STARFELL. WILLOW MOSS and the FORGOTTEN TALE

 

by Dominique Valente;  

An Adventure Book Review by Erin the Cat Princess©

 

Erin, addicted to Mystery Adventure and Mice!

 

 Hello, and welcome to my Saturday Book Review!

 

 

This week we are delighted to bring you the second book featuring Willow Moss and her under the bed monster (NOT a cat) feline-like companion, Oswin.

 

The books are beautifully and funnily illustrated by the talented Sarah Warburton.

 

 

NEWS FLASH:- UPDATE! 

 

FOLLOWING on from last weeks disclosure of farmer Clarksin's sheep being used to clean the village crockery, I am pleased to announce the Grand Opening of the UMM (Upper Much-Mousing) automated car wash. 

 

Yes, it seems my idea for cleaning Mrs H's brand spanking new Brough Superior motorcycle caught on. Mrs Singh spotted the sheep doing their thing, and in 'nine shakes of a lamb's tail', she had signed the contract for exclusive car cleaning rights. Thankfully, the sheep do not have to spin around. A cunning arrangement of multiple elevated oscillating walkways and some carefully aimed hosepipes has seen the village cars cleaned, dried and sparkling like new. If you stack the sheep right, Mrs Singh says she can even accommodate tractors, too!

On a more serious note, we have an appeal from Police Constable Beatworn. He asks anybody who may have witnessed the theft of two dozen hair dryers from the village's hairdressers to get in contact with him at his usual office. That would be inside the Public Call Box, adjacent to the Pied Sparrow Public House. Incidentally, their sparrow and mash pie is delicious!

 

OK, so enough with the village's crazy crime spree, let's get on with the review!

 

 

STARFELL. Willow Moss and the Forgotten Tale, by DOMINIQUE VOLENTE

 

Published by HarperCollins.

 

Cover artwork by Sarah Warburton

 

Hardback ISBN: 978 - 0 - 00 - 830843 - 8  

Paperback ISBN: 978 - 0 - 00 - 830844 - 5 

Trade paperback ISBN: 978 - 0 - 00 - 837714 -4

Cover price for Hardback £12.99, Paperback £7.99 (or cheaper)

 

 

 

SPOILER ALERT

As ever, to review book two in this series, we need to reveal elements of book one. So, if you haven't read book one and do want to, please head off to have a cup of tea and a nice warm scone and jam. Come back in maybe fifteen minutes, when we'll have moved on to discussing mouseholes that I have known. 

 

The story thus far . . . .  

 

Willow Moss, age 13, is the youngest daughter and witch in a family of witches. She is less powerful than her sisters and imbued only with the gift of finding lost things: spectacles, shoes, socks, or fish. 

Something is wrong in Starfell — Tuesday, the actual day and all that happened, the memories of its existence or otherwise have vanished. Come Wednesday, Starfell's most feared and capable witch, Moreg Vaine, knew something was up. She came to find Willow and together, along with Oswin, the monster that lives under Willow's bed, set off searching for answers. 

 

On route, Moreg is arrested and imprisoned by the Brothers of Wol, priests who hate magic and think those with the gift are possessed by evil. Without Moreg and her undoubted skill, Willow has to quite literally save the day. Along the way, she meets new friends, including a dragon called Feathering, an ogre, and an Oublier– a seer of secrets and things past, called Nolin Sometimes. Of course, there are villains – the Brothers of Wol. One of them, a boy named Silas, is secretly a wizard with a dark heart bent on revenge. 

 

Of course, there is an evil potion maker of a witch, too, determined to do bad things to Willow to protect her dark secret. 

 

Ultimately, in a rather dramatic deadly scene, the magic that stole Tuesday was reversed. With the day found and duly restored and Silas under lock and key, things seemed to be good. But the trouble with it all was, nobody other than Willow and her new close friends remembered it. So as far as everyone else is concerned, Willow achieved nothing extraordinary at all! To make matters worse, the tragedy that befell Willow's family that Tuesday is brought back home. It is a bittersweet ending worthy of tears.

 

The Plot: 

 

Willow gets a message by leaf mail, delivered by an oak tree, from Nolin Sometimes. He has just foreseen his own kidnapping. Willow is desperate to go and help and tries to explain to her family. The thing is, Willows magic has become quite. . . erratic. Since the death of one of her most trusted and favourite relations, Willow's ability to summon things has sort of flipped to making them disappear also. Worse still, she has no control over what disappears, when, or when they return. Not good when you vanish half your home and some of your relatives! Her family, of course, think she needs help. And don't believe her about meeting an oublier or the dragon, and just put it all down to stress and upset. 

