Genre
Fantasy, Fae, Ogres, Young Adult, Adventure
The Plot
From Barnes & Noble:
For centuries, mystical creatures of all description were gathered to a hidden refuge called Fablehaven to prevent their extinction. The sanctuary survives today as one of the last strongholds of true magic in a cynical world. Enchanting? Absolutely. Exciting? You bet. Safe? Well, actually, quite the opposite...
Kendra and her brother Seth have no idea their grandfather is the current caretaker of Fablehaven. Inside the gated woods, ancient laws give relative order among greedy trolls, mischievous satyrs, plotting witches, spiteful imps, and jealous fairies. However, when the rules get broken, an arcane evil is unleashed, forcing Kendra and Seth to face the greatest challenge of their lives. To save her family, Fablehaven, and perhaps the world, Kendra must find the courage to do what she fears most.
The Review
I have to say I simply loved this book and, in fact, it quickly became one of my. Not only is the book well written, the plot and the characters simply draw you into the book and make you care about what is going on. I enjoyed the world that Mr. Mull created as the idea of a haven for all sort of magical creatures and one, which is hidden from the rest of the world, is not one you come across in many books. I also like the fact that this haven was located on our Earth rather than on some alternative universe. It’s interesting to see how regular humans react to discovering there is more to the world than they think and how they learn to cope with it all.
The creatures are all very remarkable since they are not cute and sweet, as portrayed in plenty of Fantasy books, but can be rather mischievous, vain and self-serving and this helped create tension with the main characters once they started to interact with them.
Another of the things I liked was the fact that the characters did have something evil which FELT evil after them. Many times in these books [especially those geared towards teenagers and children] tend to hold back on the villain but Mull effectively portrayed the fact that they were in danger and you really do wonder how they will get out of the mess they got into.
There were two things I didn't like very much and one of them was the brother. His character was obnoxious to the point where I was hoping the fairies would turn him into a stone for the rest of the book. He was old enough to understand that he could get into trouble if he didn't obey his grandfather yet he did it again and again. Of course I realize his actions helped move the book along from one adventure to the other but I sometimes wish he at least looked or acted truthfully ashamed for what he did.
The other thing that somewhat bothered me was the quick way the end was wrapped up. I did like how the book ended but I wish it had taken a little more trouble to get to it. I can't articulate too much on this, as I would be giving away too much. Nonetheless I highly recommend this book for anyone who likes a damn good story. This one falls into my not-just-for-kids category as the plot, characters and writing is fleshed out and well written enough for adults to enjoy.
A solid 4.5 out of 5!
I would have given it a perfect score if it wasn't for those two minor details.
Extras
I recommend visiting the official website as it is rather interesting, although short on info.
Also, this seems to be the first in a new series but no word is out yet on the sequel, if or when it will be published but we will keep you posted soon as we get some info.
