrote a while back. But I also want to… Continue reading It takes a village
Becoming a social butterfly
June 20, 2022 June 20, 2022 cjconnollybooks
The learning curve never stops for this newbie author. Not least is the myriad ways in which I've had to expand my social media skills and vocabulary, in order to have the kind of online presence that's expected of authors today. And yes, I'm a Gen X-er, so I'm not exactly dialled into trends. I… Continue reading Becoming a social butterfly
Getting my work in Czech
June 16, 2022 cjconnollybooks
Another ta-da! of good news today. I woke up to an exciting email from my publisher at Joffe Books, forwarding an email from their sub-agent who specializes in audiobook and foreign language rights (remember: the one who sold the audiobook rights to The Love of My Other Life?) Well, this agent, Lorella Belli, had been… Continue reading Getting my work in Czech

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Best Greenpeace Actions Photos 2020
Our courageous volunteers and activists have never wavered from selflessly sounding the alarms about the climate crises. Here's some of the best photos of 2020.
by Sudhanshu Malhotra
2020 has been a difficult year for so many of us. Lockdowns and social distancing became the "new normal", changing our lives as if we're living through a science fiction movie.
Despite all of the hurdles, 2020 threw at us, our courageous volunteers and activists have never wavered from selflessly sounding the alarms about the climate crises. Check out some of the best images from our actions teams across the world in 2020.
© Robert Ormerod / Greenpeace
Greenpeace UK and supporters are outside Edinburgh's Court of Session on the first day of the trial. BP's rig operator, Transocean asks Scottish courts to jail Greenpeace's boss and punish the campaigning group with huge fines. Last June, Greenpeace activists blocked a BP rig from drilling new oil wells in the North Sea for 12 days. Transocean secured an interim interdict, with BP's consent, which Greenpeace was accused of breaching by continuing its protest.
© Jongjin Lim / Greenpeace
Youth voices via holographic projection at National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea. The projection shows 33 youth representatives delivering emotional speeches against the background of the National Assembly to urge politicians to act on the climate crisis immediately.
© Bernd Hartung / Greenpeace
Projection at Nuclear Power Plant Philippsburg Germany. Greenpeace Germany celebrates the destruction of the two cooling towers of the nuclear power plant Philippsburg with a projection. It reads: "Making room for the energy turnaround" and #NOMONEYFORYESTERDAY. The Nuclear power plant will be deconstructed.
"Save Our Lantau" Paragliding Action in Hong Kong © Vincent Chan / Greenpeace
Two paragliders from Greenpeace Hong Kong fly over Lantau island in Hong Kong, urging the government not to go ahead with the 'Lantau Tomorrow' reclamation project. The Hong Kong government's "Lantau Tomorrow Vision" reclamation project will cost at least HKD 624 billion (EUR 68.3 billion) and will not only destroy Hong Kong's precious marine ecology and biodiversity but also drain Hong Kong's fiscal reserves.
Modern Slavery Of Indonesian Fishers Protest in Jakarta © Adhi Wicaksono / Greenpeace
Modern slavery of Indonesian fishers protest in Jakarta. The Indonesian Migrant Workers Union (SBMI) together with Greenpeace Indonesia conducted a peaceful action in front of Presidential Palace in Jakarta, to encourage the President to immediately ratify the Government Regulation draft on the Protection of Indonesian migrant fishers. According to the SBMI-Greenpeace Investigation Report Paper regarding data during 2015-2020, there were at least 11 Indonesian crew members who were victims of forced labour and even died on foreign ships. It is not uncommon for their bodies to be thrown into the high seas.
Project North Sea: Activists Swim to Oil Rig in Denmark © Andrew McConnell / Greenpeace
Activists Swim to Oil Rig in Denmark Four Greenpeace Denmark activists hold up banners reading "Fossils or Our Future" while swimming with the oil platform Dan Bravo in the background. The activists have swum from the Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior, across the Dan oil field in the Danish North Sea to peacefully occupy the Dan Bravo oil rig to demand an immediate ban on all further oil and gas exploration in Denmark, followed by a complete phase-out of domestic fossil fuel production and a massive expansion of clean offshore wind power.
© Dmitry Sharomov / Greenpeace
Greenpeace Russia activists hold a banner reading "The world is changing, you are not", with the industrial landscape of Norilsk in the background. Norilsk is the world's northernmost city with 150,000 inhabitants and is the second-largest city (after Murmansk) inside the Arctic Circle. It is one of the only three large cities in the continuous permafrost zone and the most polluted city in Russia. There are a lot of ecological problems (air pollution, acid rain, smog, dumping of polluted water) due to the mining and metallurgical plants owned by Norilsk Nickel.
© Josh Edelson / Greenpeace
Greenpeace USA activists sail out on the San Francisco Bay with a message for American Congress and the oil industry. The activists display a banner reading "Oil Is Over, The Future Is Up to You" next to the Amazon Flacon, one of the dozens of crude oil tankers stuck off the California coast as the oil industry grinds to a halt. This action comes as Congress begins negotiations on the next coronavirus (COVID-19) stimulus package, and as the oil industry unleashes a lobbying frenzy in hopes of securing taxpayer dollars to prop up its obsolete business model.
SONA Protest in the Philippines
Greenpeace Philippines joined the broad, multi-sectoral protest at the University of the Philippines ahead of President Rodrigo Duterte's fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA). Along with other groups, Greenpeace Philippines is calling out the Duterte administration for failing to bring about more inclusive, people-centred, responsible and accountable governance, especially in light of its militarized response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and attempts to silence critical opinion and dissent.
© Gordon Welters / Greenpeace
Climate Strike with Light Painting during Coronavirus in Berlin. In support of Fridays For Future's first global digital climate strike, a Greenpeace activist released ghost images of a climate demonstration in the early hours of the morning on the open space in front of the Reichstag in Berlin. In translucent images, he showed climate activist Greta Thunberg and scenes from last year's large-scale climate strike demonstrations. The activists use a pixel stick to paint their message during the darker hours.
Sudhanshu Malhotra is a Multimedia Editor at Greenpeace International and you can follow him on Instagram.
Tell Congress we need a strong Green New Deal!


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Jump to ratings and reviews
The Price of Magic #1
The Ninth Sorceress
Bonnie Wynne
673 ratings99 reviews
In the blackest dungeon of the Clockwork City, a prisoner lies bound in silver shackles. Who is she? And why are the wizards so afraid of her?
Seventeen-year-old Gwyn has no family and no past. Apprenticed to a half-mad herbalist, she travels the snow-blasted High Country, hawking potions in a peddler's wagon. Her guardian hides her from the world like a dark secret, and she knows better than to push for answers.
But when she discovers she is hunted by the goddess Beheret, Gwyn is drawn into a deep and ancient tale: of chained gods and lost magic, of truths long buried and the rising of a war she never could have imagined.
Wizards and their magic-sniffing hounds pursue her – as does a stranger in a smiling mask, who calls her by an unfamiliar name…
But what really terrify her are the dangerous gifts she's spent her life suppressing. Now, Gwyn must step out of the shadows and take charge of her destiny – even if the price is her own soul.
The Ninth Sorceress is the breathtaking first instalment of The Price of Magic, a sweeping fantasy saga full of rich storytelling and tangible magic.
GenresFantasyYoung AdultMagicFictionWitchesParanormalYoung Adult Fantasy
486 pages, ebook
Book details & editions
5 books79 followers
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
Helen Scheuerer
Author 30 books581 followers
It's been a while since I've fallen so hard for a novel, but Bonnie Wynne's debut swept me off my feet and refused to put me back down. Written in stunning prose, The Ninth Sorceress is a breathtaking book that's brimming with worldbuilding you can almost touch, and a diverse cast of morally grey, but loveable characters.
This novel feels like 'classic' fantasy: epic adventures, magic and dark forces, as well as a beautifully crafted coming-of-age narrative. I can't speak highly enough of this title. Would 100% recommend it to those who loved The Name of the Wind and The Queen's Poisoner.
