Reviews tagging 'Death'

Beneath the Swirling Sky by Carolyn Leiloglou

2 reviews

alangmaack's review

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adventurous challenging hopeful mysterious 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

4.0

Based on the tried and true theme of good and evil, Beneath the Swirling Sky tells the story of a young boy, Vincent, who goes on a journey to save his sister with the help of his cousin. It's a story that explores family legacy, art and history and of course a little bit of magic! As Vincent and his cousin, Georgia, work to rescue little Lili, Vincent must also confront some lies he came to believe about himself and the gifts he'd been given by God. 

This story was fast paced, engaging and I enjoyed it! It would make for a great read aloud, and I loved the illustrations throughout! My daughter is always looking for chapter books with illustrations, and this will be a book she'll read over and over again! 

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chezler24's review against another edition

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adventurous inspiring lighthearted mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

A new middle-grade fantasy series that is bound to grab the attention of its target age range. This book will be fantastic at getting kids interested in the art world, from creating pieces to learning about curators, conservators, and other museum positions. I loved the attention to detail in notifying real art pieces and artist histories while also touching on how art pieces can be used for good and bad by people long after the piece was created. Leiloglou has created a new magic system where individuals could have the ability to travel through paintings and alter their contents (i.e., travelers). Each traveler can then have their unique talent or gift (e.g., navigation, tracker, spelunker, artist, etc.) which helps them interact with the paintings and museum spaces more easily. I would have devoured this book when i was a kid especially since I loved (and still love) going to museums and creating art! Would recommend as a gift for younger readers or for older readers if you want something quick and easy.

(Note: Several referenced to God and Jesus. These scenes felt more or less like I would speak about my religion at this age, but it felt important to note since it came up several times between Vincent's inner monologue and certain paintings explored.)

Rating: 3.5/5 stars but eagerly waiting to see where the series takes us. 

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