Do you like mythology and folktales, particularly of the Irish variety?
Apparently I do, but I didn’t know that until reading this book.
Lost Children of the Far Islands by Emily Raabe is a middle-grade novel about three siblings who discover a very important secret about their family: they are of the Folk. Gus, Leo, and Ila are suddenly thrust into a new world where myths may not be myths and magic is real. Gus and Leo approach their 11th birthday, after which everything will change. There is something out there, something rooted deep in their old family stories, that threatens their lives and everyone in them. The Brennan siblings must figure out how they work together and how to be the heroes in their own tale.
This story was charming! I read it in nearly one sitting and I was along for the ride from the beginning. Gus and Leo are 11 years old in most of the story and their little sister Ila is significantly younger. The sibling relationships were so realistic: they fought, they miscommunicated, they made up, and they figured things out. My favorite character was Ila; she was so gosh-darn adorable and I could picture her perfectly!
As for the plot itself, I predicted the ending very early in the story, but it is a middle-grade story so I was not expecting a mind-blowing twist… I love middle-grade books. But I don’t go into them with super-high expectations. They’re cute and satisfy my need for cute and easy reads. I was not overly impressed by this book, but I did like it. I think my 11-year-old self would’ve had a fabulous adventure with this book!
I give this book a 3 out of 5 stars; I had fun reading it, I would recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy and predictability, but it is aptly categorized as middle-grade.
Happy reading!
>Megan
Ink and Imagination 