The Flame in the Mist

March 15, 2013
Jemma's always been out of step with her family. She dreads Mord-days, when the Agromonds make Offerings to demonic entities, and she resents the sentient Mist that keeps the sun from Anglavia. On the eve of her 13th birthday, she learns those feelings are well-founded. With her two mind-reading rats and a mysterious book from her old nurse, Jemma flees Agromond Castle--hotly pursued--into the Mist-shrouded forest. There she encounters the usual assortment of helpers and hinderers, including her friend Digby. While her book provides clues to her past and future, her adventures teach her courage and fortitude. Sturdy, down-to-earth Jemma's an endearing heroine, but the evildoers (here Grindstaff's in good literary company) are more vivid and individuated than the good folk, who share a bland, interchangeable identity. Pacing is slow--getting Jemma out of the castle takes 90 pages, and she retraces her steps so often her hero's journey feels more like a commute. The tone ranges from whimsical humor (Jemma misses the castle fare: stale bread and sour milk; comfort food is what you're used to) to solemn high fantasy, but when the evil expands to widespread infanticide, the lighter tone jars. Debut missteps shouldn't bother young readers though, and the frequent flashes of charm and originality scattered throughout bode well for future ventures. (Fantasy. 9-12)

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May 1, 2013

Gr 6-8-Jemma lives in moldering old Agromond Castle with her nasty brother and sister, her evil parents, and her two pet rats. She doesn't share her family's inclination for wickedness and runs away from home when she learns that the Agromonds stole her from her real parents long ago in order to commandeer her innate magical power on her 13th birthday. The remainder of this turgid fantasy follows Jemma as she tries to get away from the murderous Agromonds to her real parents before she loses her magic forever. On her journey, she is thwarted by hostile mist, vile beasts, and brutal villagers. All ends well eventually and the villains get their just deserts, but not before readers must trudge through long, boring episodes interspersed with scenes full of blood and gore. The cuteness of Jemma crooning to her adorable pet rats clashes bizarrely with the revelation that the Agromonds have been murdering children to sustain their dominance. The slow-moving plot feels cobbled together and the setting is as hazy as the magical mist. For recent atmospheric fantasy with sinister characters, introduce patrons to William Alexander's Goblin Secrets or Stacy DeKeyser's Brixen Witch (both S & S, 2012).-Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library

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