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Showing posts with label magical adventures hooray!. Show all posts
Showing posts with label magical adventures hooray!. Show all posts
Monday, November 10, 2014
by Maggie Stiefvater
Published by Scholastic Press
Release Date: Oct 21, 2014
Disclaimer: Received for review consideration from the publisher via NetGalley.
There is danger in dreaming. But
there is even more danger in waking up.
Blue Sargent has found things. For the
first time in her life, she has friends she can trust, a group to which she can
belong. The Raven Boys have taken her in as one of their own. Their problems
have become hers, and her problems have become theirs.
The trick with found
things though, is how easily they can be lost.
Friends can betray.
Mothers can
disappear.
Visions can mislead.
Certainties can unravel.
(I try to be vague, but as this is the third book in a series, mild spoilers may be present. My reviews of the first two novels in the Raven Cycle are here)
Review: There’s a certain mild
worry mixed with excitement I experience when reading a new installment in a
beloved series. The need to know what happens next is mixed with the feeling
that the novel can’t possibly live up to expectations. Thankfully Blue Lily, Lily Blue was such a good read
my fears were put to rest as I was happily transported once again to Henrietta with Blue and the Aglionby boys as they continue their search for
Glendower.
This
book returns to closely following Adam, Gansey, and Blue while Ronan is very
much involved in the plot the reader is not privy to his thoughts). Then there’s Noah, still ghosting around and
acting as a barometer for trouble. Blue, whom I’d missed hearing from in The Dream Thieves, is central to the
plot this time around. Dealing with personal loss, she begins to question what
she really wants from life, both in her relationships and her future, and
whether achieving those things will be possible. Adam, perhaps the character
who has evolved the most from his beginnings was in The Raven Boys, must deal with the consequences of his magical
bargain in addition to facing his abusive father once again. Ronan, despite being more in the background, has clearly been affected by the events in The Dream Thieves. As for Gansey, his
weaknesses are made more apparent, as are his motivations for starting the
search for Glendower. These characters grow from book to book and their
relationships with each other are fascinating and complex. It’s rare that such
a large cast of characters is as well rounded and portrayed so skillfully.
Another great thing? While this is one part
of an overarching mytharc, Blue Lily, Lily Blue tells a complete story. Goals
are achieved and closure is given, with enough threads dangling to make me
eager for the sequel but not cause the frustration that comes when a novel ends
in the middle of the action (all too common with series these days). Another positive? The setting: Henrietta is so grounded and so real feeling yet the magical
elements in the story feel organic, not jarring. It’s a refreshing blend of
realism and fantasy.
Finally,
what elevates this book from an entertaining fantasy story to a five star book
for me is how it does not shy away from issues of class. Gansey, generally a
good guy, is highly privileged and this can cause him to be condescending,
hurtful, or oblivious. Ronan is similarly privileged and this allows him to act
out with minimal consequences, while Adam must work several jobs while keeping
his grades up in order to ensure his future. Then there’s Blue, whose choices
are limited due to her family’s monetary situation. I find Blue’s frustration
over her college plans and her uncertainty over her relationship with Gansey just
as compelling as any magical cave jaunts or dream creatures. I must also
mention the villains, a comically over privileged super couple who obsess over
gourmet cheese and yoga classes while causally ordering someone’s murder.
All in all, this is a wonderful entry in this series and I can hardly wait for the next one.
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Waiting on Wednesday is an event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, where I highlight an upcoming release I'm excited about.
This week I'm waiting on..
by Lev Grossman
Published by Viking
Release date: August 5, 2014
In The Magician’s Land, the
stunning conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Magicians trilogy—on-sale
from Viking on August 5—Quentin Coldwater has been cast out of Fillory, the
secret magical land of his childhood dreams. With nothing left to lose he
returns to where his story began, the Brakebills Preparatory College of Magic.
But he can’t hide from his past, and it’s not long before it comes looking for
him.
