Review for Mine To Tarnish (Mine #0.5) by Janeal Falor

TITLE: Mine To Tarnish
SERIES: Mine #0.5
AUTHOR: Janeal Falor
PUBLICATION DATE: December 2, 2013
PUBLISHER: Chardonian Press
PAGES: 128 pages
FORMAT: Ebook
SOURCE: Purchased
RATING: 4 bows

Katherine has always fought to keep her mouth shut and her opinions to herself. A woman has one place in this world, silently standing beside her husband, bearing magical-blooded sons. If this goal cannot be accomplished, said husband has the right to do whatever he wants to her, including physical abuse, mental abuse, or even murder. Katherine has just been sold to a cruel, smelly old man who she cannot tolerate the idea of belonging to. She does the unthinkable, she runs. And in running she discovers a new world and a renewed resolve that woman are more than objects to be used and abused.

Katherine is reminds me so much of how I’d be in her situation. I’m too independently minded to allow this shit and the very concept that I must keep my mouth shut because my opinions are completely invalid makes my blood boil in a way nothing else does. I don’t consider myself a feminist, but fuck we have rights! Wants, needs, and thoughts all our own. This novella was a bit appalling in how these men treated the woman. We take a lot of things for granted, but there were times when things weren’t much better than that. I believe there are still places in the world today where the men think the same way…..::coughs:: back to Katherine. She’s so strong and determined to get away from her new master that it was impossible to believe that she wouldn’t succeed. She is constantly landing herself in trouble for her inability to accept that she is a lower class being.

Like I said, this is a bit appalling. These woman are spelled and abused in all manner. They aren’t even allowed to sit unless given explicit permission to do so, instead forced to stand next to her husband or father while he lounges comfortably. The idea that any father would now only allow this kind of abuse, but promote it is unthinkable. Katherine’s own father treats her terribly. Katherine’s running away is admirable to me, trying to escape her fate rather than grinning and baring it as she is meant to. Once she gets out and we meet the tarnished, things improve considerably. Finally we see men who don’t follow this ridiculous belief and Katherine is even more empowered by them. They help her run and you get a light romance between her and a tarnished man. I hope they get the revolution going, but don’t die in the crossfire.

This is a novel that really makes you think about the common rights we take for granted. It had me enraptured, dying to get to the next bit of the story to find out if Katherine succeeds in her evasions or if she is caught and punished. I recommend it to everyone wanting something magical and empowering, if a mite depressing at first. I can’t wait to dive into the next one!