What worked:
The story is told from various viewpoints which helps the
author change between settings. Amethyst and Rose are best friends and they
form a closer connection through a Heart Lead spell. Amethyst’s plot heads to
the Under Land where she thinks her mother is being held by Frost. Rose
promises she’ll watch over Amethyst’s little sisters so she travels to Chicago
with her parents. Lav is a friend of the girls and he mostly supports Rose in
the story. Different chapters focus on Amethyst, Rose, or Lav allowing readers
to know what’s happening in the different worlds.
Amethyst is the main focus of the plot as she tries to
locate her missing mother. She’s certain her mom wouldn’t steal the powerful
wand so she figures Frost must be behind everything. The story is a bit of a
mystery as Amethyst tries to collect information to understand what’s
happening. The Land Walkers are in conflict with the Mer people although
Amethyst isn’t sure why. To complicate Amethyst’s life, she uncovers a secret
early in the book that seems to indicate she has a connection to the Mer world.
As a Land Walker, Amethyst doesn’t understand how that’s possible and she
becomes angry that her mother has been keeping secrets from her. Readers can
follow Amethyst’s myriads of emotions in the chapters that focus on her
character.
The conflict between the Saltwater Mer, Freshwater Mer, and
the Land Walkers shows there are problems bigger than just Amethyst finding her
mother. Her mother isn’t the first Land Walker to go missing but no one knows
what’s happened to them. There are stories that Frost is stirring up trouble
between the two groups and there’s speculation about why he’s doing it. Adult
characters have been secretly trying to deal with the emerging problems but the
author keeps readers guessing about what’s going on. Allowing readers to
wonder, guess, and make predictions helps to keep them mentally engaged.
What didn’t work as well:
Lav’s relationship with the girls is uncertain as he tries to
support Rose and Amethyst while they seem to have issues with him. Readers can
read the first book in the series if they need to know more about the
disappearance of Amethyst’s mom, the wand, and the headmaster’s daughter. Also,
it’s unclear how humans fit into this magical story since they’re not
mentioned. Is everyone in the world supposed to be magical? Perhaps I missed a mention
of it somewhere but readers may have questions.
The final verdict:
The magic isn’t all that unusual but the civil war between the
different factions is interesting. Frost is the obvious antagonist but Amethyst’s
internal battle after uncovering the secret is the main conflict. Young readers
who enjoy spells and magic will love this book and I recommend you give it a
shot.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Comments unrelated to the books being described will be removed.