Along with Plum, a brilliant young
undergraduate with a dark secret of her own, Quentin sets out on a crooked
path through a magical demimonde of gray magic and desperate characters. But
all roads lead back to Fillory, and his new life takes him to old haunts, like
Antarctica, and to buried secrets and old friends he thought were lost
forever. He uncovers the key to a sorcery masterwork, a spell that could
create magical utopia, a new Fillory—but casting it will set in motion a chain
of events that will bring Earth and Fillory crashing together. To save them he
will have to risk sacrificing everything.
The Magician’s Land is an intricate
thriller, a fantastical epic, and an epic of love and redemption that brings
the Magicians trilogy to a magnificent conclusion, confirming it as one of the
great achievements in modern fantasy. It’s the story of a boy becoming a man,
an apprentice becoming a master, and a broken land finally becoming whole.
I need to tear through the second book before this, but I'm excited for the conclusion of Lev Grossman's fantasy deconstruction.
Monday, June 2, 2014
by Leah Cypess
When Ileni lost her magic, she lost
everything: her place in society, her purpose in life, and the man she had
expected to spend her life with. So when the Elders sent her to be magic tutor
to a secret sect of assassins, she went willingly, even though the last two
tutors had died under mysterious circumstances.
But beneath the assassins’ caves,
Ileni will discover a new place and a new purpose… and a new and dangerous
love. She will struggle to keep her lost magic a secret while teaching it to
her deadly students, and to find out what happened to the two tutors who
preceded her. But what she discovers will change not only her future, but the
future of her people, the assassins… and possibly the entire world.
Review: I've been a fan of Leah Cypess's writing since her 2009 release Mistwood, and picked up Death Sworn expecting interesting world building, intrigue, a subtle romance, and a hint of magic. On most of these points, Death Sworn did not disappoint.
We follow Ileni, a sorceress who has had her life torn away from her with the loss of her magic. Resigning herself to banishment and certain death in the assassin's caves, she wavers between fatalistically accepting her fate and struggling to survive another day. Surrounded by enemies, her main companion is Sorin, the handsome assassin assigned by his master to protect her while she performs her duties. Sorin views the Assasin's Caves as his salvation from a life on the streets and is devoted to the master of assassins and his cause: the destruction of an evil empire. It's not surprising they have romantic chemistry.
I felt this relationship was pretty well done. Sorin does not get out much and lives in a cave: his primary contact with the outside world involved killing his assigned target. Ileni is literally the first woman he's been around in a while. Ileni is in constant fear from the threatening people all around her, with the handsome Sorin the only one who's invested in keeping her alive. They have belligerent sexual tension from the start. The interesting part is the clash of their very different world views: Ileni's pacifism versus Sorin's belief the ends justify the means.
As far as world building, Cypess avoids the pitfall of excessive exposition dump by filling in the backstory of the world in bits and pieces : Ileni reflects on the life she lost among the magical Renegai and Sorin mentions the empire as the source of their targets. This and the fact that the book is set entirely in the Assasin's Caves prevents a more extensive view of this original world and left me wanting more. The plot, while starting strong with an endangered Ileni with a murder mystery, drags towards the middle as she abandons the case to focus on hiding the rapid disappearance of her powers from the assassins surrounding her. She also checks in to her own personal pity party a couple times. This, while understandable, slows the narrative down and feels repetitive.
As far as intrigue, the ending threw a curveball that was counter to my expectations and did a lot to redeem the slowness of the middle of the book. Ileni's character develops to a point where she finally takes action, Sorin's loyalties are tested, and the next book is set up nicely, with opportunities to further explore this particular fantasy world. I'm looking forward to it.
3.5 Assasin's Knives.
We follow Ileni, a sorceress who has had her life torn away from her with the loss of her magic. Resigning herself to banishment and certain death in the assassin's caves, she wavers between fatalistically accepting her fate and struggling to survive another day. Surrounded by enemies, her main companion is Sorin, the handsome assassin assigned by his master to protect her while she performs her duties. Sorin views the Assasin's Caves as his salvation from a life on the streets and is devoted to the master of assassins and his cause: the destruction of an evil empire. It's not surprising they have romantic chemistry.
