Hannah's Book Reviews

Brystal, a fourteen-year-old girl, lives in Chariot Hills, where, like the rest of the world, girls and women aren’t allowed to read books or have a useful education, and magic is forbidden on pain of death. Everyone believes the rules are good and trustworthy, but Brystal knows there is more to life for females than getting married and having children. It may be because she reads in secret every night, or that she is so smart she can help her brother study for his law exam, but she is certain that she is destined for a life better than those of the other girls. And, soon enough, her theory is proven correct. While working as a maid in the library, Brystal comes across a “Justices Only” section. In this section she finds a book called “The Truth About Magic”. After reading the words within it, Brystal is shocked to discover that she is a fairy, and is whisked away by Madame Weatherberry, the fairy who wrote “The Truth About Magic”, to join her new academy of magic, along with 5 other young fairies. But the academy isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, though it may appear to be, with visits from strange, terrifying witches, and the news of a mysterious conflict in the Northern Kingdom…

This incredible story, with all it’s dizzying twists and turns, is one of my favourite of all time. I loved how unexpected the plot twists were, and how Chris Colfer made me feel all Brystal’s emotions by sewing descriptive language in between the storyline. I also loved the cover of the narrative; the artwork was exquisite. I would definitely recommend this fantastic novel to kids 10+ who love stories of magic, and enjoyed “The Land of Stories” the prequel to this book.