Scan barcode
A review by nicolemhewitt
Skandar and the Unicorn Thief by A.F. Steadman
5.0
This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Skandar and the Unicorn Thief is an exciting middle grade fantasy adventure, filled with elemental magic, dangerous unicorns, and backstabbing betrayals. First off, I thought the worldbuilding in this book was really interesting. I loved the concept of the unicorn races and the idea that unicorns are born with a bond to a particular individual, and if that person doesn’t show up at the hatchery, the unicorn is born wild (and even more dangerous and unstable than your average unicorn). I’d love to see even more of how the unicorns and humans interact beyond the races (feels like there might be even more important jobs?)—it will be interesting to see if that will be expanded upon in future books. This book focuses on the mystery of why Skandar is specifically singled out at the exams (in a way I won’t spoil), his budding relationships with the other kids on the island, and the mysteries surrounding the villain, the Weaver. The book is full of action, so it will definitely keep middle grade readers interested, and there are some definite twists that I saw coming as an adult, but MG readers might not (and the book is still interesting and entertaining, even if you guess at the main twist). Highly recommended for fans of magical fantasies like dragon books!
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher so I could provide an honest review. No compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
Skandar and the Unicorn Thief is an exciting middle grade fantasy adventure, filled with elemental magic, dangerous unicorns, and backstabbing betrayals. First off, I thought the worldbuilding in this book was really interesting. I loved the concept of the unicorn races and the idea that unicorns are born with a bond to a particular individual, and if that person doesn’t show up at the hatchery, the unicorn is born wild (and even more dangerous and unstable than your average unicorn). I’d love to see even more of how the unicorns and humans interact beyond the races (feels like there might be even more important jobs?)—it will be interesting to see if that will be expanded upon in future books. This book focuses on the mystery of why Skandar is specifically singled out at the exams (in a way I won’t spoil), his budding relationships with the other kids on the island, and the mysteries surrounding the villain, the Weaver. The book is full of action, so it will definitely keep middle grade readers interested, and there are some definite twists that I saw coming as an adult, but MG readers might not (and the book is still interesting and entertaining, even if you guess at the main twist). Highly recommended for fans of magical fantasies like dragon books!
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher so I could provide an honest review. No compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***