Young Llama Thoughts
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Adventurous
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Christian Friendly
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Easy Reading
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Humerous
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Youth Appropriate
Overall
Review
I seriously enjoyed The Ogress and the Orphans by Kelly Barnhill, so I went and got her other magical adventure that I have heard good things about. And it was as good as I thought it would be! (As well as a bit confusing…)
This book is about a Witch in the forest. She lives in the bog and each year demands a sacrifice of a baby to prevent her from destroying the village of Protectorate. At least that is what the people believe. Xan is a witch, but she is a caring old women who rescues the children, feeds them starlight and finds them new homes. But one night she accidentally feeds a baby moonlight and enmagics. Determined to help the child, Xan adopts her and uses a spell to protect her. But now Luna is almost 13 and her magic is coming out. With a village in unrest, a volcano rumbling, a mother looking for her child and a women with the heart of a tiger ruling them all, this story will keep you reading till the end!
Wow was this book exciting! Filled with adventure and magical problems, this is a book that teaches children on love, hope and fighting for what’s good! Kelly Barnhill writes overly magical, adventures that teach great lessons along the way. The outside doesn’t matter, it’s whats on the inside that counts. Family can come from anywhere. Hope is the light of a world that’s drowning in sorrow. And love can really heal anything. This is a book that I think girls 8 and up would love!
Now there is a LOT of magic in the novel. Witches, dragons, wizards, spells, curses and such. Mention of using magic for good like removing a tumor, or using it for bad like feeding on sorrow. It’s not creepy or voo-doo, but at one point Xan the witch draws a 13 point star on the ground in chalk for a star-clock spell to help Luna. And another witch does kill 2 baby birds to use their mothers sorrow for magic. There is mention of violence as well. People get hurt, go mad and some mention of blood. There is a women who is mad in a tower who’s paper birds cut people and scar them. But other than that, the book is very good!
Overall, though it is a very magical read, I enjoyed the book and think kids, teens and young adults would too! It’s a great lesson on learning about the world without falling into the sorrow the world can bring. Totally suggest it! -The Young Llama Reader.
Pros
- A very fun, magical adventure!
- Wonderfully written!!!
- Great for girls 8 and up!
Cons
- LOTS of magic.
- Violence.
Every year, the people of the Protectorate leave a baby as an offering to the witch who lives in the forest. They hope this sacrifice will keep her from terrorizing their town. But the witch in the Forest, Xan, is kind. She shares her home with a wise Swamp Monster and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon. Xan rescues the children and delivers them to welcoming families on the other side of the forest, nourishing the babies with starlight on the journey.
One year, Xan accidentally feeds a baby moonlight instead of starlight, filling the ordinary child with extraordinary magic. Xan decides she must raise this girl, whom she calls Luna, as her own. As Luna’s thirteenth birthday approaches, her magic begins to emerge—with dangerous consequences. Meanwhile, a young man from the Protectorate is determined to free his people by killing the witch. Deadly birds with uncertain intentions flock nearby. A volcano, quiet for centuries, rumbles just beneath the earth’s surface. And the woman with the Tiger’s heart is on the prowl . . .
