Review of Julu
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Lisa Grimaldi
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Review of Julu
[Following is a volunteer review of "Julu" by Jan Anderegg.]
Julu by Jan Anderegg is the first book in what will hopefully become a long, successful series. Billed as Young Adult fiction, this story will also appeal to adults who are young at heart or middle-schoolers who enjoy a compelling story. The author deftly combines fantasy, adventure, fairy tales, literary and real characters, and time travel to tell a story sure to capture anyone’s imagination.
Julu is a dragon whose job it is to guide and protect our two young protagonists, Jack and Mia, whose heritage has been kept secret from them for their own protection. An unexpected attack one day forces them to escape the world where they have been hidden (The World Beyond), meet Julu, and come face-to-face with their destinies as saviors of the world of Jirvania. In Jirvania dragons, orcs, faeries, witches, kings, queens, princes, princesses, magical dolphins, and shape-shifting killer Spores exist as normally as cars, families, and mundane jobs do in our world. But Jack and Mia are just learning who they truly are and what they have to accomplish; and they are doing so without the benefit of their parents, from whom they have been separated. If Jack and Mia fail, worlds will end and Imagination will no longer exist. If they fail, the world of Jirvania will end. Can our heroes save not only their world, but also the world of Imagination?
The author accomplishes her amazing feat of story-telling by moving back and forth in time to fill in pieces to the story, introduce characters, and sometimes to right a grievous wrong. She manages to clear any confusion at the beginning of each chapter by giving clarifying information. She tells us what year it is in Jirvania, what year it is in The World Beyond, and often how many years we have moved forward or back from the last chapter. This information keeps us grounded so that we know where each character stands in their journey.
This book was amazing to read and difficult to set aside. The author is truly invested in this world she has created and with the characters she has developed. I, for one, cannot wait to read the second book in the series. Readers who enjoy their stories packed with adventure and mythical creatures will become instant fans of this book. I was reminded of the fantasy content of Chris Colfer and the adventure content of Rick Riordan. If you like your books packed with romance or lots of blood and gore, skip this book. All others, climb aboard your dragon and enjoy!
I was unable to find a single editorial or grammatical error in this book. It was obviously professionally edited. For that reason and the excellence in writing form and story-telling, I am delighted to give this book 4 out of 4 stars.
******
Julu
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Julu by Jan Anderegg is the first book in what will hopefully become a long, successful series. Billed as Young Adult fiction, this story will also appeal to adults who are young at heart or middle-schoolers who enjoy a compelling story. The author deftly combines fantasy, adventure, fairy tales, literary and real characters, and time travel to tell a story sure to capture anyone’s imagination.
Julu is a dragon whose job it is to guide and protect our two young protagonists, Jack and Mia, whose heritage has been kept secret from them for their own protection. An unexpected attack one day forces them to escape the world where they have been hidden (The World Beyond), meet Julu, and come face-to-face with their destinies as saviors of the world of Jirvania. In Jirvania dragons, orcs, faeries, witches, kings, queens, princes, princesses, magical dolphins, and shape-shifting killer Spores exist as normally as cars, families, and mundane jobs do in our world. But Jack and Mia are just learning who they truly are and what they have to accomplish; and they are doing so without the benefit of their parents, from whom they have been separated. If Jack and Mia fail, worlds will end and Imagination will no longer exist. If they fail, the world of Jirvania will end. Can our heroes save not only their world, but also the world of Imagination?
The author accomplishes her amazing feat of story-telling by moving back and forth in time to fill in pieces to the story, introduce characters, and sometimes to right a grievous wrong. She manages to clear any confusion at the beginning of each chapter by giving clarifying information. She tells us what year it is in Jirvania, what year it is in The World Beyond, and often how many years we have moved forward or back from the last chapter. This information keeps us grounded so that we know where each character stands in their journey.
This book was amazing to read and difficult to set aside. The author is truly invested in this world she has created and with the characters she has developed. I, for one, cannot wait to read the second book in the series. Readers who enjoy their stories packed with adventure and mythical creatures will become instant fans of this book. I was reminded of the fantasy content of Chris Colfer and the adventure content of Rick Riordan. If you like your books packed with romance or lots of blood and gore, skip this book. All others, climb aboard your dragon and enjoy!
I was unable to find a single editorial or grammatical error in this book. It was obviously professionally edited. For that reason and the excellence in writing form and story-telling, I am delighted to give this book 4 out of 4 stars.
******
Julu
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Final Notice by Van Fleisher
