Review: A Dark Inheritance by Chris D'Lacey

From the author of The Last Dragon Chronicles comes a new middle grade fantasy series. Chris D'Lacey's Ufiles #1: A Dark Inheritance was published by Scholastic on June 1, 2014.

Summary: When Michael Malone discovers his supernatural ability to alter reality, he is recruited by an organization dedicated to investigating strange and paranormal phenomena. He joins in hopes of finding his father, who mysteriously vanished three years earlier. 

Michael's first task is to solve the mystery of a dog he rescued from a precarious clifftop — a mystery that leads him to a strange and sickly classmate and a young girl who was killed in a devastating accident. Stakes are high as Michael learns to harness his newfound ability and uncover the deadly truth about his father's disappearance. 

This new action-adventure series will appeal to a wide range of readers. Chris D'Lacey writes a captivating story of a boy who possesses an extraordinary, but dark talent, who is unexpectedly dragged into a chilling mystery. Don't be dissuaded by the book's use of the word "UNICORNE" as I originally was. I can assure you there's nothing frilly or girly about this story. There are zero unicorns running around in the story. 

I liked this book more than I expected I would. The synopsis seemed interesting enough, but the summary doesn't really do it justice and I don't like to fill my reviews with spoilers about all the twisted, cool, exciting, and suspenseful moments that kept my eyes glued to the page. Bestselling author Chris D'Lacey hasn't let us down yet! The book is a fast-read with a great fantasy hook for readers like me who don't particularly like mysteries or feeling nervous when I read. 

A Dark Inheritance is a well-written and captivating story that will keep you guessing throughout. I'd recommend this one for pre-teen boy readers who enjoy fantasy/adventure novels and who can handle a more mature middle grade read. A great back-to-school choice to get kids away from the TV and back into reading!

3.5 Stars

Review: The Silence of Bonaventure Arrow by Rita Leganski

Rita Leganski's The Silence of Bonaventure Arrow is a wholly wonderful novel. It's an addictive, powerful, and touching story. HarperCollins always delivers when it comes to publishing high quality adult fiction, and The Silence of Bonaventure Arrow is no exception!

Summary: Conceived in love and possibility, Bonaventure Arrow didn't make a peep when he was born, and the doctor nearly took him for dead. No one knows that Bonaventure's silence is filled with resonance—a miraculous gift of rarified hearing that encompasses the Universe of Every Single Sound. Growing up in the big house on Christopher Street in Bayou Cymbaline, Bonaventure can hear flowers grow, a thousand shades of blue, and the miniature tempests that rage inside raindrops. He can also hear the gentle voice of his father, William Arrow, shot dead before Bonaventure was born by a mysterious stranger known only as the Wanderer. 

Bonaventure's remarkable gift of listening promises salvation to the souls who love him: his beautiful young mother, Dancy, haunted by the death of her husband; his Grand-mère Letice, plagued by grief and a long-buried guilt she locks away in a chapel; and his father, William, whose roaming spirit must fix the wreckage of the past. With the help of Trinidad Prefontaine, a Creole housekeeper endowed with her own special gifts, Bonaventure will find the key to long-buried mysteries and soothe a chorus of family secrets clamoring to be healed.

The Silence of Bonaventure Arrow delves into the dark and frightening unknowns of our world. The characters are at the mercy of the power of the universe, of God, of religion, and of our own human weaknesses. Bonaventure is born a mute, Dancy is a lonely, guilt-ridden single mother, Adelaide is a religious fanatic... there are many tragedies and trials to endure in life. The best we can do is learn to live with our lot, to always do right by our family and friends, and to press on with life.

The story is beautifully written, filled with colourful characters that you immediately fall in love with. Leganski constructs a world so real and tragic, it's easy to lose yourself in her writing. I loved how the story shows how we affect other people over time and space. Leganski shows how we can never full anticipate how our actions will alter the course of the future. From page one to the gripping conclusion, I was hooked by this moving story. Rita Leganski is a masterful storyteller. 

I finished this novel days ago, but the ending has stuck with me. This book more than exceeded my expectations. Rita Leganski has given the world a brilliant and magical debut. I highly recommend this novel!

4 Stars

Review: Sorrow's Knot by Erin Bow

Sorrow's Knot by Erin Bow is a fantastic Canadian YA novel. It is as beautifully written as the beautiful overarching metaphor of weaving/creating. This is a fantasy YA story for readers ages 12 & up.

Summary: In the world of Sorrow's Knot, the dead do not rest easy. Every patch of shadow might be home to something hungry, something deadly. Most of the people of this world live on the sunlit, treeless prairies. But a few carve out an uneasy living in the forest towns, keeping the dead at bay with wards made from magically knotted cords. The women who tie these knots are called binders. And Otter's mother, Willow, is one of the greatest binders her people have ever known.

But Willow does not wish for her daughter to lead the lonely, heavy life of a binder, so she chooses another as her apprentice. Otter is devastated by this choice, and what's more, it leaves her untrained when the village falls under attack. In a moment of desperation, Otter casts her first ward, and the results are disastrous. But now Otter may be her people's only hope against the shadows that threaten them. Will the challenge be too great for her? Or will she find a way to put the dead to rest once and for all?

Along with the metaphor of weaving/creating/protecting, the art of storytelling also has great power and influence. I loved that the book contains two powerful metaphors. The power of a good storyteller, the power of words, the power of stories all have great effect on the world. This is a timeless idea and with the supernatural element, we see the power of stories intensified. A truth that the reader can see developed throughout the book.

Spirits and magic play a large role in this book, and the heroes are underdogs, fated to bring peace and balance to the world. Death is also prominent and threatens the characters with its violence and unpredictability. Ideas about the afterlife and the manifestation of spirits may upset parents/readers with strong religious values. However, the book doesn't push native (or any!) type of belief system. It's simply a fact of life; people die and their spirits linger and must be held at bay. No propaganda present. 

I enjoyed the beauty of the story, especially the writing. However, to be honest, I had difficulty getting invested in the story as I often found myself getting bored and distracted. There wasn't enough character development or enough background or explanation about this supernatural world to appease me. I also think it would have been better as a darker story; more detail, more violence in the supernatural area, more mystery, and more suspense. Then again, this book reads very "literary." It's certainly not teen-trash or a fluffy read, that's for sure!

Lastly, I dislike having a generalized evil to oppose the heroes. The antagonists are uneasy spirits and their touch is poison to a living person; a sign of doom. The other great evil is human error. I wanted someone to blame, to fear; the handprint of a spirit on a living person was too reminiscent of Treasure Island's black spot. Sorry-- this was a yawn moment for me. 

Overall, after reading this book, I can see why Sorrow's Knot is an award-winning book and I do recommend it. It is a fabulous piece of Canadian YA fiction. The content didn't interest me much, but the writing is wonderful, the plot is deep and filled with the supernatural. 

3 stars.