Review by BumbleBeeGhost -- The Crystilleries of Echoland

[BumbleBeeGhost]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Crystilleries of Echoland" by Dew Pellucid.]

---

3 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

In a world where children go missing never to be seen again, Will Cleary not only returns; he comes back with the company of Damien and Dae, his would-be childhood pets, but without his twin sister, Emmy.

The Crystilleries of Echoland by Dew Pullid explores the adventure that we, as readers, take with Will as he uncovers the answers of what happened to his sister. In doing so, we not only learn more about the world - and the mirror parallel world that comes with it, “Echoland” - but also immerse ourselves in this fantasy setting that is not afraid to push some boundaries and create a beautiful blend of modern inventions with magical items.

A particular favorite example of this comes early on in the book with an orb that Will simply takes with him - an orb that contains floating numbers that act as a clock. It’s something that, while simple, is a fun fantasy twist on an everyday item. It was a simple and effective way to show how magic existing in a world can change the items we have in the modern world. I enjoyed seeing all the different items, some fantasy-inspired everyday items and other completely magical items - I think it adds a bit more depth to an already good story.

The fantasy continues to have such deep roots in this story with its characters and the world it takes place in. Will’s childhood pets - a wolf and a falcon - seem, at first, to be something akin to ‘familiars’ that you see in most fantasy stories. Instead, these animals turn out to be people - more accurately, “echoes” of real people that reside in this parallel world - that simply want to protect and hide Will. It’s a nice misdirect from what you really expect from a fantasy world - these “echoes” actually possessing these dead animal bodies is something unique and unexpected. It leads nicely into what they really are and the world that Will is going to find himself digging into.

While the writing style is simple and direct, you immediately know what and who someone is. The downside of this is that at times, it’s hard to tell where the characters are or what’s all around them. At times, you’re not sure where a chapter is starting or where the main character is until halfway through the chapter. A few times throughout the book, you don’t really know there’s a third or fourth character even there listening until it’s very suddenly mentioned. This can sometimes change and affect the mood of the scene because now you are, in a way, forced to reread that section with that information in mind. It can also make it feel a bit more intended for younger audiences with content that is not quite suitable for young readers.

With that in mind, I would have to rate this a solid 3 out of 4. It is a great story, with very unique fantasy elements in a familiar ‘boy-hero’ storyline, but the writing style can make it feel a bit too simple at times. As a whole, I would recommend it as a simple adult or teen novel for someone who enjoys fantasy.

******
The Crystilleries of Echoland
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon