Language: PG (7 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
Only those with magic are allowed to stay on the island of Endla; this means no outsiders and no one who fails to exhibit magic by age twelve. If they stay or come back, they will die. Leelo (17yo) is not ready to banish her magicless brother from the island, so she makes a sacrifice of blood and song to the forest, pleading for her brother’s magic. This sacrifice has consequences. Consequences that Leelo never imagined.
Rutherford’s world building and magic system, especially in contrast to the non-island culture, was enchanting. While the forest and its demands are not fully explained, the lack of information felt more purposeful for readers to feel like an Endlan rather than a plot hole. The denouement felt a little long, which is understandable because of all the loose ends to tie up, but the slow conclusion undermined the climax’s power. Overall, I enjoyed the story and Leelo’s growth as she uncovers her own strength.
Leelo is depicted as white on the cover, and she, her brother, and her cousin are described as pale. Jaren mentions her paleness several times, which led me to imagine him as darker skinned, though the skin tones of other characters are not mentioned. The mature content rating is for alcohol use, nudity, innuendo, and implied sex. The violence rating is for blood, mention of domestic violence, and murder.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen
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