Sofii♡ (A Book. A Thought.)
401 reviews426 followers
WOW, I'm so surprised by this book! I really feel happy for having decided to read it. It's a super entertaining fantasy with so many plot twists that keeps you hooked from minute one. I really like and appreciate the details that the author has put in this book in such a unique way and make it stand out from the rest. It has a solid beginning, well-created characters and a captivating plot that's becoming more and more twisted. Maybe it has some details and situations that I 'd have changed or I'd have liked to have happened differently, but it's a super personal opinion, from my point of view, and I'll tell you more about it.
4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
You can find more reviews and more content in my blog A Book. A Thought.
It all begins in a dark cell inside the Mechanical City where they have imprisoned a young woman who will be the one who tells us this story, a story that follows Gwyn, a 17-year-old girl who lives in a traveling house with her caregiver through the Kingdom selling positions. She doesn't know much about her past or where she comes from, she only knows Acepis, the person who took her out from the streets and took care of her all her life. But one day everything changes for her when she discovers that she's wanted by the goddess Beheret and is there when she is introduced to a world she doesn't know, of chained gods and dark magic. With fearsome wizards and fierce hounds behind her, Gwyn must learn to survive while she meets a group of people who are willing to protect her. And while discovering her true identity, she must also take charge of a heavy destiny.
I had a huge nostalgia feeling with this book because reminds me a lot to old fantasy books, especially Harry Potter & City of Bones, you know when the "chosen one" must learn to use his powers and there's a lot of his life that they ignore and are almost thrown into a world full of dangers, and all this made it super fun. It has a super solid beginning, and one of my favorite things is that, in fact, the story as such is told by someone who you don't know who he is and then gradually reveals himself. I think that detail gives a whole new atmosphere to the book, super interesting, mysterious and intriguing as well. I also like that the Wizards are like the "villains" of the story, not their totality, but the majority of them are a threat to our main character and that's something quite original for me. There are also shapeshifters, which I adore, it's always a good addition, I find it fascinating it's a type of magic that I enjoy seeing and also handles hundreds of possibilities for the plot. And then we also have many ranks within the magic itself, but I think it's worth highlighting the necromancy since I think it's one of the most interesting and dark branches to explore, and that topic is touched a lot in the book.
I think that, at the beginning, it was very atmospheric and very beautiful, the places where the plot takes place are really nice, but I think while the development of the world progress it's super confusing for me, I like the map and I know that it's very thought out, it just didn't resonate much with me. There are too many mentions of places that you don't know during the story or where you never go or just go through a place and has a super complicated name and at that moment I found myself lost, even so, I know and I feel that this could be something amazing, so if you like world buildings, this could be a very interesting one to visit, although complex.
I like the writing style a lot, it's always a breath of fresh air when a writer gives you a plot that shows that it's complex but at the same time, it's well explained and easy to read despite being a very complete fantasy in all the senses. I would very much like to read more by the author in the future.
I think that one of the negative points, or at least not resonated with me, was almost towards the ending when more things begin to be revealed about the origins of the magic as such and the birth of the gods. On the one hand, I think the idea is great, I personally love when there are gods in books, but this time I felt that it was a lot of information for a single book and more when it's the beginning of a series. It's difficult to keep all that information while many things are happening with many characters, at times it feels recharged and can make you feel overwhelmed, you know?. I loved the idea, though, that's not the problem, but in a book that has a plot with so many twists and so many stories, I think it might have been more prudent to go slower and not throw all the information in the first book.
I liked the characters, especially Acepis, that although it has little protagonist, I usually love this type of character who are caregivers and masters who sacrifice themselves for others, I think it's very noble and I admire that. I like Gwyn, I think her decisions are decisions that I would make myself, I feel that she's easy to love and is a reasonable and quite mature person for her age, especially for all the super complicated situations that must happen, find out who she is, her relatives and the danger, is a lot for a young girl and she knew how to handle it quite well. With mistakes and everything, is a good main character that promises a lot of growth. There are many characters so I'll try to talk about the main ones: We have Faolan, he's like a necromancer master and at the beginning, I didn't like him very much, I was distrustful of him all the time, but in the end, I think he's a good character since he contributes a lot to the plot. Lucian's great and I enjoyed his relationship with Gwyn because although you know that there could be something happening there, never feels forced and is such a kind relationship of respect that I liked a lot, for now, I can say that it's a beautiful friendship. Idris is a super mysterious character that will surely have thousands of secrets yet to know, I don't want to talk much about him because I think the fun thing is to find out who he is and what his role in the story is. Ygriel's participation was super confusing at first, he appears in dreams and gives a lot of mystery to the plot and expectations of knowing who he is and what he will do, is very well created, although I think he needed more development as a character. In general, I think everyone is solid and everyone can grow in the following books, without a doubt.
So, it's a great story, it's about discovering who you are and what your role in life is, it's also about family and that it will always be the one we choose for us and those who support us. There's a lot of magic going on, gods with incredible powers and a highly political side of a fairly tyrant city. I think it's a great adventure and that it's very worth discovering more about it while you read, it's full of twists and never stops bringing new things to the spotlight, so without a doubt, is an author that will surprise you in the future. I highly recommend it if you like the "chosen one" plot, if you like to explore different types of magic, blood magic, black magic and so on, if you like political intrigue and especially if you want to discover many hidden secrets behind a dangerous and crazy family lineage
First Thoughts | 01-05-20
I enjoyed it a lot, in fact, much more than I thought I would!! It's such an entertaining fantasy with lots of adventure and interesting twists. I rememeber lot of my favorite fantasy series reading this one and now I can't wait for the next book! 😊👏🏻
2020-releases arc fantasy
6,765 reviews577 followers
Gwyn was only seventeen, but her very existence brought fear to magic users. Could it be the powers she has always suppressed? Has the life she has known been a lie? Is she meant to stand tall and take charge of her destiny and the destiny of the world around her?
Elegant writing that colors the atmosphere pulls readers in slowly, but once that hook is set, this s a totally engaging tale rich in details. From the beginning, there is a feel of a story waiting to unfold, which it does without rushing, allowing readers to savor each event from the past to the present, while knowing that the future could be explosive!
The characters are well-fleshed out as good takes another stand against evil and one girl will discover who she was meant to be. Fantasy lovers will enjoy the buildup, the adventure and the seemingly insurmountable odds against Gwyn.
I received a complimentary ARC edition from Talem Press! This is my honest and voluntary review.
Series: The Price of Magic - Book 1
Publisher: Talem Press; 1 edition (February 3, 2020)
Genre: Fantasy Saga
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
1-in-series arc-read own
Courtney Trestrail
36 reviews5 followers
Really enjoyed this book! Hard to believe it is the authors first!
Beautiful writing + world building that I wish was allowed the time to go slower especially towards the end where the histories and the magic system were explained. But nonetheless! Excellent debut, rekindled my love of fantasy after being in a fantasy rut!
Laura Koerber
I got bored and quit reading. The writing is really good--word choice, sentence flow, apt metaphors etc. But I got tired of the main character's role as victim-who-doesn't-understand and keeps asking the same questions over and over, questions are are answered ambiguously just before another action scene forces more fleeing and running about. I just felt like I had read this book before.
Maudaevee
441 reviews37 followers
I was caught up in the story right from the start and loved everything about this book! It was all done so well, the world building, magic system, characters, were all interesting and engrossing. I can't wait for the next in the series...
I received an advanced e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
Probably the worst thing about reviewing advanced copies is that if you loved the book, you have to wait even longer for the next book in the series to come out - and this is my pain right now.
This book is AMAZING! I've been in a slump again for what has felt like forever, but The Ninth Sorceress has given me back what I had been missing for the past few months - my love for books and most importantly, my love for a damn bloody good fantasy.
We follow our main protagonist Gwyn through past and present situations - the novel starts off with her a prisoner and throughout the book we follow how she got there and also have chapters into the present again reminding us, the readers, that Gwyn is a captive.
