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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Another strange, hilarious, and thoughtful children’s book by T Kingfisher. I loved the Venice-esque setting (why isn’t Italy used more in historic fantasy books?) and the magic illuminations, which are just as quirky as you might imagine.
If you’ve ever dived into the strange and wonderful world of medieval illustrations, you’d get an idea of just how odd they can be— art that is used to great effect in Illuminations to magically protect milk from spoiling, to clean water, and (most importantly) to protect buildings from pigeon waste. The painting-based magic system is the backbone of this story, and while aspects of it are silly, it provides an emotional gut punch by the end.
The characters are of course terrific, and I especially enjoyed how the story tackles the complexities of young friendship. Serena surprised me by becoming one of my favorite characters and Payne’s backstory is easily the most compelling of the lot. The whole family is worth a mention too, all of them loveable and unique, dedicated to each other and their art.
A wonderful children’s story that has something for everyone! Perfect for artists and art lovers.
If you’ve ever dived into the strange and wonderful world of medieval illustrations, you’d get an idea of just how odd they can be— art that is used to great effect in Illuminations to magically protect milk from spoiling, to clean water, and (most importantly) to protect buildings from pigeon waste. The painting-based magic system is the backbone of this story, and while aspects of it are silly, it provides an emotional gut punch by the end.
The characters are of course terrific, and I especially enjoyed how the story tackles the complexities of young friendship. Serena surprised me by becoming one of my favorite characters and Payne’s backstory is easily the most compelling of the lot. The whole family is worth a mention too, all of them loveable and unique, dedicated to each other and their art.
A wonderful children’s story that has something for everyone! Perfect for artists and art lovers.
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Violence
i might not be the target audience for this... but was too annoyed at the family