Weaknesses aside, fans of Percy Jackson will devour this and hope that the gods send a sequel.
A semiorphaned boy accidentally discovers that the gods are real and finds himself drawn into an ancient mythological war with the fate of the world hanging in the balance. Sound familiar?
Abandoned by his father, Elliot Hooper, a 12-year-old English white boy, struggles to care for his ailing mother, save their ancestral farm from being sold to a greedy real estate developer, and not fail out of school. When Virgo, the beautiful, immortal goddess from the Greek zodiac, crash-lands in Elliot’s cowshed, he is drawn into her mission to feed a godly prisoner held underneath Stonehenge, mistakenly unleashing an ancient evil that threatens the mortal and immortal realms. Evans’ debut novel is a breathless roller-coaster ride taking readers on a mythological tour of Elysium, the Underworld, and everything in between. Drawing heavily on stylistic elements reminiscent of Rick Riordan with a hint of Neil Gaiman’s Stardust, the author’s godly characters are a modern family whose dysfunction would make Jerry Springer salivate. Their antics anchor the story’s humor, but otherworldly elements such as the What’s What guidebook to universal knowledge are less finely drawn. Elliot’s struggles and clear motivations create genuine appeal, but other characters—particularly the perfectionist Virgo—remain opaque and fit awkwardly into the narrative.
Weaknesses aside, fans of Percy Jackson will devour this and hope that the gods send a sequel. (Fantasy. 10-14)Pub Date: March 28, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-338-06556-5
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Chicken House/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Dec. 5, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2016
An original, clever, page-turning adventure.
During the Blitz, 12-year-old Londoner Kat, along with two younger siblings and an American boy, is sent to a distant relative’s Scottish castle, where they confront evils both old and contemporary.
Though Lady Eleanor claims to be starting an academy in her castle and has hired faculty to attend to the curriculum, it’s soon clear that none are what they claim to be. The old castle keep is burned out, and the newer part seems to have weird twists and turns, secret doors and strange goings-on, including several ghostly children. Clues multiply early on that Eleanor is the same woman for whom the creepy, unnamed village magister has replaced living parts one by one over decades, each given in payment for a charm for a child’s soul. Kat’s father—now away working for MI6—is a watchmaker, and Kat has his gift for numbers, gears, and puzzles. Witchy magic, Nazi menace, and clockwork all come into play, along with an Enigma machine and spies for both the Allies and the Nazis seeking occult sources of power or protection. After the breathtaking climax, various threads of the story are tied up in a drawing-room denouement in which the characters decide to dispose of toxic magical artifacts rather carelessly—though in a way that invites anticipation (and fortuitously leaves room for sequels).
An original, clever, page-turning adventure. (Historical fantasy. 10-14)Pub Date: March 15, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-451-47633-3
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Nov. 24, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2015
Guaranteed to enchant, enthrall, and enmagick.
An elderly witch, a magical girl, a brave carpenter, a wise monster, a tiny dragon, paper birds, and a madwoman converge to thwart a magician who feeds on sorrow.
Every year Elders of the Protectorate leave a baby in the forest, warning everyone an evil Witch demands this sacrifice. In reality, every year, a kind witch named Xan rescues the babies and find families for them. One year Xan saves a baby girl with a crescent birthmark who accidentally feeds on moonlight and becomes “enmagicked.” Magic babies can be tricky, so Xan adopts little Luna herself and lovingly raises her, with help from an ancient swamp monster and a chatty, wee dragon. Luna’s magical powers emerge as her 13th birthday approaches. Meanwhile, Luna’s deranged real mother enters the forest to find her daughter. Simultaneously, a young carpenter from the Protectorate enters the forest to kill the Witch and end the sacrifices. Xan also enters the forest to rescue the next sacrificed child, and Luna, the monster, and the dragon enter the forest to protect Xan. In the dramatic denouement, a volcano erupts, the real villain attempts to destroy all, and love prevails. Replete with traditional motifs, this nontraditional fairy tale boasts sinister and endearing characters, magical elements, strong storytelling, and unleashed forces. Luna has black eyes, curly, black hair, and “amber” skin.
Guaranteed to enchant, enthrall, and enmagick. (Fantasy. 10-14)Pub Date: Aug. 9, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-61620-567-6
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Algonquin
Review Posted Online: May 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
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