I really really LOVED Gwyn, she was naïve due to her sheltered upbringing- a very intentional one-, but also so very strong. She trusts easily which sees her put in some interesting situations (aka a prisoner) - however, I didn't find myself annoyed at her for her decisions. In other novels when the protagonist has been naïve and led to frustrating and bad situations I'd really be peeved off at the protagonist. But not in this case, I honestly felt so bonded to Gwyn throughout the whole novel that when her naivety come to play, I honestly felt for her and would have made the same decisions as her.
Whilst Gwyn does make "friends" throughout the novel, and we learn more about them and come to love most of them, the novel is really about Gwyn and her journey. It doesn't get side-tracked by romance or complicated friendships, and for once I didn't mind the lack of romance - I actually enjoyed it.
Goddesses (it's never a good thing when Gods are involved), magic, necromancers (YES FROM ME!) corruption, secrets and lies set the scene in this novel and it packs a punch throughout it. The world building by Bonnie has been exceptionally done, the visualisation of each chapter played out in my head easily (this is a big must for me with any book – how can I fall in love with a book if I cannot picture it in my head!).
To say I loved the magic/sorcery in this book is an understatement. I thrived on it – I need MORE of it! It was fascinating and as readers we've only scratched the surface of what part it will play in this saga – one thing is for sure, a bloody big part.
The plot flowed so well, that I honestly would flick through pages with a dying need to know what happened next.
Whilst it did take me a little bit to get through the book, it wasn't because of the book - it was my life. If I could have binged this book I honestly would have, I will honestly shut myself away when the next book comes out so I can binge it and then be sad that I finished it so quickly haha.
The Ninth Sorceress is a book that all fantasy lovers need in their life.
Bonnie has absolutely killed it in her debut novel and has left me wanting and needing more from this series and I honestly cannot wait to see what happens in the next book - I need more Gwyn in my life! (especially after that ending!!)
The countdown is on!
464 reviews6 followers
DNF @321 pages
All those lovely 4 and 5 star ratings had me almost slavering to read this book. Boy, was I disappointed!
The first annoyance whacked me between the eyes when, once again, the word 'smirk' is used in the wrong context (smirk has vindictive connotations and should never be used as a synonym for smile or grin). The second incongruity is the complete lack of evidence of any kind of meaningful relationship between Gwyn and Ascepis (or between Gwyn and anyone else, for that matter). Instead, we are given a series of verbal interactions that are meant to serve as an indicator of relationships but which fail dismally.
Indeed, I found Gwyn to be irritatingly self-absorbed, self-righteous and afflicted with a sense of entitlement that she has no right to, most notably in Chapter 21, where she is being sheltered in Idris' home and demands to know what is in the cellar, in the belief that 'she had every right to be there'. Yikes, talk about arrogant!
What finally killed the story for me was when Gwyn is instructed by Faolan to remove her clothing before she's supposed to climb into a tub of icy water; an attack of prudishness has her declaring "I am absolutely not going to take off my clothes" before this utter dimwit climbs into the water WITHOUT REMOVING HER BOOTS! I kid you not!!
There's a lot more, but I don't think I want to waste any further time on a book that I haven't enjoyed. That being said, I commend the author for having had the courage to tackle a writing project of this size.
dnf fantasy teen-fantasy
Bronwyn Eley
Author 4 books81 followers
You know what's so great about the world of books? The fact that you will never run out of amazing books to read. Picking up my advanced proof copy of The Ninth Sorceress by Bonnie Wynne proved just that.
The first thing I noticed about Wynne's book is her beautiful writing style. As an author myself, it made me want to be a better writer. Her sentences are like rich, delicious chocolate. Smooth, moreish, enticing. And her storytelling is much the same – I could hardly put this book down! Only when forced, my friends, only when forced.
Wynne's story is a grand adventure, pure and true. The moment I opened the book, I was lost in the world she had created. I loved the opening too because it created so much intrigue. Peppered throughout the novel are snippets from the present day and I loved making the connections and trying to figure out what was going to happen. When the arc of the first book came together at the end, I was dying to know more!
It's books like these that make me love reading.
This book is out next month and it is essential you put it on your Goodreads TBR list.
Plus, it has a STUNNING cover and needless to say it will make excellent #bookstagram photos 😉
Benjamin Fellows
7 reviews2 followers
Hot damn!!!
I am so damn blown away by this amazing book!
I have never been so captivated by a book and so intrigued by an awesome cast of characters!
Bonnie writes in a way that paints a beautiful, vivid picture of the world and the characters inhabiting it, while maintaining a steady, gratifying pace.
Its been a long time since I have been this desperate to read the next book in the series!
Maybe not since Harry Potter as a child...
Please Bonnie, please let it be soon!
Olivia Estelle
13 reviews1 follower
This book was highly anticipated, and it definitely did not disappoint! A beautifully written, sweeping fantasy that drew me in from the first words on the page! What a brilliant debut. Can't wait for the rest of the series!
Megz
Hello obsession. I am finally writing this review because I think this series deserves more than what it's getting. I never really thought I was a good judge of a book. If I finish a book and continue the series then it's a good book but I never really thought that why I happened to like a book was worth writing a review. However, I just read a review from someone who gave this book 2 stars because the author used "smirk" the wrong way and the main character was annoying. So maybe I can do this...
I started reading this series when the third book came out. I really thought that I hated it. I thought that it was too confusing and left me with too many questions. But that's why I continued reading the series. It had this mysterious ancient history angle that reeled me in. I thought the third book was the end but nope. It's an unfinished quintet and all of the books end with cliffhangers. When I found out that I had to wait for two more books, I was so mad and I think that's why I thought I hated the series. I needed this mystery solved and I'm an impatient brat. I was, and still am, certifiably obsessed. When I first finished the 4th book, An Echo Through The Veil, I was still upset because I didn't think that it answered enough questions. But then I started picking the series apart. I spent this last week going through the series from the beginning and putting all of the pieces together. If you're familiar with It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and the Pepe Silvia conspiracy, that's me (still me). I even went to the author's website and joined the mailing list so I could get a download of the prequel novella, The Eighth Sorceress. It's not super necessary to understand the plot but it really helped me connect some dots. I hope my theories are validated in the fifth book. (Or maybe there will be another prequel novella before the fifth book!?)
The first book in this series lays a solid foundation for the rest of the series. The things that I loved about it besides the mysterious ancient history:
- The world building was explained by traveling to different places
- No royalty and politics involved
- There was no impending war with some evil neighboring kingdom to take up the entire plotline of the series. This trope is just so predictable
- The determination of the main character. My girl Gywn grows through so much through the series and damn she's not perfect but she tries so hard and for that I am proud of her.
Overall, I love this series. Yes, it's a bit confusing but pay attention and persevere because it does get explained further down the line. If you don't like it because it doesn't answer any questions then continue reading the rest of the books. If you don't like it because of how the author writes then get over it and move on.
OldBird
Having finish with this book, I am absolutely livid with it. Why? Because it was so. Darn. Good. I mean, the unholy child of Sabriel and Prince of Thorns (taking more after mother) kind of good. The kind of good that had me going - wait, I'm not reading it but I'm thinking about it all the time sort of good. Plus the cover; a pretty like that never hurts. A few niggles might have meant it wasn't the fivest-star 5 star thing I ever read ever, but dang this books has got this plot driven fantasy business down.
I get the feeling anyone looking for your usual YA fantasy won't find what they're looking for here, but that doesn't mean there's not plenty to love if you're in the mood for something less character and more world/plot centric.
I'm just so mad it was so good... And so sad it's part 1 of a planned 5 in a (currently - 2021) unfinished series. It could also do with a dash more character/relationship time, and a smidge of explanation to the world lore, but hey, I'm picky.
It's the story of Gwyn, a seventeen year old girl who lives with a travelling alchemist in a land where magic is highly regulated by the jealous Syndicate of mancers (or "wizards" if you want to be delightfully colloquial). Not that she or her mentor have anything to worry about in that regard, until suddenly mancers are appearing everywhere and they're looking for a girl like Gwyn. She has to put her faith in shapeshifter Lucian and the renegade necromancer Faolan to get her to the safety offered by a mystery man named Idris, avoiding the deadly magics and the rumours of vengeful gods that plague their journey. She must learn to master the magic sleeping inside her, and discover just how she came to be who - and what - she is.
