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4.18 AVERAGE
4.18 AVERAGE
This was a fun easy read with my 9 year old son. Can’t wait to start Exile.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I first read this book in sixth grade, so it filled me with so much nostalgia to read this book again. I just loved this book so so much. This was my Harry Potter for so long. This was my absolute favourite book for a couple of years, so it's just nice to read it again.
3.5. I ended up with an annotated (by the author) version, which felt more distracting than helpful for me.
Ms. Messenger has created a world of elves unlike any other out there. Sophie's schism between her childhood and the new reality reads so true that you find yourself sucked into every nuanced emotion. How WOULD a pre-teen react to finding herself no longer the stunning "prodigy" among older teenagers - now an ordinary prodigy in a school of prodigies? The tangled threads and questions pile up, with Ms. Messenger allowing very few of the answers to escape her grasp. True, many of Sophie's peers fall into expected school tropes, but they're a slight step above cardboard. (And, honestly, for a Young Reader's book, what would one expect?) The absurd opulence and the system of "work" in the elven world creates a stumbling block that's difficult to swallow and comprehend, though it creates a stark contrast to Sophie's human upbringing. With a number of books remaining in the series, I can assume Ms. Messenger has plenty left to explore.
Lots of fun and adventure for middle grade readers. Friendship, drama, all the it factors are there. Plus Messenger keeps you on the edge of your seat with all the questions you will have about her mysterious main character in this beautiful, amazing world she has created.
I read this with my Battle of the Books team, who loved it. And I can absolutely see the appeal for eleven-year-old girls: young girl is suddenly swept away to a secret magical land by a cute boy and discovers she has telepathic powers? 5th grade me probably would be all over that. But as an adult, it was hard to look past all the tropes and MELODRAMA. Also, why were all the cool, funny, or wise characters male?? Sofie has multiple mentors/role models/special relationships throughout the story and they are all male. The female characters are often depicted as catty, unapproachable, or flat and boring.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated