The Queen of Ebenezer

by K.B. Hoyle

A magical realism story for teens, perfect for readers of A Monster Calls or Piranesi

When Beatrice wakes in a magical swamp called Ebenezer, she's met with the baffling wit and curious whims of the swamp's single other human inhabitant, the boy "king," Tom. But something is haunting Ebenezer, and Beatrice must solve the mystery of the swamp before a lurking terror devours them both.

Genres: Fantasy, Teen, Young Adult, Magical Realism, Fiction

125 pages, Paperback

Published March 28, 2023

About the author

K. B. Hoyle’s love of good stories began when she stepped through a wardrobe at age six, and she never looked back. She is the multiple award-winning Young Adult author of THE GATEWAY CHRONICLES fantasy series, THE BREEDER CYCLE dystopian series, The Fairytale Collection, and more.

In addition to her many novels, K. B. Hoyle is the co-founder and CEO of Owl's Nest Publishers, an independent press specializing in books that capture the imagination of adolescents. She is also a sought-after voice in the areas of storytelling and culture, and she has contributed articles and essays to a variety of publications. ​Her speaking resume includes keynote addresses, leading writing workshops, and international experience as a featured panelist at the 2013 Sydney Writers' Festival.

K. B. Hoyle stays busy at her home in Wisconsin on a winding creek with her husband, their four sons, and the variety of wildlife that frequent their land.

For more information on K. B. Hoyle, visit her website at kbhoyle.com or find her around social media at @kbhoyle.author on Instagram, Facebook, and Threads. Email her at author@kbhoyle.com.

Reviews

[Gina Dalfonzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enchanting and haunting. K. B.'s latest (full disclosure: we're friends) sucked me into its strange, dreamlike atmosphere even while I slowly began to figure out the underlying truth. Eventually it's revealed to be a story of ugly realities transcended by beautiful character qualities. An absorbing read that will stay with me.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a lovely little book! This is my third KB Hoyle book and might be my favorite so far! Each of Hoyle's books has felt distinctly different from one another, which I think really highlights what an amazing writer she is.

In this book, we follow Beatrice, who wakes up in a swamp with no memory of her life before or how she ended up there. She meets Tom, who is the self-proclaimed king of the swamp, which he has named Ebenezer. I don't want to say much more, because the book is so short (about 120 pages), but we spend much of our time exploring the beauty of Ebenezer and the mystery surrounding it, all the while feeling a sense of dread over some of the unknowns.

The prose is absolutely gorgeous and while I had figured out some of the mystery well in advance, the reveal still made me cry. It's such a lovely, haunting book. I don't always get along well with YA (I lived out the angst in my teen years and now, in my mid-30s, I have no desire to relive it 😂), but this book is perfection! It's also very age appropriate for teens of any age. A lot of YA books nowadays contain a lot of content that feels more appropriate for college age, rather than teens (particularly younger teens who are aging out of middle grade). This book meets that age range perfectly, but is still lovely enough to suck in anyone above that age range. KB Hoyle is quickly becoming an autobuy author for me!

[Maya Joelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded up. Some of this reminded me of Piranesi, in a good way, and the title & themes were good. Magical realism is difficult for me, I think, because I'm always trying to make it work logically and it doesn't. But this was hauntingly lovely and a nice short read. K.B. Hoyle's books are always a fun adventure.

Here I raise my Ebenezer
Hither by Thy help I've come
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure
Safely to arrive at home

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal! Incredibly beautiful writing! If all magical realism were written like this, it would be a favorite genre of mine. What a haunting, beautiful, painful, emotional story of suffering, loss, love and hope. I can’t wait to introduce this to my teen book clubs. This will absolutely be one of their favorites. My one strong suggestion would be to read this short beautiful story in 1-2 sittings. My first attempt to read this was full of interruptions. I knew I needed to dedicate a portion of time to read without interruption to be fully immersed in this world. So glad I was able to restart and experience it that way!
KB Hoyle has become a favorite author of mine.

[Renata Kreider · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my stars!

Oh, KB Hoyle! What a beautiful, little masterpiece. I must read it again. So much CS Lewis vibes and biblical parallel. Stunning, sweet, and mysterious. You must read it! "Here I raise my Ebenezer..." I'm speechless. What an amazing storyteller, that quietly nudges you toward the Savior.

[Shinae Wyckoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hauntingly beautiful one, played at just the right pitch, volume, and tension. Parts reminded me of The Great Divorce, and others called The Bone Whistle to mind (a favorite of mine).

Grateful for the author interview on her podcast, because I think having more open expectations (atypical genre, tone, written for teen audience, etc) helps you enjoy and appreciate this one. True of any book, of course; expectations are everything...

And the fun is still not over, because I know a Hoyle book like this is even more fun to read the second time, when you get to start appreciating all the layers and the foreshadowing you missed the first time through.