I felt this relationship was pretty well done. Sorin does not get out much and lives in a cave: his primary contact with the outside world involved killing his assigned target. Ileni is literally the first woman he's been around in a while. Ileni is in constant fear from the threatening people all around her, with the handsome Sorin the only one who's invested in keeping her alive. They have belligerent sexual tension from the start. The interesting part is the clash of their very different world views: Ileni's pacifism versus Sorin's belief the ends justify the means.
As far as world building, Cypess avoids the pitfall of excessive exposition dump by filling in the backstory of the world in bits and pieces : Ileni reflects on the life she lost among the magical Renegai and Sorin mentions the empire as the source of their targets. This and the fact that the book is set entirely in the Assasin's Caves prevents a more extensive view of this original world and left me wanting more. The plot, while starting strong with an endangered Ileni with a murder mystery, drags towards the middle as she abandons the case to focus on hiding the rapid disappearance of her powers from the assassins surrounding her. She also checks in to her own personal pity party a couple times. This, while understandable, slows the narrative down and feels repetitive.
As far as intrigue, the ending threw a curveball that was counter to my expectations and did a lot to redeem the slowness of the middle of the book. Ileni's character develops to a point where she finally takes action, Sorin's loyalties are tested, and the next book is set up nicely, with opportunities to further explore this particular fantasy world. I'm looking forward to it.
3.5 Assasin's Knives.
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish
This week's topic: Top Ten Books I'd recommend to my nephew. He just finished and loved Harry Potter and is currently reading the Percy Jackson series. Also, this list can be for anyone who wants a list of books that have a hint of that HP magic, but have perhaps been overlooked because they have older publication dates.
1.
Matilda by Roald Dahl
For anyone who particularly enjoyed Harry's escape from the Dursleys, here's the story of another child who develops powers, escapes an abusive situation, and finds a family. Also shows the power of reading.
2.
The Chronicles of Chrestomanci by Diana Wynne Jones
These loosely connected novels featuring the adventures of a dimension crossing wizard have some very lovable characters. One novel, Witch Week, is also about magic in a boarding school, but Jones takes a very different approach.
3.
The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett
The Tiffany Aching series has some of Pratchett's best writing. If you enjoyed Rowling's sly humor, you'll love this comedic yet profound story. Though the Nac Mac Feegle are no house elves, they're a whole lot funnier (and more prone to theft)
4.
The Dark is Rising Sequence by Susan Cooper
A classic series rich in British mythology about a struggle between good & evil.
5.
The Keys to the Kingdom series, by Garth Nix
A young boy finds he is the chosen one and must save the world from destruction. He must defeat 7 Lord Voldemort types, fight pirates, and cure a plague, all while preventing his own transformation and tragedy.
6.
Un Lun Dun by China Miéville
An imaginative story by a great author, where in an alternative London chosen ones are overrated but friendship can be world saving.
7.
The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander
More great characters and fantastic adventures in this fantasy series about an assistant pig-keeper who rises above his station. The second book in this series is the basis for the world's most obscure Disney move: The Black Cauldron
8.
So You Want to be a Wizard by Diane Duane
This coming of age with magical powers story has more of a science fiction slant. It's also beautifully poignant at times and has a universe of amazing characters and gorgeous world building.
9.
Maddigan's Fantasia by Margaret Mahy
This journey of a traveling circus through a post-apocalyptic landscape has many twists and mysteries, not to mention Mahy's ability to write very realistic relationships.
10.
The Screaming Staircase (Lockwood & Co. #1) by Jonathan Stroud
The newest novel on this list is for anyone who enjoyed Hogwarts ghosts but would likes things a bit spookier, here's the start of looks like to be a great series.
As my nephew is a voracious reader, more recommendations are always welcome :).
Saturday, November 16, 2013
By Tone Almhiell
Published By Dial
Publication Date: October 22, 2013
When a mysterious parcel arrives at
her family’s new home, eleven-year-old Lin Rosenquist has a curious feeling
she’s meant to discover what’s inside.