The prologue harks to events after the story and starts us off on a dark note, which for me was an instant attention grabber. Those future interludes happen at times during the narrative to provide us with the perfect level of foreshadowing of things to come.
I won't lie and say Gwyn comes across as the most interesting of characters; in fact, the characters aren't exactly the stars of the show in the way a lot of YA fantasy novels insist they should be. They drive the plot without needing to stop for witty banter or snarking matches; one slightly awkward comment aside whereby Gwyn "notices" Lucian's chest, there isn't even a hint of YA romance that usually sets my eyes rolling. The focus is the story with the characters being only as built up as they need to be without feeling shallow or disappointing. Faolan's probably the strongest side character presence, if just because he's built up to be an unlikable person, though perhaps hiding a bit of gold inside that blackened heart of his. He's mean, but he has his reasons for being the way he is. I also really loved that Gwyn isn't an off-puttingly hormonal, bratty teen. Contrary at times, yes, but otherwise she's just... A person. She learns things, but never becomes an over-powered Mary Sue. Definitely a female character of the strong (well, strong-ish in terms of always being herself - she does get swept along by events rather than cause them) persuasion, but there's nothing about her that made me think a male reader would huff about this being a "girl" sort of book. Because honestly, it's not.
The world reminded me strongly of Mark Lawrence's Broken Empire: cold, nordic vibes with hints of earlier civilisations that are more advanced than you'd have thought. The "gods" too have something of the grimdark about them, even if the lands of the Ninth Sorceress aren't as on-screen brutal or adult. In tone, it's a lot more Sabriel. Descriptions are spot on, and there's plenty of lore to get your head around.
However, it was the world building that was where I had some problems. A few things aren't explained very well (such as when Gwyn first comments on "the Pyramid" and, other than assuming it's some kind of pyramid-shaped thing, I had no idea what it was not to mention later how she knows the Well is, well, The Well, and I didn't remember being told about the inside of the Pyramid ever ), and the backstory of why the gods might have something to do with Gwyn's situation seemed to have a number of holes that I couldn't believe no one made note of. For example, why did Nimet have to kill all the Scions? Why did it have to be done by binding them to Behemet? How did that even work? What were Behemet's powers that allowed for this to happen? And what was the all important blood curse? I had no idea why Behemet reacted the way she did to Gwyn's presumed "taint" in the end.
Gwyn herself also suffered from a bit of confusion about things. Her feelings about her miserly mentor Faolan could be a bit flip-flopped: magic is evil and he's a monster despite us seeing him doing some good things to help her, then later when he's doing some incredibly questionable things she's decided he's alright, until later on he's a monster again. She knows mancers are magic-users, but later queries if they're the same thing as "wizards". She knows nothing about magic, yet knows something about the lore surrounding the gods and sorceresses... But fails to share it with us (see "the Pyramid"). I hate to say it, but a basic fantasy glossary of gods and magic schools (those details wouldn't spoil anything) would have been a boon, because I couldn't keep track of who or what was why and how!
But the writing is darn captivating, and this from someone who looks for books based on character more often then plot. Simmering tension keeps the slower pace manageable, and each chapter made me want to know just that little bit more. Later on I'm not sure it felt quite as strong, what with the things that had me confused turning out to be very important to events and a few things feeling a bit rushed. Also major disappointment at the big "showdown" that never happened. Beheret just... dies? Ygriel just... MIA presumed dead? Gwyn's in The Well one minute, the next wandering the halls in a haze and we don't get to know what happened.
The end, of course, is a to be continued. If I'd known it wasn't a finished series, I probably would have held off because it's such a complex amount of lore to keep in mind I was forgetting it while reading.
For all my complaints, I would wholeheartedly recommend this mildly grimdark YA gem to anyone who loves a good slow-boil plot without all the trendy YA trappings - basically, you want a good story that could be read by anyone YA and up with a twisted take on the usual fantasy world of myths and legends, this is it.
10-out-of-10-would-read-again best-indie cover-love
Kahlia
Firstly, I'm so glad to see more Aussie fantasy YA out there (we've had some great contemporaries in recent years, but we can always use more fantasy). The first half of this book was incredible... this felt like it was building up to be a darker than usual take on many of the usual YA fantasy tropes, and I was rooting for Gwyn to both literally and figuratively throw off the shackles and take charge of her own destiny. I thought the divisions within the magical community, and the blurred lines between white and black magic were fascinating, and expected them to be a key source of tension moving forward.
Unfortunately, things petered out (or alternatively, ramped up) in the second half - there were constantly new villains, and new forms of magic to be mastered, and I suddenly felt a bit overwhelmed and like this book had lost sight of its core story. I was honestly struggling to keep track of who everyone was and all the various place names for a while there... I also felt like this book needed to show, rather than tell us, about the bonds between various characters. For example, Gwyn literally gives up a year of her life in bondage to save Acepis' life and then barely thinks about him again.
Finally, this book ends with a lot of plot points forgotten/as yet unresolved, but I'm not sure if I'm engaged enough with the characters to read the sequel (I'm on the fence at this point), which is always a frustrating place to be in, especially when this book started off so well.
Ozsaur
Phenomenal world building wasted on a bland main character. Gwyn. Poor thing. Never had a moment of real agency.
Gwyn has spent her life on the road with her guardian, Acepis. She's kept in complete ignorance about her parents, and about pretty much everything else. The one time she disobeys her guardian, she gets beaten back into submission (not by him). No making decisions for Gwyn! The narrative wants to keep Gwyn in line so she can puppet through the plot.
The world building is really good. There are the wizards who want to maintain their power at any cost. Different gods and goddesses who turn out to be something else. There are all the people who want to protect Gwyn by keeping secrets, and telling lies. For her own good, of course. Secrets and lies are always a good idea when you're trying to keep someone safe.
How the magic in this universe works turned out to be very interesting. I would have loved to have seen more of the machinations of the Scions. More of the wizards. More of pretty much everyone but Gwyn. *sigh*
81-for-21 dystopian fantasy
Jacq.and.the.readstalk
2.5 An interesting blend of fantasy and elements of Nordic mythology to create a grand journey of magic.
The plot starts out as intriguing but then it lulls pretty soon after. The world-building is so detailed and paints such a clear picture.
Gwyn, the MC, is likeable until she gets stubborn. She want to throw up in every single chapter which got irritating. I really liked the character of Lucian, he was interesting and I wanted to learn more about him. Faolan is just a prick.
You can tell this story has been thought out with a lot of work and planning, and is special to the author, but I couldn't understand it and make any emotional connections with the characters. The magical hierarchy was really confusing to me (regarding the Syndicate). There are quite a few pages of info-dumping
I had a lot of high hopes for this but unfortunately I lost the drive to keep reading it, having to force my way through it. I won't be picking up the next up book, but I would still urge people to have a go.
homegrown-oz indie-reads
Chloe Anderson
Absolutely amazing! A definite must-read.
Never have I ever been so engrossed in a book. After every chapter I felt this urge to just pick it up again as if Faolan had ropes around my wrists, impossibly addictive!
I have to admit I've never really been that into fantasy books, but this book has completely changed that. I'm so eager to read the upcoming second book to the series and the third and hopefully so many more.
At first I found it quite difficult to keep up with so many different characters, towns, wizards, sorceresses etc. but in the end it made everything so much more believable and enjoyable, and it was all necessary.
Something that I was really impressed with, in this book, was the characters I absolutely fell in love with all of them and became so invested in them, especially Faolan - got a big soft spot for him.
gwendalyn _books_
This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
The Ninth Sorceress is the breathtaking first instalment of The Price of Magic, a sweeping fantasy saga full of rich storytelling and tangible magic
The Ninth Sorceress is the first book in the young adult epic fantasy series,
A stunning debut author has captivated me right from the very beginning in this stunning, soon to be epic fantasy series. Brilliantly executed, magical adventure, with a faced paced, edge of your seat thrill ride. Well developed world building, and intriguing fleshed out characters and a riveting plot line keeps the reader completely immersed within this engaging book. The book is seamless, and the writing flows perfectly. Bonnie Wynne's intricately lyrical prose is lush and wonderful. A delightful book filled with loads of magic, mystery and gods, to keep you interested from start to finish.