The ending! Such a satisfying payoff. It was semi-sweet goodness, and all I had been hoping for. Have you read any books with twist endings so infuriating you want to throw the book? This is not that book. This story was lovely. Nice one, K.B. Hoyle!

[Beth Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

9/2023:
Reread for bookclub. I inhaled this a second time…it’s so immersive and atmospheric. A book that is frustratingly vague at times, expect on rereading the layers make sense. Even knowing the ending this time I appreciated more the depth and richness of hard themes, of love and life, death and grief. This little book is an Ebenezer.

2/2023:

This novel is intended for teens, but as a reader who loves good books, it really resonated with me as an adult. It’s a book of layers: story layers and emotional layers and thought provoking layers of questions that will leave you thinking about it long after turning the final page. It’s a great book for pulling you out of a reading slump or for handing to a teen who wants to jump start summer reading. It’s a book you’ll want to read again because of it’s depth and breadth.

[Kristy · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
.
This book felt like a fever dream for the first little while; then it all came together in a beautiful story about love and loss, grief and healing.
.
I'm really glad I read it. This author is becoming a favorite.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Breathtaking and one of the best books I’ve read all year 👏

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took longer to get through than I would have expected from such a short book — I’ll admit that I struggle with atmospheric books that don’t have as much plot to drive them forward. A lovely read, though.

[Cassie Armstrong · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most beautiful stories I have ever read. I want to live inside Ebenezer.

[Holly Mackle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonder.

[Amy Living Well Read]

The Queen of Ebenezer by K.B. Hoyle 💚💙

First, can we just take a moment for this gorgeous cover? Gorgeous.

Last fall I read Sarah Addison Allen’s Other Birds and fell in love with the magical realism genre, so I was thrilled when @owlsnestpublishers sent me The Queen of Ebenezer—a magical realism story for teens.

The writing is lovely and lush, just like the setting of the magical swamp called Ebenezer. It reads like the most delicious fairy tale at first. The author creates such a powerful sense of anticipation and foreboding as the reader tries to figure out the mystery of the story. I won’t give any details about the plot at the risk of spoilers. It’s a short novel, and my one complaint is not really about the novel itself, just how I read it. I read it during a busy week, and even though it’s short, I kept having to stop and break my narrative flow. I wish that I’d just had time to enjoy it in 2-3 sittings. I think that would be the sweet spot for me. It’s one you really could read in one reading session, but the writing is so lovely that I think it would kind of be a shame to swallow it all in one gulp.

While the novel may be aimed at teens, it’s one that I think teen and adult readers alike can appreciate. I am eager to let Sophia read it and see what she thinks, but without giving anything away, I would recommend for middle school and up.

Our home borders protected wetlands—The Great Dismal Swamp (isn’t that quite the name!🤣) and the area behind our house reminded me so much of the descriptions in this novel. I really wanted a book photo there, but this time of year there are ticks EVERYWHERE, so I settled for a shot of our wetlands from an open overlook near the entrance of our neighborhood. As I walked closer to the water for this shot, a giant black water snake wriggled right past me, so I guess there was just no safe place in our swamp for this photo. 🤣🤣🤣 Come see my real-life wetlands over at @livingwellread on IG.

Definitely pick this one up for you and/or your teen for this summer! If you love supporting smaller publishing companies putting out good quality writing for teen readers, now is your chance to do so with this one! Looking forward to reading more by KB Hoyle.

[Fiona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well. KB does not disappoint. This is a quick short morbid YA read.

The story follows Beatrice into the mysterious land of Ebenezer where she meets Tom, the king. She becomes queen and quickly finds out the magic the land holds. Although she isn’t sure how she ended up there, who the gray man is, or why Tom is afraid to leave. This book has a sad yet happy ending as to what the truth is and might I say, intriguingly morbid subplot(?).

The ambience KB creates in the story really helped set the intended mood for the reader and placed me right into the FMC shoes. I really enjoyed the book for the suspense it held and how vague it was keeping me guessing. I really love when stories MAKE it so you have no idea what is happening but give very small clues. I enjoy figuring that out myself before the story tells you AND I WAS CORRECT.

[Savannah Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a reread and it was just as good as the first time I read it!!! I love Tom and Bea!!! I love the writing it’s so flowery and pretty and I love it!

[J.R. Brady · Rating 5 out of 5]

YA southern magical realism… beautifully simple yet hauntingly profound… can’t really say more without spoiling the story! Quick read- perfect for wrapping up summertime.

[Emma Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE QUEEN OF EBENEZER is a haunting, dreamlike tale that reminds me of some of my all-time favorite stories: Tuck Everlasting, Peter Pan (the original novel, not the Disneyfied version), and Bridge to Terabithia. Its themes are the very deepest parts of the human experience--death and loss, life and love--and the setting of Ebenezer Swamp is just as much a character as the protagonists, Tom and Beatrice. There's both tender romance and grave danger, and the story unspools like a shimmering, half-remembered dream. The novel is brief and the chapters short--you could easily read it in a single sitting--but I don't recommend that you do. Instead, dip into this magical world a little bit at a time, like a bee sampling flowers, savoring the poetic language and allowing the mystery at its heart to slowly unfold and reveal itself.