Much to Lin’s surprise, the ornate
key contained in the parcel unlocks a spellbinding world called Sylver, hidden
behind the cellar door. Sylver is an enchanting land of eternal winter,
inhabited by animals that shared a special connection with children in the real
world, either as beloved pets or tamed wild animals. In death, they are
delivered to Sylver, where they take on a curiously human-like form and still
watch over the children they cherish. While Lin is overjoyed to be reunited
with her beloved pet, Rufus, she soon learns that the magic of the Petlings and
Wilders is failing, and snow trolls want to claim Sylver for themselves. Lin
must discover a way to stop them and save this enchanted world.
Review: The Twistrose Key is an adorable middle grade fantasy adventure story that has many elements children will love. It will be especially charming for animal lovers as most of the characters are anthropomorphized beloved pets or wild animals. A tale of a young girl traveling to a magical land of winter inhabited with talking animals will draw inevitable comparisons with The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe: though this novel is not as sophisticated as The Chronicles of Narnia, it also lacks any whiff of religious allegory. It's allowed to be what just it is: a magical adventure story featuring a brave young girl, her pet vole/best friend, and a quest.
There are many charming elements to the novel: the bunny who works as a tailor and worries how her human girl is doing without her, the bear who attempts to make a living painting china, the waffle restaurant. The friendship between Lin and Rufus lies at the heart of the novel and will be touching for anyone who has ever loved a pet. With all that said, I personally did not find myself fully engaged with the novel. In my opinion there wasn't enough conflict or struggle in the story to give it stakes. To make another comparison: Coraline by Neil Gaiman starts with Coraline feeling ignored and neglected by her parents, as well as adjusting to a new home. She then has to use her brain to get out of some scary situations. Lin of The Twistrose Key is sad to be living in the city rather than her old farm, but clearly has parents that are bending over backwards to make the adjustment easier for her. Lin is also an intelligent girl, but a lot of her problem solving is attributed to happy coincidences or magical powers that are conveniently bestowed upon her. The story isn't as interesting as a result.
Of course, I am not the target audience for this novel so those in the 8-10 range will probably find more to entertain them. Personally I give this novel 3 Stars, 4 Stars for how children will likely receive it, averaging:
3.5 Stars.
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Showing posts with label magical adventures hooray!. Show all posts
Showing posts with label magical adventures hooray!. Show all posts
Monday, November 10, 2014
Review: Blue Lily, Lily Blue (The Raven Cycle #3)
by Maggie Stiefvater
Published by Scholastic Press
Release Date: Oct 21, 2014
Disclaimer: Received for review consideration from the publisher via NetGalley.
There is danger in dreaming. But
there is even more danger in waking up.
Blue Sargent has found things. For the
first time in her life, she has friends she can trust, a group to which she can
belong. The Raven Boys have taken her in as one of their own. Their problems
have become hers, and her problems have become theirs.
The trick with found
things though, is how easily they can be lost.
Friends can betray.
Mothers can
disappear.
Visions can mislead.
Certainties can unravel.
(I try to be vague, but as this is the third book in a series, mild spoilers may be present. My reviews of the first two novels in the Raven Cycle are here)
Review: There’s a certain mild
worry mixed with excitement I experience when reading a new installment in a
beloved series. The need to know what happens next is mixed with the feeling
that the novel can’t possibly live up to expectations. Thankfully Blue Lily, Lily Blue was such a good read
my fears were put to rest as I was happily transported once again to Henrietta with Blue and the Aglionby boys as they continue their search for
Glendower.
This
book returns to closely following Adam, Gansey, and Blue while Ronan is very
much involved in the plot the reader is not privy to his thoughts). Then there’s Noah, still ghosting around and
acting as a barometer for trouble. Blue, whom I’d missed hearing from in The Dream Thieves, is central to the
plot this time around. Dealing with personal loss, she begins to question what
she really wants from life, both in her relationships and her future, and
whether achieving those things will be possible. Adam, perhaps the character
who has evolved the most from his beginnings was in The Raven Boys, must deal with the consequences of his magical
bargain in addition to facing his abusive father once again. Ronan, despite being more in the background, has clearly been affected by the events in The Dream Thieves. As for Gansey, his
weaknesses are made more apparent, as are his motivations for starting the
search for Glendower. These characters grow from book to book and their
relationships with each other are fascinating and complex. It’s rare that such
a large cast of characters is as well rounded and portrayed so skillfully.