@talempress @itsbonniewynne
#ThePriceOfMagic #TalemPress #TheNinthSorceress #BonnieWynne #gwendalyn_books_ #FantasyBooks #ClassicFantasy #EpicFantasy #FantasyRea
Chabberwocky
I absolutely loved The Ninth Sorceress!! I enjoyed the unique magic and the addictive world building.
I have so many unanswered questions!!!
I can't wait until the sequel comes out. ❤
my-bookshelf
Frances Joson
loved the plot, characters, and the world. what a tale! those last few pages were also insane. so excited to see what happens next!
i-liked-these
63 reviews15 followers
This is one of my favorite fantasy novels I have read to date! By the end of the novel, I was totally gripped. I can't wait to read the next one.
1 review1 follower
I absolutely loved this book. So much so that this the first time I've taken time to write a review on goodreads. And I'm doing it because this is a debut author and there aren't that many reviews yet, but the reviews I DID see were outstanding and that was why I read it and so I'm doing my part to spread the word, because I think it's deserved. :)
Yes, it's not perfect. And yes, I'm a grown adult and it's yet another story with a teenage protagonist in a fantasy world. But I still LOVED it. The writing was clear, the pacing was great overall, and the magic system, world, and characters were amazing. If all fantasy books were of this caliber, I would have a much easier time finding fantasy books I like to read as an adult (sometimes I miss when I was a kid and could read things with lower standards hah).
Light spoilers below:
I especially loved that this was a fantasy world where the female main character was not involved in any sort of romance - not even really a hint of it. Nor was she raped or assaulted. Nor did she get pregnant. The plot did MENTION the possibility of these things (in a sense) and use that reference as a way to move the plot forward in one instance for Gwynn (and it was a major plot point for another character who we hear of but never meet), but overall I felt this was way way WAY less than almost any other fantasy book with female characters. I really get tired of female protagonist's stories being driven by rape, or almost being raped, or falling in love with someone, or an arranged marriage, or getting pregnant, or choosing not to get pregnant. Sometimes I just want to read their stories the way we so often get to about men - just about them, and not "what happened as a result of their being viewed as a sexual or reproductive object". I would've loved to read this as a kid, when I was desperate to read more than the handful of fantasy books that didn't involve romance or rape for a lead female character. I don't mind romance as part of the story, especially happening further down the line, but often these characters are teenagers. That shouldn't and doesn't have to be a major part of the story so soon. They should grow into their own person and have their own story and life first - it just makes the story better and richer to get to know that person first (much like in real life :) ). Again I don't mind it sometimes, even right off the bat. And I get that it's a reality for women that their lives are often shaped by this gender role and it shouldn't be brushed under the rug, but variety in the way we tell women's stories would be nice. Also - and even more spoilers below -
I really appreciated that at the end, her power was greater than ever before. So so often in fantasy stories, main characters have great power, and then they lose that power (for some random, last minute reason) and settle into a regular, civilian life after they've done the one thing they were destined to do. Interesting sometimes, but boring when it's every fantasy author's go-to. It just starts to seem lazy. What happens if doing the thing they're supposed to do just means that they're more powerful, and that others have to interact with this person or woman who has both done the thing and become more powerful by doing it, rather than diminishing? I mean can people only appreciate a woman for doing something great, if they're no longer intimidated by them and it's all in the past?
One thing I did notice was that there were very few other female characters. A few appeared about halfway through the book but we only got to know their stories in a minimal sense. That's fine for a book or two, and made sense given the main character's minimal exposure to the outside world, but I hope further down the line we get to see more female characters, and just get to know all the characters a bit better.
Climbing down off of my soapbox now. :)
Anyway, I highly recommend this book. It's a brilliant fantasy debut, in an interesting, well-thought out world and magic system, with interesting characters who do things that make sense for who they are as individuals (for the most part) rather than artificially doing what they need to do to move the plot along. The biggest bummer for me is that I read it so soon after it was released, so I'm going to have a long wait for the next one!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
recs-for-sarah
Author 36 books28 followers
It took me a few days to get through The Ninth Sorceress, which surprised me. The book has generally very positive reviews - while there's a few low starred ratings on GoodReads, there's not many actual negative reviews. But it didn't hook me in like I'd expected.
There was nothing wrong with the writing, but there was nothing special about it either. It was solid, unobjectionable prose...with nothing that screamed "wow". No moments of awe at the writer's skill or imagination. The story itself, at least for the first 80% or so, was also very standard - a typical "orphaned average girl discovers she's the chosen one and is whisked away to a secret hideout while she learns magic powers" trope that didn't hold any suspense or excitement. There were also a few things that didn't make sense, including characters knowing or accepting things they shouldn't, and a few plot conveniences.
But the end of the book shook things up a bit, and I was pleased to find it featured at least one "didn't see that coming" moment. I love the description of the landscape the characters travelled through which was more than just "woods" or "icy mountains": the author clearly put more thought than most into what it actually looked and felt like, describing the shape of the trees as wind-swept and hunched, for example. That this book was the author's baby for many years shines through very clear, especially in moments like those.
I think if I wasn't so jaded with all the fantasy books that have had the same plot and characters as this one, I would have enjoyed it more. As it was, it just didn't have enough to set it apart.
"The traditional Sequentialist school of thought said the Four Towers should be taught step-by-step; that the student should master the first before moving on to the second. For a practitioner of illegal necromancy, Faolan was strict on following the rules."
Like many other publications from Talem Press, the Ninth Sorceress is a hidden gem in the realm of Fantasy. Since I've started trying to write my own novels and short stories, I've developed an entirely new appreciation for the elements of a story. World building is hard. Crafting characters is hard. Writing a compelling plot is hard. And the writers of Talem Press always seem to do these things impressively with Wynne being no exception.
The Prologue of The Ninth Sorceress had me hooked the second I learned that the prisoner was female. The last time I had read a female prisoner was Throne of Glass, so this captured my attention for some reason. When we meet the wizard, it's clear that her gender has done nothing to protect her from torture and inquisition - something that other fantasy novels will often gloss over as they write about war.
Intro aside, Gwyn was an incredible character whose past and present were gripping throughout the novel. This may be a fantasy novel, but the plot incorporates almost thriller-esque elements as we try to unravel who she is and how she ended up in a maximum security prison. Why is she held captive? What is she guarding that's worth the torture she endures? I love the suspense and tension that builds as we move from the prison scene, to moments of Diane's youth, and then the general unveiling of plot points. Honestly, I found the plot-oriented focus and lack of unnecessarily complicated relationships refreshing.
I think Wynne also subverts one of my least favourite tropes of all time - the chosen one. Despite Gwyn's powers and the fear she incites in everyone, no one is relying on her to be the saviour of anything. She's powerful. But instead of being exalted, this power has won her a stay in prison.
I don't want to give anything away, but this is definitely a book worth reading.
jkbookish
**Book Review** We are both huge fans of @talempress and reached out for a copy of The Ninth Sorceress by @itsbonniewynne because we absolutely loved the Oremere Chronicles by @helenscheuerer . The release date is 13th February and the ebook will be available on Amazon 🎉
As a bit of background, Talem Press (latin for 'empower') is an independent Sydney-based publishing house that aims to 'empower' both authors and readers. They focus on publishing fantasy books featuring unlikely heroines and magic (which is my favourite genre!).
Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Gwyn has no family and no past. Apprenticed to a half-mad herbalist, she travels the snow-blasted High Country, hawking potions in a peddler's wagon 🧙🏻♂. Her guardian hides her from the world like a dark secret, and she knows better than to push for answers. But when she discovers she is hunted by the goddess Beheret, Gwyn is drawn into a deep and ancient tale: of chained gods and lost magic, of truths long buried and the rising of a war she never could have imagined.
