Clear off the books stacked on your bedside table. The next book you NEED to read is The Iron Trial by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare, published by Scholastic Inc. While the book is targeted for readers ages 8-12, much like the Harry Potter series, it is one that people of all ages can enjoy. It's a timeless story of strength, growing up, identity, and of course, magic, fantasy, danger, and darkness.
Summary: Most kids would do anything to pass the Iron Trial. Not Callum Hunt. He wants to fail.
All his life, Call has been warned by his father to stay away from magic. If he succeeds at the Iron Trial and is admitted into the Magisterium, he is sure it can only mean bad things for him. So he tries his best to do his worst — and fails at failing.
Now the Magisterium awaits him. It’s a place that’s both sensational and sinister, with dark ties to his past and a twisty path to his future. The Iron Trial is just the beginning, for the biggest test is still to come . . .
Don't get me wrong. I'm a huge Harry Potter fan and sometimes I had to repress my ridiculous loyalty to Potter whenever I found plot comparisons. And there are many. But I also appreciate the book for its differences, and for the world that Black and Clare have created. This is a well-written story, especially due to the fact that it's impossible to tell it was written by two people. Clare and Black are powerhouse YA authors in their own right. Together, they have given young readers an extraordinary fantasy novel to be enjoyed again and again.
Magic. Danger. Secrets. A shocking twist. Murder. There's nothing NOT to love about this book. You can revisit your love of Potter and magic with this book. It's exciting, action-packed, and quite addictive. It's certainly one of the best YA novels out there right now.
4 Stars
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