Che Golden

I got this book through NetGalley for review. It is the first book in a planned trilogy. It was a simple and quick read about a young girl who gets involved with the Fae. I really enjoyed it, it was engaging and I enjoyed the subject matter.

Maddy is an orphan who is living with her grandparents in Ireland. She hates the Irish town she lives in and runs away to an old castle at night, a castle she has been warned to never set foot in. There she meets an evil fae. When the fae comes to steal show more her young neighbor Stephen, Maddy and her cousins end up on a deadly quest to save Stephen from the evil Winter Queen.

Maddy is a preteen with a serious chip on her shoulder. You can tell she is still hurting from the death of her parents. She deals with this by being vicious, mean and confrontational with everyone. Even her grandparents, who obviously love her, are stuck dealing with her disobedience and sharp tongue. Part of the reason the fae boy she meets in the castle singles her out is because of the darkness and pain he sees inside of her.

The fae are portrayed as absolutely vicious, which I enjoyed...really it is more true to the fae from classic literature and mythology. Golden does not shy away from fae who harm, torture, and manipulate in the most cruel of ways. It never gets too gory or disturbing though so I think it should be fine for the middle grade age group.

The plot is fairly simple and straight-forward. It was a fast-paced and engaging read. The story wraps up at a good spot and the book is very readable and well written.

Overall I really enjoyed the book. This is a quick read, with a simple plot, but I enjoyed it all the same. It’s fast paced and I love reading books about the fae as based in mythology. The characters are engaging and there is a lot of room for Maddy to grow from a lonely and mean girl to something more. Recommended to those who like to read about fae (and I am not talking about the glittery and fluffy type of fae either). show less

Haiku review at: http://thebookshelfgargoyle.wordpress...

I received an egalley review copy of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss in return for an honest review.

Ten Second Synopsis:
Moody, damaged adolescent scorned by family and friends finds a secret power and goes on a heroic quest to right a wrong when no one else will step forward, finding redemption and friendship along the way.

While that sounds suspiciously like a plot that has been done to death - and I think we can all agree show more that it has - The Feral Child has some elements that help it stand out from the crowded fantasy/stolen child/redemptive quest plot line that is so common to books for middle grade readers.

First, and most importantly in my opinion, the characters are not so cliched as to be utterly irritating. Often I find that characters in books for this age group can be so stereotypical and two-dimensional that they render the story almost unreadable. Luckily, in The Feral Child, Golden has created three protagonists with believable flaws and behaviours that reflect those flaws. You won't find any miracle personality changes in these pages - the children do mature through the story, but their personalities change in an organic way across the plot, rather than in response to one significant event.

The faery world, based on celtic mythology, really holds its own in this book too. The villainous faeries and assorted creatures really seem dangerous and unpredictable and add a good dose of creepiness to the story. I didn't find it quite as terrifying as some other reviewers here seem to have found it, but the action is certainly gripping and moves at a cracking pace that should satisfy readers of middle grade age.

Overall, this as a good choice for any middle grader who enjoys fantasy and mythology stories, and doesn't mind a bit of a scare along the way.

Recommended. show less

Maddy has the sight. She sees what others can't. Living with her grandparents in a small village after her parents die in an accident, Maddy sees things that should not exist. When one of those things kidnaps the child next door, she and her cousins enter the fairy mound to win him back.