Wow. Wow. Wow. I was absolutely hooked from the very first chapter. Bonnie weaves a rich and intricate story filled with magic and gods and secrets ✨. Also how stunning is the cover?!!
I loved Gwyn and my absolute favourite character is Faolan. I'm a sucker for a morally grey character with amazing one liners. His dry sense of humour never failed to make me laugh.
Throughout the novel there are little snippets from the present day which created so much intrigue. You get fully immersed in the world which is exactly what a good fantasy novel should do. Also. ALL THOSE REVEALS. I am still shook. I need to know what happens next!! This was an amazing debut novel Bonnie 🔥, I can't wait for book 2!
4.5/5 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
- K 📖
**Thanks so much to Talem Press for sending me the ebook for review **
The Ninth Sorceress is the first book in a new series, and it definitely felt like a first in a series book. There was quite a bit of background about the society and magic to be introduced, and I feel like this was done pretty well.
I had a little bit of trouble figuring out some of the timing of the story, but I did feel like enough time was passing for Gwyn to grow and change, and for her relationships with others to do the same. I liked that Gwyn is quite a reluctant - and maybe disbelieving - chosen one, and there was an authenticity in this portrayal of the chosen one trope that really appealed to me.
Something that really worked for me was the way that it is a story in a story - I loved that we had the 'present day' prisoner telling the story, and it made me really keen to try and figure out what would happen next as the story went along - who the prisoner was going to be and what had led her to be there. I thought this sort of mystery element of the book was really engaging.
Overall, a lot of the overall vibe reminded me of the book in the Throne of Glass series where Aelin spends a lot of time learning to use and control her magic, so readers who enjoyed that aspect of Aelin's story might also be really into this one. It read a little bit to the younger side of the YA age span and could be a good introduction to the genre for someone looking for something a little bit more grown up, but not as full on as some of the other series out there. I think The Ninth Sorceress set some great ground work for the next books, and I'm looking forward to seeing what Gwyn (and Bonnie!) has in store for us next!
I gave this one 3.5 stars
Jenny (Bookbookowl)
Thank you so much to Talem Press for providing me with a copy of The Ninth Sorceress in exchange for an honest review!
Gwyn is a traveller with her guardian, a herbalist and fortune teller (but not a wizard, because wizards are not welcome in these parts of town). After a terrible encounter with some locals, Gwyn is healed of her physical wounds, but things she overheard mean her questions are just beginning. When she ends up on the run, she could never have imagined the creatures she would meet, the truth about her past, or just how dangerous her future could be.
Told in alternating chapters of Gwyn's story, and a present day prison cell, where an investigator is attempting to force information out of a prisoner everyone seems to be terrified of, the time jumps were well done and never left me feeling like I'd lost the thread of the story.
The Ninth Sorceress is full of magic and intrigue. With a fast paced plot and some truly incredible and three dimensional characters, I devoured this book in one sitting. There were so many twists and turns that made The Ninth Sorceress an unexpected brilliant adventure. Bonnie Wynn's writing is absolutely magical and I'm looking forward to reading more of her stories in the future!
132 reviews1 follower
I can't quite put my finger on the cause but this book never really grabbed me. I meandered my way through 3/4 of it before we got a huge info dump that promised detailed plans for a deeper story and slowly revealed conflicts and... I just didn't care. The main character is untethered from the world, only reacting to things happening to her and people chasing her. The supporting cast are all very bland and simple characters, mostly because there is very little time dedicated to giving them much of a personality. The world might have a rich and detailed underlying background but it feels utterly generic as the character traipse around various location that are described in some detail only to be immediately left and never visited again.
There is nothing in particular I can point to and say is wrong with the book but after getting through 82% there is also not a single thing that I really enjoy. I had barely 75 pages remaining a month ago and despite repeatedly trying to come back to it and see how it ends, I've only managed to read 15 pages in that month. I think its about time I admit that I really don't care.
dnf fantasy series-first
Two things bothered me with The Ninth Sorceress, it ended and book number two is not out yet!
I've always admired fantasy books authors, it takes talent to allow the reader to immerse himself or herself in a fictional world, to break away from reality and believe in the impossible. One thing is certain, Bonnie Wynne successfully achieved all of these.
I particularly enjoyed the fact that she found inspiration in things that we all already read about, and yet succeeds in creating a world, imagining a story, that both turn out to be completely new and unique. The Ninth Sorceress is a book that intrigues at first and the more we read, the more we get into it, our curiosity turns into obsession, to the point of finding ourselves unable to put the book down.
Through her smooth and captivating writing style, Bonnie Wynne manages to grab the reader's attention, leaving him or her with no other choice but to keep reading.
Yeah wow, I'm kind of at a loss for words. Bonnie's writing is the perfect balance between easy to read and simply stunning. She has created a beautiful world and captivating characters—and that ending! Heck!
Do I feel like I need a diagram to lay out the history of this land? Yeah, kind of. Am I simply captivated and now waiting on the edge of my seat for book 2? ABSOLUTELY. What a debut!
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New strategy for mapping regulatory networks associated with multi-gene diseases
WORCESTER, MA - Scientists at the University of Massachusetts Medical School have applied a powerful tool in a new way to characterize genetic variants associated with human disease. The work, published today in Cell, will allow scientists to more easily and efficiently describe genomic variations underlying complex, multi-gene diseases.
"Up to this point, we've only been able to investigate one disease-causing mutation at a time," said principal investigator Marian Walhout, PhD, co-director of the Program in Systems Biology and professor of molecular medicine at UMMS. "We now have a robust platform that allows us to interrogate hundreds of mutations in a single experiment. This will help us develop a map of the interactions that make up the networks that control gene expression and determine how mutations in the genome give rise to a variety of human diseases."
An explosion in whole genome studies, often called genome-wide association studies or GWAS, was brought about by vast improvements in gene sequencing technology that has helped scientists locate thousands of genetic variations associated with hundreds of different diseases. Yet, as many as 90 percent these mutations are found in areas of the genome that don't code for proteins, according to Dr. Walhout.
Mutations in transcription factors or their DNA binding sites can contribute to disease by disrupting gene regulation. This leads to too much, or not enough, of a target protein. A wide variety of diseases including cancer, neurological disorders, blood disorders and metabolic diseases have been linked to aberrant gene regulation.
"Most of the disease-associated mutations these GWAS have identified don't actually change the protein itself, but are located in regulatory regions and could, therefore, change the levels of the protein," said Juan Fuxman Bass, PhD, post-doctoral fellow and lead author of the Cell study. "The challenge for us has always been to identify how and why these mutations give rise to disease."
Using the enhanced, gene-centered yeast one-hybrid (eY1H) assays developed in 2011 by the Walhout group, the researchers were able to perform thousands of experiments involving 1,000 transcription factors and more than 100 genetic variants. As a result, they were able to detect both loss and gain of interactions between DNA sites and transcription factors that were consistent with changes in gene expression that were found in the associated diseases.
"This system provides a tool for the in-depth interrogation of the role that genetic variation and differences in transcription factor interactions play in disrupting the gene regulatory network," Walhout concluded. "It's a blueprint for understanding these networks and how this connectivity is affected in disease."
About the University of Massachusetts Medical School
The University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS), one of five campuses of the University system, comprises the School of Medicine, the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, the Graduate School of Nursing, a thriving research enterprise and an innovative public service initiative, Commonwealth Medicine. Its mission is to advance the health of the people of the commonwealth through pioneering education, research, public service and health care delivery with its clinical partner, UMass Memorial Health Care. In doing so, it has built a reputation as a world-class research institution and as a leader in primary care education. The Medical School attracts more than $240 million annually in research funding, placing it among the top 50 medical schools in the nation. In 2006, UMMS's Craig C. Mello, PhD, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator and the Blais University Chair in Molecular Medicine, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, along with colleague Andrew Z. Fire, PhD, of Stanford University, for their discoveries related to RNA interference (RNAi). The 2013 opening of the Albert Sherman Center ushered in a new era of biomedical research and education on campus. Designed to maximize collaboration across fields, the Sherman Center is home to scientists pursuing novel research in emerging scientific fields with the goal of translating new discoveries into innovative therapies for human diseases.
