East (novel)
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East (also known as North Child in the UK and Australia) is a 2003 novel by the author Edith Pattou. It is an adaptation of an old Norwegian folk tale entitled "East of the Sun and West of the Moon" and is an ALA Top Ten Best Book for Young Adults. The novel is written in a style similar to that of Brian Jacques, including the use of a change in point of view in each chapter.
[edit] Plot summary
When Arne married the superstitious Eugenia, he agreed to have seven children with her, one for each point of the compass, excluding North, which she believed to be wild and uncontrollable. Each direction fortold a different personality. Her favourite child, East-born Elise, died young and Eugenia had another child to replace her. But Rose, because of an accident, is actually a North-born child. Eugenia was told years before by a skjebne-soke (fortune teller) that any North Child she had would die crushed beneath an avalanche with ice and snow
One day, she met a polar bear that she had met several years before. The polar bear told her that in exchange for coming with him to a castle and live with him, he promised to make Rose's sick sister well again. She soon travels with the bear North to a castle. She soon discovers the amazing castle and many truths that were far from belief. However, she break a 'Condition', and before the bear's enchantment would have been broken, he is stolen away be the Troll Queen to be her husband. Rose is devastated, and is determined to get to the one clue he gave her. The palace "East of the Sun and West of the Moon". After many adventures, she meets the prince again, and after much struggle, tells him at last that she loves him, and he reveals his name to her, Prince Charles Pierre Philippe. They are married, and have four children. The oldest is named Tuki. It is also revealed that they have a child named Nena who, just like Rose, is also a north born.
