Review of The Secret of the Song
3 posts
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Secret of the Song" by IJ Alston.]
The Secret of the Song is book two in a three-part series by 15-year-old IJ Alston and her grandfather, GL Alston. The twenty-eight chapters in this fantasy novel have enough portal journeys, unicorn battles, waifs, and dragons to satisfy every adventure-loving middle schooler. The addition of the ability to listen to songs written by the young author to emphasize elements of the story puts this book over the top.
The narrative begins when the protagonists, Alice and Davis, return from an unsuccessful attempt to rescue their mother, who has been taken captive by the Egyptian god Seth. As the story progresses, these preteen siblings overcome many obstacles, both in the human world and in their other world on the other side of the portal.
My favorite part occurs in Chapter 15 as we learn how all sides are preparing their plans for the upcoming rescue attempt. The songs in this passage are performed by different characters to emphasize the various personalities and how they make their way into others' minds and dreams.
As an adult who does not play video games, I found the continual conquering of a monster and then instantly being confronted by another one in a different setting a bit monotonous, but I did not deduct any points for this negative because it is appropriate for the genre. I also did not deduct points for the unsatisfying TO BE CONTINUED at the end of the book because it was expected.
There is a questionable element of children disobeying their caregivers that might be a concern for some parents. The idea that the children are wiser than the adults is portrayed in a subtle, tactful way. Another element, which is positive, is shown by the character Alice as she handles a situation with the school talent show in an admirable way.
Overall, the editing is impressive. I only found a few grammatical errors and a few rough transitions between settings that could have been explained better. There is a huge cast of characters to keep straight, including an adorable nanny-type dog who can communicate with humans.
Despite the few negatives I experienced as an adult reader, a younger audience will find the book enjoyable and will be excited to learn how Alice discovered the secret of the song. My rating is five out of five stars.
******
The Secret of the Song
View: on Bookshelves |
The Secret of the Song is book two in a three-part series by 15-year-old IJ Alston and her grandfather, GL Alston. The twenty-eight chapters in this fantasy novel have enough portal journeys, unicorn battles, waifs, and dragons to satisfy every adventure-loving middle schooler. The addition of the ability to listen to songs written by the young author to emphasize elements of the story puts this book over the top.
The narrative begins when the protagonists, Alice and Davis, return from an unsuccessful attempt to rescue their mother, who has been taken captive by the Egyptian god Seth. As the story progresses, these preteen siblings overcome many obstacles, both in the human world and in their other world on the other side of the portal.
My favorite part occurs in Chapter 15 as we learn how all sides are preparing their plans for the upcoming rescue attempt. The songs in this passage are performed by different characters to emphasize the various personalities and how they make their way into others' minds and dreams.
As an adult who does not play video games, I found the continual conquering of a monster and then instantly being confronted by another one in a different setting a bit monotonous, but I did not deduct any points for this negative because it is appropriate for the genre. I also did not deduct points for the unsatisfying TO BE CONTINUED at the end of the book because it was expected.
There is a questionable element of children disobeying their caregivers that might be a concern for some parents. The idea that the children are wiser than the adults is portrayed in a subtle, tactful way. Another element, which is positive, is shown by the character Alice as she handles a situation with the school talent show in an admirable way.
Overall, the editing is impressive. I only found a few grammatical errors and a few rough transitions between settings that could have been explained better. There is a huge cast of characters to keep straight, including an adorable nanny-type dog who can communicate with humans.
Despite the few negatives I experienced as an adult reader, a younger audience will find the book enjoyable and will be excited to learn how Alice discovered the secret of the song. My rating is five out of five stars.
******
The Secret of the Song
View: on Bookshelves |
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