Rise of the Shadow

May 1, 2020
Siblings are thrown into a dangerous magical world. Alex, 10, and Emma, 13, live with their cruel antiques-dealer uncle in a house with 252 rooms, 17 Victrolas (Alex calls them "hundred-year-old record players"), and no connection with the modern outside world. Their parents died on an archaeological dig (Alex believes this, but Emma does not), searching for an artifact that would restore magic to a world called the Conjurian. Their quest was pressing because nowadays, "Magic is dying" there. One night, horrifying creatures burst into the mansion and chase the siblings into a secret passage and out into that other realm. Monsters and smugglers loom; the head of this land's ruling circle might be defending the realm from evil--or might be creating illusions of evil to gain more power. Within this adventurous setup, prose is clunky and pacing drags. Even the cliffhanger ending, with one sibling under a collapsed building and the other underwater unable to swim, lights no spark--readers know by then that this story's flashy dangers resolve quickly without substance. An ongoing sibling debate on whether magic exists--even as magic unfolds before their eyes--is preposterous. In a threadbare, distasteful trope, Anderson repeatedly uses facial disfigurement--including eyelessness--to symbolize evil. Moreover, for no apparent reason besides traditional gender roles, both Alex's parents and the text itself explicitly place younger brother Alex as superior to older sister Emma. Alex, Emma, and most characters seem white by default. Flimsy, forced, and stale. (Fantasy. 9-12)

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July 1, 2020

Gr 3-6-After years of living in Uncle Mordo's mansion, siblings Emma and Alex find themselves in the middle of a mission to keep themselves safe while trying to save magic. Magic is fading from the world (both the Flatworld and the world of the Conjuring) and no one knows why. Emma and Alex's parents may have held a key to solving the mystery, but these "anthropologists" were killed in an accident when the siblings were young. With their Jimjarian named Pimawa (a pet rabbit turned magical guide), the siblings face old friends who may in fact be foes, flying skeletons called Rag-O-Racs, and the Shadow Conjurer himself. The suspenseful conclusion paves the way for an action-packed continuation of their journey. Anderson weaves plentiful grayscale illustrations throughout the narrative that will help readers picture the otherworldly setting and characters. VERDICT Middle grade fans of magical mysteries will enjoy this exciting and well-paced series debut.-Lindsay Persohn, Univ. of South Florida, Tampa

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2020
Grades 3-6 Since their parents' disappearance eight years ago, Alex and Emma Muskelyne have lived with their strict uncle Mordo, who forbids anything electronic or dangerous from entering the house. One night, their house is attacked by the Shadow Conjurer, who is looking for a powerful magical artifact purportedly discovered and hidden by Alex and Emma's parents, who it's now clear were anything but ordinary antique dealers. With their normal life suddenly upended, the siblings must venture into the magical world of Conjurian to uncover the truth about their parents and learn the location of the artifact?before the Shadow Conjurer finds it and destroys both worlds. Anderson's series starter poses the question, what if magic is real, the way that alternate dimensions might be real? As he explores this idea, he litters his narrative with black-and-white ink drawings, dark and sinister villains, a family secret to discover, personal limitations to overcome, and, of course, magic. Part A Series of Unfortunate Events, part Tony Abbott's The Copernicus Legacy, this adventure has impressive tricks up its sleeve.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)