Thank you Walker Books for this book in exchange for an honest review
Synopsis:
A gorgeous, snowy adventure, set in the wilds of Siberia, full of magic and wonder, for junior readers.
Born in a Soviet prison camp, Lina has never seen the world outside until the night she escapes with her best friend, Bogdan. As the pair journey across a snowy wilderness, they are pursued by a vengeful sorceress and her pack of shadow wolves. The children will need every ounce of courage – and a whisper of magic – if they are to survive…
Review:
It is always amazing to see a fast paced middle grade read that is not only entertaining but brilliantly written. Growing up there wasn’t a wide variety of middle grade books to read, or even YA for that matter, so you pretty much dived into adult fantasy from such books as the Deltora Quest series.
Nevertell is based in Russia, in a magic based wilderness were two escaped children work out who to trust in the unknown world. Lina and Bogdan have left the area of the of hostage camp and learn to trust in one another for their own survival.
Lina who is 11, is a little hard for you to like, though she does grow on you by the end of the book. She is headstrong, naïve and a majority of the time is unrealistic. While Bogdan is a little more reserved and willing to help Lina in any way he can.
Another aspect of the book that was enjoyable was the magic system that seems tied to weather. Most of the time magic is simply there in books and you can never question its origins and how it is used but you can tell Orton put a lot of thought into how the magic is tied to the weather and how the characters can use it to their advantage and assist them on their journey.
I would also like to point out that there is a demand for books to be written in Russia (I think we can blame Bardugo for that) and this completes that need. The snowy landscape is beautifully described and really helps draw you into the story.
Overall this was a vibrant and entertaining read that I enjoyed. It would be goot to see what else Orton comes up with next!!
Rating: 4/5
Publisher: Walker Books
ISBN: 9781406385182