Another great thing? While this is one part
of an overarching mytharc, Blue Lily, Lily Blue tells a complete story. Goals
are achieved and closure is given, with enough threads dangling to make me
eager for the sequel but not cause the frustration that comes when a novel ends
in the middle of the action (all too common with series these days). Another positive? The setting: Henrietta is so grounded and so real feeling yet the magical
elements in the story feel organic, not jarring. It’s a refreshing blend of
realism and fantasy.
Finally,
what elevates this book from an entertaining fantasy story to a five star book
for me is how it does not shy away from issues of class. Gansey, generally a
good guy, is highly privileged and this can cause him to be condescending,
hurtful, or oblivious. Ronan is similarly privileged and this allows him to act
out with minimal consequences, while Adam must work several jobs while keeping
his grades up in order to ensure his future. Then there’s Blue, whose choices
are limited due to her family’s monetary situation. I find Blue’s frustration
over her college plans and her uncertainty over her relationship with Gansey just
as compelling as any magical cave jaunts or dream creatures. I must also
mention the villains, a comically over privileged super couple who obsess over
gourmet cheese and yoga classes while causally ordering someone’s murder.
All in all, this is a wonderful entry in this series and I can hardly wait for the next one.
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Waiting on Wednesday: The Magician's Land
Waiting on Wednesday is an event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, where I highlight an upcoming release I'm excited about.
This week I'm waiting on..
by Lev Grossman
Published by Viking
Release date: August 5, 2014
In The Magician’s Land, the
stunning conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Magicians trilogy—on-sale
from Viking on August 5—Quentin Coldwater has been cast out of Fillory, the
secret magical land of his childhood dreams. With nothing left to lose he
returns to where his story began, the Brakebills Preparatory College of Magic.
But he can’t hide from his past, and it’s not long before it comes looking for
him.
Along with Plum, a brilliant young
undergraduate with a dark secret of her own, Quentin sets out on a crooked
path through a magical demimonde of gray magic and desperate characters. But
all roads lead back to Fillory, and his new life takes him to old haunts, like
Antarctica, and to buried secrets and old friends he thought were lost
forever. He uncovers the key to a sorcery masterwork, a spell that could
create magical utopia, a new Fillory—but casting it will set in motion a chain
of events that will bring Earth and Fillory crashing together. To save them he
will have to risk sacrificing everything.
The Magician’s Land is an intricate
thriller, a fantastical epic, and an epic of love and redemption that brings
the Magicians trilogy to a magnificent conclusion, confirming it as one of the
great achievements in modern fantasy. It’s the story of a boy becoming a man,
an apprentice becoming a master, and a broken land finally becoming whole.
I need to tear through the second book before this, but I'm excited for the conclusion of Lev Grossman's fantasy deconstruction.
Monday, June 2, 2014
Review: Death Sworn by Leah Cypess
by Leah Cypess
When Ileni lost her magic, she lost
everything: her place in society, her purpose in life, and the man she had
expected to spend her life with. So when the Elders sent her to be magic tutor
to a secret sect of assassins, she went willingly, even though the last two
tutors had died under mysterious circumstances.
But beneath the assassins’ caves,
Ileni will discover a new place and a new purpose… and a new and dangerous
love. She will struggle to keep her lost magic a secret while teaching it to
her deadly students, and to find out what happened to the two tutors who
preceded her. But what she discovers will change not only her future, but the
future of her people, the assassins… and possibly the entire world.
Review: I've been a fan of Leah Cypess's writing since her 2009 release Mistwood, and picked up Death Sworn expecting interesting world building, intrigue, a subtle romance, and a hint of magic. On most of these points, Death Sworn did not disappoint.
We follow Ileni, a sorceress who has had her life torn away from her with the loss of her magic. Resigning herself to banishment and certain death in the assassin's caves, she wavers between fatalistically accepting her fate and struggling to survive another day. Surrounded by enemies, her main companion is Sorin, the handsome assassin assigned by his master to protect her while she performs her duties. Sorin views the Assasin's Caves as his salvation from a life on the streets and is devoted to the master of assassins and his cause: the destruction of an evil empire. It's not surprising they have romantic chemistry.
