2 out of 4 stars
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Girl of the Prophecy by Kate McPhail is a fantasy book that follows the story of Kiera Kilgore, a shy and fearful teenager who suffers bullying at school. The situation in her house is far from being more pleasant. Her parents died when she was just a child, so she ended up living with her petulant aunt. If it were not for her best friend Jaime, the only person in the world who seems to care about her and the only one who defends her from her aggressive classmates, her life would be outright miserable.
One day, one of her teachers reveals himself to her as Théoden, a magician from a mystical land who tells him about a strange prophecy that will change her life forever. Almost without realizing it, Kiera and Jamie end up entering a land full of mythical creatures and constant dangers, since a form of evil not unlike the one they already know seeks to take over the kingdom of Ailarts'ua.
As the reader may come to notice by the premise, the plot of the book revolves around familiar elements of other well-known books of the genre. Moreover, the protagonist finds herself amid strange incidents with her classmates that involve magic, and she even ends up attending a school for magicians in the fantastic land in which the story takes place. Also, from one moment to the next, the characters move from one world to another through a strange portal. Finally, the magician who assists them appears and disappears whenever the plot requires it.
Most of the secondary characters fall in classic stereotypes, although the author does a superb job in emphasizing these characteristics in such a way that they prove funny and tolerable. While at the beginning it may be easy to emphasize with the protagonist, her evolution throughout the book is almost null and frustrating. Some of her actions do not seem to make sense. Even a love triangle that arises in the middle of the plot has a forced and unconvincing outcome.
The writing work is acceptable, even if it may prove distant from the characters at times. The description of their sensations is limited to a mere transcription of their thoughts into the text. The editing work could have also been a bit better, these kinds of lines not properly integrated into the narrative. Additionally, there are several errors regarding the use of double quotation marks, a couple of typos, and a few misplaced words.
As the book progressed, the reviewer began to lose interest in the development of the plot. The quests that the protagonist has to realize felt forced, their triggers vague excuses that resemble those of an RPG video game instead of those of a novel. The finale leaves no room for many surprises, although there is an interesting plot twist around the villain and a hint to a possible sequel.
However, the worldbuilding process, the conception of the different factions, and the conflicts that arise between them are well achieved, proving able to keep the reader hooked despite the book's shortcomings. The theme of bullying in both worlds is also quite compelling, which is why I believe I can give it 2 out of 4 stars. I recommend it to fantasy readers who look for books that do not detach themselves from common elements among the fantasy genre.
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Girl of the Prophecy
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