Witches, flying dragons, swamp monsters and magic that dates back to the beginning of time – these are the elements that make this fantasy worth a read. It’s a children’s novel, yes; BUT its themes are quite mature and revolve around the ideas of oppression, blind allegiance and social class. These ideas are subtly woven into a story about a community that’s being oppressed by a bunch of old councilmen and a witch who supposedly eats children.

While I did enjoy the theme and overall plot of the story, I did have a hard time being glued to it. I think it may have been because it was lacking the oomph that comes with most fantasy novels. In a nutshell I did not find myself being “IN” the story which is what generally happens when I read fantasy.

That being said, here are couple of things I enjoyed in the book:

1)The themes
The oppression of the old councilmen, the blind allegiance of the people in the Protectorate and the social divide that exists because of this; highlights the story’s main themes. These ideas are expressed in a way that children can understand, and while they may not read between the lines to grasp it at first it is something that can be explained to them.

2)The characters
The book had many interesting characters that did grab my attention. The witch, the wizard, the dragon and the swamp monster added a layer of enigma to the story which kept me a hooked. On the other hand, I was very invested in the mad woman in the tower and was rooting for her to get the justice she deserves. Luna and Antain were a mystery from the start. I wanted to know what would become of Luna’s powers and if Antain would stand up to the oppression of the councilmen. The characters didn’t disappoint – and it is what made the story rather interesting.

3)The writing
Written for a younger audience, the writing is easy to read and understand. Plus it was rather magical. Just take a look at this extract:

As she flew on her cursed dragon, the land rumbled and split. The rivers boiled and the mud bubbled and entire lakes turned into steam. The Bog – our beloved Bog- became toxic and rank and people died because they could not get air. The land under the castle swelled – it rose and rose and rose, and great plumes of smoke came billowing from its center.” (p.58)

Final thoughts

There is a lot to like in this story. As it is primarily catered towards tweens and young-adults, the adult audience might find it a bit insufficient in terms of depth. That being said, it’s a great read for anyone looking for something light in the fantasy genre.

Overall rating: 3.5/5

Fact box
Author: Kelly Barnhill
Release date: 9th August, 2016
Genre: Fantasy