Dust and Crown: Journey Bloomfield Gives this YA/Upper MG Novel a Thumbs-Up!

INTRODUCTION

It’s been a few months since we’ve heard from blogger and young writer, Journey Bloomfield. Here she is with her thoughts on Havelah Mclat‘s YA fantasy, Dust and Crown.

REVIEW

I used to read a lot of fairy stories when I was a child, and this was such a nostalgic read for me. The simplistic writing style and the setting created that old fairy-tale feel that I find so very charming. A wonderfully wholesome tale about fairies and adventure sure to capture the hearts of readers young and old alike.

Though I went into this one thinking it was going to be a fairly standard young adult fantasy, sword and sorcery novel, I was pleasantly surprised at the author’s unique take on the genre, and the refreshingly original writing that made this one something truly special.

I really loved the main characters. Fyodar and Anastasia’s friendship is so sweet, and it was so fun to see it develop. The supporting cast, too, was splendid and established enough for them to feel like real, three-dimensional people without going into too much detail. Igor and Ira were nice mentor-type characters and Ruslan’s redemption arc was beautifully executed.

One thing I thought was a little implausible was that Fyodar didn’t recognize Nastia as Anastasia for so long. It makes some sense because he had only met her once for a brief amount of time, but since she left such an impression on him it was a small enough thing that could have been easily overlooked.

The book was set in a fascinating conjunction of the real world and the separate land of fairies. The fairy’s culture was well thought out, and I found myself enchanted with their simple and charming way of life. I liked seeing the differences in the Russian and the French fairies too, and the ending was satisfying and conclusive. At 172 pages it is a quick and fun read and I would love to see future books featuring the same characters and world! I think it would make a wonderful animated film as well.

This would definitely be acceptable for most any age. Though there is some mild peril, everything else remains clean and wholesome. I could see myself reading and loving this book as a young child, and I can see myself revisiting it in the future as well. 

Thank you to the author, Havelah Mclat, for providing a copy for review.

GIVEAWAY

Havelah is giving away an ebook to one fortunate blog reader. Contest ends September 23!

OUR REVIEWER

Journey Bloomfield is a homeschooled fantasy author who has spent the last eight and a half years exploring all 50 U.S. states with her family. In her spare time, she can be found playing the violin, sword fighting with her brothers, or working her way through her exceptionally long to-be-read list.

Make sure you check out more middle-grade books on Greg Pattridge’s blog.