 

Making good her escape, having vanished her family, she heads off with everyone's favourite grumpy Kolbold, Oswin, in search of clues as to Nolin's whereabouts and his captors. It is a journey that will take her to the very underworld of Starfell, Neatherfell, searching for clues and her friend Nolan. Along the way, she will be kidnapped at least once, tried to be cured of her 'dangerous' habit and meet strange folk, some good, others less so. Did I mention the wraiths? No, well, there are some of them up to no good too. Of course, we meet new friends who have a significant part to play in the adventure that will take young Willow Moss to uncharted and dark deep waters and into, essentially, hell itself.

 

What she makes of it all and whether she survives really does depend on one thing. And it's not a small thing either. It's whether, in the face of great sadness, doubt, mistrust and betrayal by those she loves, she can see what she must do. But more than that, she must find something within herself to believe. That's a big ask for a small witch who has a knack for misplacing family and friends, including dear old Oswin encamped in his bag.

 

Now, in all this, what of the Forgotten Tale? Now here's the thing. . . . you'll just have to read to find out about that and what it means to all of magic and Starfell! **** cue the dramatic music****

 

 

So, what did we think?

 

This is most definitely a worthy sequel to Willow Moss and the Lost Day. A cast of characters is nicely assembled, and new allies are met. Oswin is Oswin, and we get a better feel for the kobold's softer side, but please do not say that to him else he might well explode.

 

Mrs H and I loved how the story keeps a lot back without starving the plot of action. It is really only towards the end that a lot gets revealed. Until then, the adventure runs along with barely a pause for a cup of tea and a plate of Rain Biscuits. It delves nicely into the Starfell world and those that inhabit it, past and present. It also acts as a harbinger for things to come. 

 

Of course, Sarah Warburton has supplied the marvellous artwork throughout the book, on the hardback book's sleeve and on the cover within. It is a rare treat to find additional artwork and one that we always appreciate and enjoy. 

 

 

 

 

If I was to try and explain more of the ins and outs and unders and overs of the story, I would have to give far too much away. That I definitely don't want to do. 

 

So . . . . 

Crunch time. 

  

 

As ever, we are not in the habit of marking books. We only read and review books we enjoy, based on research, recommendations from authors, and those in the know. That is our guarantee to you. However, taste is, all said and done, so very personal. 

 

So, if you are thinking of getting this book for your younger readers (age 8+) and maybe reading this yourself before you pass it on, then go for it. If you read book one, then this is a must. It is good, clean, fun, and builds very nicely on what has already happened and opens the door for more and interlocking adventures to come. Whilst I was dictating this, I got a real buzz of expectation for book three. The same sort of good vibe as I had whilst waiting for the next of Murder Most Unladylike series of books by Robin Stevens. 

 

The great news is that book four is due next year, so there is a lot to look forwards to. 

 

Do look out for our review of book three, Starfell, Willow Moss and the Vanished Kingdom, coming soon. 

 

 

 

Want to buy a copy?

 

 

As ever, to add some magic into your life, then do take the nearest cloud dragon, skirting around any underworld witchly kingdoms, to your local independent bookshop. 

 

Dominique Volente's web page can be found HERE. 

 

Harper Collins Chidrens web page can be found HERE. 

 

If any publishers, agents or authors wish us to review their books, please do get in touch. Details are listed on our book review page.

 

 

Thanks for dropping by. I'm off to see if I can get one of those sheep to balance on a pole to clean my upstairs windows!

 

 

Laters!

 

ERin

 

 

 

Writing reviews is such hard work!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHAT ABIGAIL DID THAT SUMMER.

A 'RIVERS OF LONDON' Novella,  by BEN AARONOVITCH.

 

An Adventure Book Review by Erin the Cat Princess

 

Erin, addicted to Mystery Adventure and Mice!

Hello, and welcome to my Saturday Book Review!

This week, we have something really rather different but supremely special. What Abigail Did That Summer is a spinoff novella from the Rivers of London series of books, by the hugely brilliant, Ben Aaronovitch. Needless to say we both are totally addicted to this series and pounce on any new book that comes out. To be accurate, I get Mrs H to pounce on the postman the moment they leave the sorting office!

 

Before we get started it will help to have a bit of background info on the Rivers series.  

 

The Rivers of London books are wonderful detective series, infused with magic, all manner of river spirits, faye and modern-day villains equiped with magical skills. For the greater part they are set in or around London and the UK. The lead protagonist, Peter Grant, is a police constable, and erstwhile apprentice wizard. OK, so in actuality they prefer the term of Practitioner. But anyone who wields balls of light, can stop bullets and can blow holes through things like his one hundred years plus police boss, Inspector Thomas Nightingale, can do, can call themselves what they like. Peter and Nightingale are based at an old London building known as the The Folly. Together they are the only practitioners serving the UK. If their is wierd stuff going down, be it 'jazz vampires' or trouble with the local River Godesses, which there certainly is, then you call The Folly!