Jim Fessenden
james.fessenden@umassmed.edu
@UMassMedNow
http://www.umassmed.edu


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Today isThu. Jul. 18, 2019 | Tammuz 15, 5779 This week's Torah reading isBalakUpcoming holiday isThe Three Weeks | Jul. 20 - Aug. 11
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Crime of Passion
Whether the soul's fire will be a constructive or destructive force is dependent on the person's motivation.
By Simon Jacobson
A strange episode is used to explain why, according to Jewish tradition, weddings are not scheduled during this time of the year, the Omer period between Passover and Shavuot:
In Talmudic times 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva died during this period "for not showing respect to one another". (Yevamot 62b) We therefore honor this "mourning period" by avoiding celebrations that can be scheduled at other times. (Tur and Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 493:1)
How is it possible that such great students of such a great master should stoop to not respecting each other? Especially considering that their teacher, Rabbi Akiva taught that "love your fellow like yourself" is a "great fundamental in Torah"!
Isn't that a bit harsh of a punishment for this crime?
Their fate is equally, if not even more disturbing: Disrespect is awful. But why did it cause them to all die? Isn't that a bit harsh of a punishment for this crime?
And above all, why are we told about this sad story, and asked to commemorate it by refraining from marriage and other celebrations? The past is the past; why the need to dwell on it?
The Torah portion of Shemini concludes a similarly mysterious event that took place three chapters back: After the Sanctuary was completed, the Torah tells us that the two elder sons of Aaron, Nadav and Avihu, "offered a strange fire before G‑d, which He had not commanded." The result: "A fire went out from G‑d and consumed them, and they died before G‑d". (Levit. 10:1-2)
Three Torah portions later, in the opening of Acharei Mot, G‑d specifically commanded that the example of Nadav and Avihu should not be repeated: "And G‑d spoke to Moses, after the death of Aaron's two sons, who came close to G‑d and died... Speak to Aaron your brother, that he [be careful to] not come at all times into the Holy... so that he not die... [but] with this shall Aaron come into the holy place". (ibid. 16:1-2) The Torah continues with the conditions how to enter the Holy of Holies. Rashi explains that this command comes immediately after the statement of the death of Aaron's sons, to warn him that his service of G‑d should not be like that of his sons.
What lies behind Nadav and Avihu's actions? Did they behave properly or not? On one hand, they were clearly great men who "came close to G‑d;" on the other hand, they died because they "offered a strange fire before G‑d, which He had not commanded." And G‑d is warning Aaron not to behave like them.
And what is the meaning of the "strange fire" that they offered?
Above all, if Aaron's sons behaved wrongly why is it important to document their sad story, which presents them in a negative light?
The key to the story lies in the word "fire." Fire is passion. All passion comes from the fire of the soul, "the soul of man is the fire of G‑d." Like a flame, a soul always reaches upward, licking the air in its search for transcendence, only to be restrained by the wick grounding the flame to the earth. The soul's fire wants to defy the confines of life; the free spirit wants to soar ever higher, always reaching for the heavens.
Like fire, the spirit ablaze cannot tolerate the mediocrity and monotony...
Like fire, the spirit ablaze cannot tolerate the mediocrity and monotony of the inanimate "wick" of materialism. Its passion knows no limits as it craves for the beyond.
But just like it can be the source of our greatest strength, the fire of the soul, like any fire, can also be the cause of great destruction. Therein lays the story of Nadav and Avihu, two extraordinary souls.
When the holy Sanctuary was finished, Aaron's two elder sons, deeply spiritual individuals, were drawn to enter the holiest sanctum on earth. They wanted to bask in the ecstasy of the Temple's pure spirit.
Indeed, the behavior of these two sons was not a sin; it was an act of great sanctification, as Moses tells their father immediately following the tragedy: "This is what G‑d spoke, saying: 'I shall be sanctified by those who are close to Me.'" The sages explain: Moses said, "Aaron, my brother, I knew that the Sanctuary would be sanctified by those who were beloved and close to G‑d. When G‑d said 'I shall be sanctified by those close to Me,' I thought it referred to me or you; now I see that they – Nadav and Avihu – are greater then both of us."
The Ohr Hachaim explains that their death was "by Divine 'kiss' like that experienced by the perfectly righteous. Only [the problem was that] the righteous die when the Divine 'kiss' approaches them, while they died by their approaching it.... Although they sensed their own demise, this did not prevent them from drawing near [to G‑d] in attachment, delight, delectability, fellowship, love, kiss and sweetness, to the point that their souls ceased from them."
Nadav and Avihu's death was a result of their profound yearning for a Divine experience. Their error was that they initiated it at their own discretion, and "selfishly" allowed the ecstasy to consume them. Their sin was not they got close to the Divine, but that they died doing so. In a sense, they wanted it too much, so much so that they rushed into the fire and got burned in the process. Their bodies could no longer contain their souls.
Thus the Torah says, "when they came close to G‑d and (with such passion that) they died." Why does the Torah add "and they died" when it has already said, "after the death of the two sons of Aaron?" Although it is healthy to divest yourself of material concerns, at the moment when you stand poised at the ultimate ecstasy of the soul, you must turn again to the work that the soul must do to transform the physical existence. Nadav and Avihu achieved the ecstasy but not the return. This was their sin and the reason for their death. They "came close to G‑d and they died." They allowed their spiritual passion override their task to transform the world. They escaped beyond the world and beyond life itself.
If their motivation was pure, driven by the fiery passion of the soul, why then was it called a "strange fire"?
...even if their intention was a good one, it ultimately was driven by their personal desire...
Because even if their intention was a good one, it ultimately was driven by their personal desire, albeit a spiritual desire, but still defined by their subjective drives. It may have begun for Divine reasons, but they allowed it to become their own personal interest, mounting to a point of intensity that it destroyed them, thus rendering the "fire" into a "strange fire," one which "He had not commanded." They entered on their own terms, at their own pace, at their own choosing – not on G‑d's terms.
And this was the reason that they actually ended up dying in the process. Because the same G‑d that imbued us with passionate souls also commanded us to use the passion not to expire in ecstasy and escape the universe, no matter how appealing that choice may be, but to channel the passion downward and transform the material world in which we live into a Divine home. This is the purpose of the Temple: "Build me a sanctuary (out of physical materials) and I will rest among you."
Thus, the ultimate test of Aaron's sons' intentions was their inability to integrate the experience. Had they patiently and humbly entered on Divine terms, they would have been able to integrate the experience into their lives and return to sanctify their world. Integration would have confirmed that they were doing it not for themselves but for the cause, for G‑d. The fact that they allowed themselves to be consumed with their own spiritual fire, demonstrated that it was their "own thing," not G‑d's, a strange fire not commanded.
Subsequently, in the Torah portion, "after the death of Aaron's sons," Aaron is warned not to enter the Holy of Holies as his sons did. Rather, "with this shall Aaron enter the holy place" – in awe, obedience, and self-abnegation. And in this way he would be able to "make atonement for himself and for his house" on the holiest day of the year, Yom Kippur, and to say a prayer for the sustenance of Israel – acts of concern for the world.
In other words, the determining factor whether the soul's fire will be a constructive or destructive force is dependent on the person's motivation, how he begins his spiritual journey. If it's a self indulgent experience, driven primarily by personal desire and interest, then you will not wish to turn back from your private ecstasy to the needs of the world, and the fire will inevitably consume you. If, however, it is driven by the selfless dedication and all-out surrender to the Divine, then within this ecstasy, the desire ultimately to return and sanctify the world will always be implicit, and the fire will lift you and your world to exalted heights.
