Reviewed by K.J. Simmill for Readers' Favorite

Ansgar: The Struggle of a People, The Triumph of the Heart is part one of Aleksandra Layland's The Windflower Saga. When Ansgar survives an unseasonable and terrifying storm, he finds himself learning the true meaning of faith. At his journey's start, he was committed to finding the Kimbrii people, but when they are the ones who find him and pull him from the clutches of death, he is more certain than ever that fate has something in mind for him. He learns from these people, learns of the unjust laws they are forced to adhere to, and of their rich and threatened heritage. He knows in his heart that his initial perception of this shrinking race was correct and wishes to protect them, but this struggle will be more difficult than he anticipated. He is not only forced to face the outdated views of his world, but of their world too. Fortunately there are those who see logic and offer wise council.

I see a lot of native American inspiration in Ansgar, specifically in how things came to pass and how the Kimbrii were driven from their land, oppressed, and denied the same rights as the invaders who forced them from their homes to claim the territory as their own. There are many religious and social undertones and the author easily incorporate issues at the heart of today's society into the work, giving the reader things to reflect on that are out of balance in our own society and views. There's a message in Aleksandra Layland's book, one of acceptance of people regardless of race, and it is well presented. This is a tale of love and understanding and, as such a tale should be, is heavily driven by both the characters and plot.