 

This is NOT Harry Potter. This IS up to date policing with a magical and thoroughly entertaining and addictive twist. CSI really has nothing on these guys!

 

 

So, with that really rather hurried back-story to the Rivers of London – which believe me, comes nowhere near expressing how clever, involving and darkly fun and somewhat tongue in cheek the books are – we shall proceed to the actual review. 

 

 

 

WHAT ABIGAIL DID THAT SUMMER, by BEN AARONOVITCH

Published by Gollancz, an imprint of Orion Publishing.

ISBN: 978 - 1 - 473 - 22435 - 3

Cover price £7.99 (Paperback)




The Plot:  


Abigail Kumara (we'll call her Abigail) is the thirteen-year-old neighbour of Peter Grant's parents and Peter's cousin. She had come to Peter's attention when she was found ghost hunting in a tunnel on an active railway line. Having discovered Peter is a wizard, she is intent on learning magic herself. Later, she earns a nickname/reputation that is really rather appropriate: 'Ghost Hunter, Fox Whisperer, Trouble Maker'.


Our story opens in the 'Achieving Best Evidence' suite at the local police station, and Abigail is there to help them with their enquiries into some missing children. The mother of one particular child, Simon, that Abigail had become friends with, arrives and takes over the meeting. Simon's mum happens to be a high ranking civil servant – of the possible spy kind.

So, at this point, the story cleverly flashes back to how Simon met Abigail some days earlier.

It is the summer holidays, and Abigail is left to her own devices, free to wander around London as she will. With a brother who is essentially terminally ill, her mother has enough on her plate.

Simon says hello to her at the entrance to Hampstead Heath, and thus the two get chatting. Both were supposed to meet someone different there, to take them to some strange 'event/happening', but it seems they have not turned up. So, the two get talking and after doing a bit of cat watching, or rather watching the crazy cat lady who looks after the strays in the area, they head to gates. There they get questioned by the 'Feds' (police) about some missing children. Simon admits to having met one of the girls before Abi could stop him. She has a bit of a record and doesn't want to get involved. So having both given false names and addresses, they escape the Feds, and Simon invites Abi to see his house.  

Later, on the way home, Abigail is confronted by a talking fox. Yup, she can talk to foxes, or rather these foxes can talk and want to talk to her. But these aren't your everyday sort of fox. Bigger, better, and in need of someone to investigate something weird they can sense in the area. A brewing menace or something that they really don't like. What they need is someone special. And as to the foxes, Abigail is a 'person of interest' she gets elected.

Is this weird stuff something connected to the missing teenagers? Well, that is where the adventure lies.

Now, this is a short story, 196 pages that fly once you get the swing of the story, which incidentally doesn't take long at all. In fact, you are dropped right into the middle of it when you start. But as I said, you get taken back to the beginning quickly. It may seem strange, but the right moment was picked, and it works really well and delivers suspense.

What transpires next is..... well, let's just say it takes all of Abigail's street skills, a hefty dose of stamina and lateral thinking. Not forgetting a posse of talking foxes that seem to be under the impression they are 1970's secret agents, a hooley bar, and a load of military-strength stink bombs! All in a day's work for Abigail!



So, what did we think?


Before I say, this is what some newspapers have said:

"Highly entertaining" The Sunday Express.

"Funny and wildly inventive" The Mail on Sunday.

 "Charming, witty, exciting" The Independent.

We think that of all the stories we have read of late, this one really takes the prize. Sure, this is a bit different to your usual Middle-Grade adventure, but then, of course, it blatantly isn't.

What this is, is a multi-age range, down to earth adventure magical mystery. It comes complete with brilliant and diverse characters, beautifully executed and with just the right mix of all of the attributes mentioned above, and more.

I have to add that we had bought the Audible version of this to start with. We were so impressed that we listened to the adventure three times! The narration of the story is spot on and highly captivating. If you fancy getting into the real feel for this adventure, and the lingo, then the audiobook is a must. Actually, we recommend the audio for all of the entire Rivers of London series.

Whilst this IS a brilliant story, if you want to take the plunge into the main Rivers series, then we would strongly advise going to the very first in the series. Aptly the first is entitled 'Rivers of London'. If you are not bothered by a couple of spoilers, please just jump in and enjoy this little gem and masterpiece.


Want to buy a copy?

If you'd like a copy of What Abigail Did That Summer to add some foxy and faye hijinks into your life, then please do support your local bookshop first, and send your own posse of foxes to check it out and buy it for you!



The Rivers of London series is published by Gollancz. A link to their website can be found HERE.


So, until next time, we wish you a genus loci free week!

Me catching up on some sleep. We have red lighting to help Mrs H.

 
Laters!

ERin

PS

If any publishers, agents or authors wish us to review their books, please do get in touch. Details are listed in our book review page.