Sister Light, Sister Dark Summary
Jane Yolen

Sister Light, Sister Dark Summary

As Jenna's life is followed from babyhood to teens, the theme of alienation and quest for identity functions on several levels. Jenna is troubled by her foster mothers' beliefs that events surrounding her birth and life identify her as the prophesied savior during the Garunian Gender Wars. The novel begins with prophecy. A virgin will give birth to a "white babe" with black eyes. Homage will be paid to her by ox, hound, bear, and cat. "Holy, holy, holiest of sisters," all will say; "who is both black and white, both dark and light, your coming is the beginning and it is the end." Three times will her mother die.

Jenna's situation explores questions about the making of myths, legends, heroes/heroines. Jenna has white hair and dark eyes. She had a mother who died at her birth, a midwife-mother figure killed while trying to find her another...

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