In the famous Talmudic story of the "four that entered the garden" (a tremendous mystical experience), only Rabbi Akiva began the journey with the proper attitude: He "entered in peace and (therefore) came out in peace." Because he entered with humility, in obedience to the Divine will and seeking to unite the higher and lower worlds, that is why he came out in peace. His intention of returning was implicit at the outset of his path to religious ecstasy. While the other three – Ben Azzai, Ben Zoma and 'Acher' – all entered for other reasons, which determined how they emerged. Ben Azzai entered seeking ecstasy, not return; therefore he "looked and died." Ben Zoma "looked and was stricken" (with madness). 'Acher' "mutilated the shoots" (i.e. became an apostate).
...the "holier" the "fire," the more one feels that he is representing Torah and G‑d – the greater the danger.
In a similar way, the 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva "burned" each other up with their great passion. Their disrespect for one another was not despite but because of their greatness: Each student was so consumed with his own brilliant opinion that he could not tolerate his colleague's position. People who are not that powerful and intense in their positions can find it easier to compromise and co-exist with others. But exceptional students who are extremely passionate about their interpretations and opinions in Torah – they require far more humility, care and sensitivity to ensure that one does not "destroy" the other with his intensity. And the "holier" the "fire," the more one feels that he is representing Torah and G‑d – the greater the danger. As the Kotzker Rebbe sardonically interprets the Mishneh: "Every argument that is for the sake of heaven will last forever:"
When both parties know that their disagreement is driven by self-interest or the likes, then there is hope that they will come to some agreement. But when each party thinks that he is representing heaven, dressing up their differences of opinion in "holy garments," then there is no hope for reconciliation, with each side feeling that it cannot compromise "G‑d"….
Had these students been of lesser stature, their disrespect for each other would not have harmed them as much. But precisely because their minds were on fire and their hearts were ablaze did they burn each other up.
We are told the story of Aaron's sons – and the students of Rabbi Akiva – in order to teach us an invaluable lesson about our own life experiences, and the dangers of passion, zealousness and self-righteousness:
Each of us contains a powerful soul, with fire in its belly. Each of us will, at one point or another, encounter spiritual opportunities; passionate moments which will entice and light up our fires, craving transcendence – the need to get beyond the daily grind. Transcendence can take on many shapes: Spirituality, music, romance, travel, or sexuality, to name a few.
How you act in these times – when the flames of your soul are ablaze – will define the destiny of your life.
This explains why there is a Torah portion known by the name "After the Death." Why name a Torah portion with an odd title – "after the death?" Why emphasize their tragic death?
The Torah is telling us that the "death" of Aaron's two sons – both the death itself, and "after the death" – teaches us a vital lesson, actually a twofold lesson:
1) The search and need for transcendence, the craving and yearning for a spiritual high is healthy and a necessary ingredient in the human journey. All mans greatest achievements, his noblest acts, his deepest loves – draw from the soul's passionate fire.
2) Yet, as with all powerful things, great care must be taken that the spiritual experience doesn't "burn you up," but is integrated in your life.
The fire of our souls, like any fire, can be the source of sustenance (healthy fire) or… an inferno ("strange fire"). The challenge is great. The choice is ours.
Therein lies the twofold positive lesson—derived from two different Torah portions — from the children of Aaron, both from their death and "after the death:"
Their death teaches us how not to enter the Holy of Holies uninvited, not to enter at our initiative, at any time we so choose, not to enter as a result of our personal desire; "after the death" teaches us how to enter – "with this shall Aaron enter the holy place" – with utmost humility, with sensitivity and above all, total immersing and sublimating yourself into the experience.
24,000 students were destroyed in this period of time due to their inability to co-exist.
The same is true when we have a strong opinion about a given manner. The smarter you are, the more powerful your resolve, the more convinced you are in the righteousness of your position, the greater the care that needs to be taken to not hurt others in the process.
This also may be the greatest secret to a healthy relationship or marriage: Your ability to transcend your own powerful position and certainty.
24,000 students were destroyed in this period of time due to their inability to co-exist. Their fervent passion and their gifts were their undoing. We redeem their deaths during these 49 days by looking into our passionate hearts, and learning the art of restraint: That ultimate greatness is measured not by how right you are and by how great is your light, but by how you allowed that greatness to be contained and integrated into other people's lives.
Rabbi Simon Jacobson is the author of the best-selling Toward a Meaningful Life: The Wisdom of the Rebbe (William Morrow, 1995), and the founder and director of the Meaningful Life Center.
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A Nation Must Think Before it Acts Putin's Hidden Victims
Home / Geopoliticus / Putin's Hidden Victims
Geopoliticus
Putin's Hidden Victims
Melinda Haring
Shonda Werry
It has been nearly three years since Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law banning American families from adopting Russian children. Many viewed the law as retaliation for the Magnitsky Act, which the US Congress had passed the month before, rebuking the Russian government for its terrible human rights record. Putin's tit-for-tat response brought Russia's deplorable human rights situation— especially in Russian orphanages—into focus.
Harvard Law professor and child welfare expert Elizabeth Bartholet described the ban as "cynical and brutal."
But the outrage was not limited to the international community. Even within Russia there was a significant backlash. Shortly after Putin announced the ban, 20,000 Russians marched with protest signs, shouting "Shame on the scum!" Putin's political game unfairly victimized children and condemned many to live out their childhoods in state-run institutions.
Putin responded to the criticism coyly. "We must do all we can so that orphaned children find their families in their home country, in Russia," he said.
Today there are approximately 700,000 children in the country's orphanage system. Nearly 95 percent have at least one living parent. These children are not "orphans" in the traditional sense; the government coined the handy phrase "social orphan" to describe children whose parents have relinquished their parental rights. According to official statistics, more than 100,000 children are abandoned annually.
Prior to Putin's draconian ban, Americans adopted the highest number of Russian children each year. In 2011, Americans adopted more than 1,000.
While developed countries rejected orphanages decades ago—placing children in adopted families or foster care—Russia has maintained its vast labyrinth of institutions, which house children from birth to the age of emancipation (generally age 17). The orphanage system and the physical buildings themselves are holdovers from the Soviet Union. Children are typically undernourished and receive inadequate medical care. International human rights organizations have documented physical abuse and neglect of the children in Russia's residential care, including the widespread practice of tying children with ropes or rags to their cribs, leaving children lying on floors for hours at a time, and medicating children with sedatives to get them to sleep.
Children in orphanages are isolated and hidden from view. They do not attend regular schools, and the education they receive within the orphanage, if any, is insufficient. The official protocols state that children in residential care should not visit family members for fear that they may get used to the attention and become "spoiled."
The situation for children with disabilities is even worse. Disabled children spend the vast majority of their day in so-called "lying down" rooms—rooms with cribs where children are left in cribs or on floor mats, unable to move. They have few, if any, opportunities to play outside, interact with other children, or play with toys.
State officials and doctors often pressure parents of children with disabilities to relinquish their parental rights, making the false claim that state institutions can provide better care for children with special needs. This pressure accounts for why more than 40 percent of children in residential care have some form of disability.
Back in 2012, as Russia banned US adoptions, the government promised to ramp up its efforts to de-institutionalize children and place them in families. But for the hundreds of thousands of children trapped in the system, Putin's promises have amounted to very little. His adoption ban, ostensibly aimed at harming the United States, has denied thousands of children the opportunity to escape Russia's orphanages and become part of a family.
If Putin's administration wants make good on its 2012 promise, it should take three steps immediately: first, it should increase the resources for programs and initiatives to keep families together and prevent children, especially disabled children, from entering the orphanage system; second, it should accelerate the process of de-institutionalizing children by increasing the number of adoptions both domestic and international and encouraging Russian citizens to become foster parents; and third, it should improve the care children in state institutions receive, ensuring that children are not abused and that they receive adequate nutrition, medical care, and education.
It's time to put an end to the horrific treatment of Putin's hidden victims and demand that Russia modernize its backward orphanages.
Shonda Werry is an expert on Russia and international adoption. Melinda Haring is a Fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute.
Melinda Haring is a Senior Fellow at FPRI's Eurasia Program.
@melindaharing