The Dollmage

Darleen R. Golke is a high-school teacher-librarian in Winnipeg,
Manitoba.

Annakey Rainsayer, bound and bloodied, stands ready to meet her death by
stoning at the hands of her fellow Seekvalley citizens. Guilty of
breaking a promise, Annakey courageously faces the crowd, which blames
her for the disasters that have befallen the village. It is a culture
that believes “one broken promise can a people break ... a promise
breaker is in danger of her life.” Dollmage Hobblefoot, the aging wise
woman, belatedly acknowledges her guilt in orchestrating the dangerous
situation her personal bias against Annakey has created.

Jealous of Annakey’s mother, the Dollmage had resolved never to allow
Annakey to succeed her as the Dollmage, maker of various tiny totems
reflecting aspects of village life, the most important of which is the
promise doll—a prophetic miniature of the village—given at birth. As
Annakey matured, the Dollmage consistently tried to break her spirit and
suppress her gifts, all the while encouraging Renoa, her chosen
successor. Now, in a dramatic mea culpa recital, she tells the story of
the events that have led to the current crisis and enjoins her people to
accept Annakey as their new Dollmage in a spirit of love and charity.

Leavitt, who wrote the award-winning Marma-well Trilogy (under the name
Martine Bates), handles the fantasy genre deftly. As in her previous
work, she explores universal themes such as the misuse of power, the
dangers of pride, good versus evil, and the potency of love and hate. An
inscription for a doll encompassing truisms of the village liturgy
introduces each of the 13 chapters. Leavitt’s characters become
symbols of the range of human strengths and weaknesses, but find
redemption through love and forgiveness in a new valley where “a
promise is not an end but a beginning.” Fairly sophisticated concepts
and imagery- rich prose combine in this story aimed at young readers,
but with ageless appeal. Recommended.