AMoRaR Book Review: Reflections of Lilje Damselfly

A Month of Rain and Reads Reviews4 months ago5 min readAdd comment

Welcome to A Month of Rain and Reads, a celebration of self-published and indie SFF throughout the entire month of November. To find out how you can take part and view the whole list of content, visit our introduction post.

This is a guest review for Reflections of Lilje Damselfly by Natalie Kelda as written by D. C Hart.

When a mysterious ailment refuses to leave water nymph Lilje, her father sends her to a human spa retreat. Lilje quickly discovers she has a lot to learn about human nature and culture when she accidentally scandalises the Edwardian spa guests by showing up undressed.

In hope of relieving her chronic pain and fatigue, she tries her best to fit in and silence her ability to speak with the elements, plants, and animals around her. But when the secret of her heritage is revealed and Lilje falls in love with a human, she faces a difficult choice. Give up everything she thought she was, or live forever in pain and regret of what could have been.

Reflections of Lilje Damselfly is a short standalone novel set in a magical version of early 20th century England.

I don’t normally gravitate toward romance as a genre. In fact, I almost exclusively read romantasy (with a strong preference toward cozy romances). Though I hesitate to describe Reflections of Lilje Damselfly as cozy, I held no reservations when given the chance to read this particular novel. The book now occupies a proud place amongst my favorite romance novels and novellas. This should come as no surprise if you have read Natalie Kelda’s work.

Kelda has a way with prose like no other, incorporating natural elements and vibrant descriptions that pull the reader seamlessly into Lilje’s world. And what a world it is. Lilje, a water nymph who lives in her beloved pond with her father, faces chronic illness that rapidly worsens over the first several chapters. Her illness manifests as chronic pain and fatigue, making Lilje’s story of adversity one that many can relate to (despite being a water nymph). Forced to leave the serenity of her life in the pond, Lilje is dragged into 20^th century human society to recover at a spa retreat run by a woman named Veronica. At the spa Lilje faces a terrifying choice: continue to languish in pain or cut her connection with water in the hopes of healing. An impossible choice given that cutting such a connection means letting go of everything Lilje has ever known (including her father and the pond) and potentially becoming human. Such a notion is unthinkable to a nymph who has only ever known humans to be cruel and dangerous. To make matters worse, our brave nymph learns some upsetting truths about herself and her family that paints Veronica and her father in a new light.

You might be asking yourself: where is the romance? Fear not, though the story centers on Lilje’s chronic illness, this romance is much more than a footnote. While recovering at the spa, and learning to pass as a human, Lilje meets a woman worth upending her life for. Their developing relationship provides the perfect contrast to the bleak circumstances that surround Lilje, without retracting from the intensity of her struggles. One could even say that this love interest (who I have left unnamed for the sake of surprise…it would be simply tragic to reveal everything dear reader) gives Lilje a new perspective on what it means to be human, changing her preconceived notions of humanity and life.

One need not be a die-hard fantasy enjoyer to find the beauty in Reflections of Lilje Damselfly. If you enjoyed the likes of The Little Mermaid but wished Eric was a woman, then I have wonderful news for you. Reflections of Lilje is exactly what you have been looking for (and even boasts a much more realistic happy ending).

About the Guest Reviewer

From a young age I was taught that a person must pick one path. Science or religion. Pragmatic or emotional. College or workforce. Career or kids. Laid back or constantly moving. Everything in life was presented as “this or that” and one must pick and choose because no one can do it all. The world of fiction (especially fantasy) taught me that anyone can be any number of things. We are each multifaceted gems brimming with endless stories.

My desire is to tell as many wondrous stories as I can, to share the joy of fantasy. When cancer and a global pandemic sidelined me I rediscovered the joy of writing and determined that I would never again let it go. Now I find myself writing everything from fantasy novels (Redrowen) to articles and guides on my favorite games (Magic the Gathering and Lorcana). I’ve even found myself dabbling in podcast script writing.

Though I’m unpolished as a writer, my two years academic experience (I have an associates in art and science with emphasis on creative writing and literature) has laid the foundation for success in a field of vast potential. As I continue developing the critical skills of world building and character development, I hope you will enjoy my tales and find your own joy in the world of fantasy.