Happy Fourth with a Quick Review!
- Michelle Fohlin
- Jul 4, 2019
- 2 min read
Happy Fourth of July to all my friends celebrating in the US! Just stopping by to quickly recommend a charming middle grade series: The Wild Magic Trilogy by Celine Kiernan!
The premise of book one (Begone the Raggedy Witches) is simple: Mup's dad has been kidnapped by an evil queen and she must find him. But it's told in such a strikingly inventive way (I thought that the punishment for men to speak only in rhymes to discourage communication was especially creative) and has such a beautiful core about the importance of friendship and family. Mup's care for Crow is something the world can use a little more of.
The back cover hails this as Ireland's answer to J. K. Rowling, but I don't think that's very fair to Kiernan. Harry Potter calls to mind a specific kind of magic: wands and spells especially, and the school aspect looms large in my memory. Kiernan's world is nothing like this. The magic system is far more grounded in Irish folklore; it's a powerful earth force deep within a person. And there are no academic grounds in sight.
Book two, The Little Grey Girl (due for release in September '19), takes a far darker turn. Mup's family sets out to undo the damage of the evil queen in Witches Borough. Kiernan deftly handles the subject of pain and oppression for her young audience. She also allow's Mup's personality to really shine: it encompasses all the joys, hopes, frustrations, and anger of a young girl caught up in a very adult world.
Book three to come soon!
If you're looking for a fantasy that's deeply atmospheric and tackles real world problems with grace, I highly recommend this series!
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