Post books that you own that you really like.
Unfortunately, I lost all of my physical books during a low point in my life. I'd still like to contribute to this thread if that's alright.
I read this right out of high school and I remember it still because while the premise relies on the amnesia trope to give the protagonist a reason to travel, the payoff is interesting and quite unique. The only other book I've read that has done something similar is
Ella Enchanted, another fantasy book I adore.
The main character is as the title describes: a mute, horribly disfigured boy who was found wandering aimlessly by an elderly scullery maid. He remains with her in the castle that she lives and works in, trapped in an abusive environment where he's subjected to royal cruelty and habitual abuse regarding his appearance. His caretaker is the source of his self-loathing as she berates him anytime he removes the hooded robes she makes him wear. The abuse affects him so much he refuses to look at his own body as he bathes.
As depressing as the opening chapters are, the rest of the book has a far more hopeful tone. The narrative mostly focuses on the boy's recovery from his trauma: regaining his sense of self-worth, undoing the self-hatred that was beaten into him, and learning to become a person that isn't defined by his physical scars or his disability. It touches upon difficult topics in a surprisingly mature way, my favorite being the way it portrays grappling with the complicated emotions that come with experiencing abuse at the hands of a parental figure. The emotional journey accompanies a literal one: the boy eventually leaves the castle, makes new friends, and gets into all sort of high fantasy hi-jinks as he searches for his lost memories.
The book is part of a trilogy but I can't recommend the other two. They introduce a love story that is painfully dull and the mute boy's characterization takes a nosedive in quality.
Ill-made Mute is best experienced as a standalone novel.
