- book 3 of fantasy series based in a world where dreams (bad & good) come to life
- main character, Lily, struggles with the tension between wanting to do things her way and the way she should actually do them
- themes: obedience, courage, good vs. evil, squashing fear
- language: brat x2, stupid x4, idiot x2
- convo: magic, fantasy creatures (bad & good), the monster from her childhood closet terrorizes Lily a few times, remembering that gifts and talents come from our Creator and not our own power, mentions whipping and torture (but no description), a man slaps a boy, a battle with injuries, Lily audibly hears Pax’s words once when alone
Type: chapter book
Ages: 11-15
Author: Kathryn Butler
We do see Lily maturing from where she was in the first two books. She more quickly realizes, in the midst of tough situations, that remembering Pax’s words is what brings light, hope, courage, and true problem-solving. This is my favorite allegorical component of the series–Christ’s word, as it is written in the Bible, is all we need to live our life with complete satisfaction that comes when we are being obedient to His call and direction.
Now, of course this book (and its mates) can be read for stories only, but since I enjoy picking up on the author’s allegories, please allow me to point out one more poignant one. In contrast to the first, Lily is always learning that fear is what the enemy wants. When her “monster in the closet” reappears to her in this other world, he says this:
“Fear is the food on which we shrouds thrive. It is our lifeblood. To be real we need only fear, and the fancies of an active mind. I was very real to you, wasn’t I, Lily?”
Gives you food for thought, right?
Lily and her friends (no Adam or Keisha this time!) encounter a number of different scary creatures. They are often far below the surface, which gives an added suppressing feel to the tension. The author, intentionally or not, gives nods to Star Wars, Voldemort, Alice and Wonderland, and even Groot. There are also references to Van Gogh and Monet, which might interest young artists.
(It is noteworthy that, within just a few months of each other, two middle grade fantasy novels were published which had famous artists’ work come to life, so to speak. I wonder if the authors were chatting. Heh.)
If you are okay with magical elements, this book is a pretty safe choice for your middler grader. There are seemingly constant “intense” moments. However, they are not only resolved fairly quickly most of the time, the actual writing style tends to lessen the tension. The writing is very simple and doesn’t keep my attention well. I can’t quite put my finger on all the reasons, but, for one, the text was replete with overly dramatic adjectives. Yes, I’m not the intended audience age, but there was a lack of depth in the descriptions. I found myself pushing toward the end just to finish what I started–which means I have another book to go, ha! I’ll link to the other reviews below.
A few more good quotes:
“In sharing the truth, you set us free.”
“Your powers are a gift, Lily McKinley, but be careful of the space they occupy in your heart. Do not let them lead you into temptation.”
“We’re created when your people dream. If that stops, our Realm will cease to exist. And as for your world, you’re made to create, as reflections of the one who created you. Imagine what would happen if your people lost that gift? Imagine the desolation and despair.”
Please let me know if this review helped you! If you ever are in need of a book review without time to read it yourself, always feel free to send me a message. I will try my best to rearrange my reading to accommodate!
Happy reading!
Review on Book 1: The Dragon and the Stone
Review on Book 2: The Prince and the Blight
Review on Book 4: *coming soon*