I felt this relationship was pretty well done. Sorin does not get out much and lives in a cave: his primary contact with the outside world involved killing his assigned target. Ileni is literally the first woman he's been around in a while. Ileni is in constant fear from the threatening people all around her, with the handsome Sorin the only one who's invested in keeping her alive. They have belligerent sexual tension from the start. The interesting part is the clash of their very different world views: Ileni's pacifism versus Sorin's belief the ends justify the means.
As far as world building, Cypess avoids the pitfall of excessive exposition dump by filling in the backstory of the world in bits and pieces : Ileni reflects on the life she lost among the magical Renegai and Sorin mentions the empire as the source of their targets. This and the fact that the book is set entirely in the Assasin's Caves prevents a more extensive view of this original world and left me wanting more. The plot, while starting strong with an endangered Ileni with a murder mystery, drags towards the middle as she abandons the case to focus on hiding the rapid disappearance of her powers from the assassins surrounding her. She also checks in to her own personal pity party a couple times. This, while understandable, slows the narrative down and feels repetitive.
As far as intrigue, the ending threw a curveball that was counter to my expectations and did a lot to redeem the slowness of the middle of the book. Ileni's character develops to a point where she finally takes action, Sorin's loyalties are tested, and the next book is set up nicely, with opportunities to further explore this particular fantasy world. I'm looking forward to it.
3.5 Assasin's Knives.
We follow Ileni, a sorceress who has had her life torn away from her with the loss of her magic. Resigning herself to banishment and certain death in the assassin's caves, she wavers between fatalistically accepting her fate and struggling to survive another day. Surrounded by enemies, her main companion is Sorin, the handsome assassin assigned by his master to protect her while she performs her duties. Sorin views the Assasin's Caves as his salvation from a life on the streets and is devoted to the master of assassins and his cause: the destruction of an evil empire. It's not surprising they have romantic chemistry.
I felt this relationship was pretty well done. Sorin does not get out much and lives in a cave: his primary contact with the outside world involved killing his assigned target. Ileni is literally the first woman he's been around in a while. Ileni is in constant fear from the threatening people all around her, with the handsome Sorin the only one who's invested in keeping her alive. They have belligerent sexual tension from the start. The interesting part is the clash of their very different world views: Ileni's pacifism versus Sorin's belief the ends justify the means.
As far as world building, Cypess avoids the pitfall of excessive exposition dump by filling in the backstory of the world in bits and pieces : Ileni reflects on the life she lost among the magical Renegai and Sorin mentions the empire as the source of their targets. This and the fact that the book is set entirely in the Assasin's Caves prevents a more extensive view of this original world and left me wanting more. The plot, while starting strong with an endangered Ileni with a murder mystery, drags towards the middle as she abandons the case to focus on hiding the rapid disappearance of her powers from the assassins surrounding her. She also checks in to her own personal pity party a couple times. This, while understandable, slows the narrative down and feels repetitive.
As far as intrigue, the ending threw a curveball that was counter to my expectations and did a lot to redeem the slowness of the middle of the book. Ileni's character develops to a point where she finally takes action, Sorin's loyalties are tested, and the next book is set up nicely, with opportunities to further explore this particular fantasy world. I'm looking forward to it.
3.5 Assasin's Knives.
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Top Ten Tuesday: Book Recs for a kid (or anyone) missing Harry Potter.
Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish
This week's topic: Top Ten Books I'd recommend to my nephew. He just finished and loved Harry Potter and is currently reading the Percy Jackson series. Also, this list can be for anyone who wants a list of books that have a hint of that HP magic, but have perhaps been overlooked because they have older publication dates.
1.
Matilda by Roald Dahl
For anyone who particularly enjoyed Harry's escape from the Dursleys, here's the story of another child who develops powers, escapes an abusive situation, and finds a family. Also shows the power of reading.
2.
The Chronicles of Chrestomanci by Diana Wynne Jones
These loosely connected novels featuring the adventures of a dimension crossing wizard have some very lovable characters. One novel, Witch Week, is also about magic in a boarding school, but Jones takes a very different approach.
3.
