4 out of 4 stars
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The Crystilleries of Echoland by Dew Pellucid is a coming-of-age fantasy novel that is imaginative and compelling. Will Cleary lost his twin sister, Emmy, at the age of two after they both disappeared. One week later, Will returned, along with a wolf and falcon, but Emmy did not.
Now, Will is twelve and determined to find out what happened to his sister. He is quickly thrown into a parallel world called Echoland that is both magical and dangerous. He wakes to his pals Deá and Damian, the wolf and falcon, who are now transparent beings in human form. In Echoland, beings are also parallel; a solid form is called a Sound and the reflection is called an Echo. Will is a Sound, but does that also mean he has an Echo? But before Will can find out much about this strange land, he begins to be hunted by the terrifying Fate Sealers, ready to capture him. From there, danger and adventure wait for Will at every turn as he tries to solve the mysteries of Emmy’s disappearance and help to save Echoland.
This book pulled me in right away without a lot of unnecessary setup. Right from the beginning there is a sense of urgency that kept me turning the pages, and made me anxious to find out what would happen next. I would describe this novel as fast paced because the action is constant and the chapters are fairly short. In addition to the pacing, the story itself is unique and feels almost like stepping into a dream. This is what I liked most about the book. The idea of parallel worlds is always one that has interested me since childhood, and I’m sure many other readers would gladly want to enter the world of Echoland… from the safety of their homes, of course.
However, there were times when the story seemed difficult to follow, especially at the beginning, and that is what I disliked the most about the book. I did have to reread paragraphs or pages at times in order to determine how the character got from here to there. It wasn’t too hard to figure it out and get back on track as the story progressed though.
Overall, I thought The Crystilleries of Echoland was a delight and I rate it 4 out of 4 stars. Not only was the book fun and fast paced, but it was also exceptionally well edited. The premise was imaginative and magical, so fans of Harry Potter and Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will find some common ground. The book is targeted at middle grade readers, but there are some violent and intense scenes that may be disturbing for younger or sensitive readers. That being said, I do think that readers from age 12 to adult will enjoy this imaginative, fantastical novel.
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The Crystilleries of Echoland
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