The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett
The Tiffany Aching series has some of Pratchett's best writing. If you enjoyed Rowling's sly humor, you'll love this comedic yet profound story. Though the Nac Mac Feegle are no house elves, they're a whole lot funnier (and more prone to theft)
4.
The Dark is Rising Sequence by Susan Cooper
A classic series rich in British mythology about a struggle between good & evil.
5.
The Keys to the Kingdom series, by Garth Nix
A young boy finds he is the chosen one and must save the world from destruction. He must defeat 7 Lord Voldemort types, fight pirates, and cure a plague, all while preventing his own transformation and tragedy.
6.
Un Lun Dun by China Miéville
An imaginative story by a great author, where in an alternative London chosen ones are overrated but friendship can be world saving.
7.
The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander
More great characters and fantastic adventures in this fantasy series about an assistant pig-keeper who rises above his station. The second book in this series is the basis for the world's most obscure Disney move: The Black Cauldron
8.
So You Want to be a Wizard by Diane Duane
This coming of age with magical powers story has more of a science fiction slant. It's also beautifully poignant at times and has a universe of amazing characters and gorgeous world building.
9.
Maddigan's Fantasia by Margaret Mahy
This journey of a traveling circus through a post-apocalyptic landscape has many twists and mysteries, not to mention Mahy's ability to write very realistic relationships.
10.
The Screaming Staircase (Lockwood & Co. #1) by Jonathan Stroud
The newest novel on this list is for anyone who enjoyed Hogwarts ghosts but would likes things a bit spookier, here's the start of looks like to be a great series.
As my nephew is a voracious reader, more recommendations are always welcome :).
Saturday, November 16, 2013
Review: The Twistrose Key
By Tone Almhiell
Published By Dial
Publication Date: October 22, 2013
When a mysterious parcel arrives at
her family’s new home, eleven-year-old Lin Rosenquist has a curious feeling
she’s meant to discover what’s inside.
Much to Lin’s surprise, the ornate
key contained in the parcel unlocks a spellbinding world called Sylver, hidden
behind the cellar door. Sylver is an enchanting land of eternal winter,
inhabited by animals that shared a special connection with children in the real
world, either as beloved pets or tamed wild animals. In death, they are
delivered to Sylver, where they take on a curiously human-like form and still
watch over the children they cherish. While Lin is overjoyed to be reunited
with her beloved pet, Rufus, she soon learns that the magic of the Petlings and
Wilders is failing, and snow trolls want to claim Sylver for themselves. Lin
must discover a way to stop them and save this enchanted world.
Review: The Twistrose Key is an adorable middle grade fantasy adventure story that has many elements children will love. It will be especially charming for animal lovers as most of the characters are anthropomorphized beloved pets or wild animals. A tale of a young girl traveling to a magical land of winter inhabited with talking animals will draw inevitable comparisons with The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe: though this novel is not as sophisticated as The Chronicles of Narnia, it also lacks any whiff of religious allegory. It's allowed to be what just it is: a magical adventure story featuring a brave young girl, her pet vole/best friend, and a quest.
There are many charming elements to the novel: the bunny who works as a tailor and worries how her human girl is doing without her, the bear who attempts to make a living painting china, the waffle restaurant. The friendship between Lin and Rufus lies at the heart of the novel and will be touching for anyone who has ever loved a pet. With all that said, I personally did not find myself fully engaged with the novel. In my opinion there wasn't enough conflict or struggle in the story to give it stakes. To make another comparison: Coraline by Neil Gaiman starts with Coraline feeling ignored and neglected by her parents, as well as adjusting to a new home. She then has to use her brain to get out of some scary situations. Lin of The Twistrose Key is sad to be living in the city rather than her old farm, but clearly has parents that are bending over backwards to make the adjustment easier for her. Lin is also an intelligent girl, but a lot of her problem solving is attributed to happy coincidences or magical powers that are conveniently bestowed upon her. The story isn't as interesting as a result.
Of course, I am not the target audience for this novel so those in the 8-10 range will probably find more to entertain them. Personally I give this novel 3 Stars, 4 Stars for how children will likely receive it, averaging:
3.5 Stars.
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