[Piper Jones · Rating 2 out of 5]

K. B. Hoyle is my favorite author and I desperately wanted to love this book. After reading other reviews, I was left wondering if I’d even read the same book. I felt like I was reading the first draft of a book. It was formatted oddly and there were typos here and there, but I ultimately couldn’t keep up with the story and felt like the length of the book aided in the confusion. I understood what was going on and that it was a “mystery” but both Tom and Beatrice were so flat. I think I would have enjoyed the book so much more if the “back story” at the end had been sprinkled throughout. But also, how was Beatrice feeling regret and grief in her coma?! And what’s the point of the story if he was alive in the end? 🤔

[Rachelle Sperling]

I can’t put a star rating on this one.

This is an extremely well written and insightful book that I actually didn’t like at all. I almost put it aside several times, but it’s kind of like those parables that Jesus tells that get under your skin and won’t let you alone.

Spoiler:


Stories that involve hospitals and fighting for life are not entertainment to me (which is what I was hoping for when I picked up this book). It’s my own personal history that makes me turn away from stories of this variety. And so when I saw beneath the veil of this tale I almost walked away. But I didn’t. It was masterful writing. I’ll probably be thinking about it for a while. I just didn’t enjoy it.

[Adam Shields · Rating 5 out of 5]

(A second reading post that has spoilers is at the bottom)
Summary: Beatrice tries to understand this kingdom that she has awoken to. 

I am a fan of KB Hoyle's work. I have read everything she has written (at least the book-length work). I read or re-read eight of her books last year. I trust her to write books that I am going to enjoy.

Almost two months ago, she announced a surprise book. Around two years ago, she cofounded a small publishing house to focus on middle-grade books. I guess being a publisher and an author, you can quietly release a book without any advance notice if you want to. Because it was a surprise and I have been busy, it has taken me almost two months to read it.

I don't know how to write about The Queen of Ebenezer. In the description, The Queen of Ebenezer is compared to Piranesi, which is an accurate comparison. In both books, the main character does not know what is going on, so the reader is also lost because they rely on the main character's perspective. I have no issues with that style of book, but it makes it hard to write about because this is a book that spoilers will spoil.

There are two subtle things I want to note that are precisely what I like about Hoyle's writing. Plots are always well done with Hoyle; they are tight, there is always movement, and the plots are going somewhere. A good middle-grade or YA book must go somewhere to keep the reader engaged. The title uses a somewhat obscure word Ebenezer to name the land where Beatrice finds herself. Ebenezer is derived from Hebrew, and it is probably unknown among modern readers that are not Jewish or Christian. An Ebenezer is a mark of memory, especially a mark of divine help that you want to remember. In a book where the main character starts without a memory, the land of Ebenezer is a clue.

The second subtle nod is the name Beatrice as the main character. Beatrice is the name of the real woman to whom Dante dedicated the Divine Comedy to; and is the name of the fictional guide in the Paradiso portion of the poem. As a guide, she is showing the character of Dante in the poem divine grace as she shows him paradise or heaven. Most middle-grade or young adult readers will miss these two references, but Hoyle writes with depth that adult readers will find enticing. I have re-read most of Hoyles' books and always notice more in the books the second or third time.

I am only going to hint at the story. Beatrice awakens on an island and does not understand what is going on. It is a magical world that she knows is magical. But she does not remember a life previous to where she is now. But because she knows that the world is different from her expectations, she assumes she has lived elsewhere. Time doesn't work normally. And the boy she finds eventually does not seem to know how strange Ebenezer is. Beatrice has a role; when danger comes, she has to figure out what that role is.

The Queen of Ebenezer is a novella-length book that is relatively standard for the intended age range. I read it in three short sessions before bed. As always, I am looking forward to reading more by Hoyle.

_____
Second reading with more spoilers:
Summary: Novella length magical realism where you are not supposed to know what is going on for quite a while. 

I read The Queen of Ebenezer about three years ago when it first came out. If you want a review without spoilers, I would read that original one. I have been trying to read more fiction this year, I wanted to revisit this one to see if I thought my daughter was ready for it and the publisher, Owl's Nest, has been expanding their audiobooks. So I picked this up on sale a couple weeks ago and listened to it in two sittings.

The audiobook is well done. A clear narration with good production values that communicated the feel of the book exactly as it should be narrated.

And now to the spoilers.

This is a story about memory and regret. I will be honest that I had forgotten the ending. The book is about how Beatrice awakes in a swamp. She knows it is a magical swamp and that Tom, the king of the swamp, isn't quite right. Her knowledge that she is in a magical world, but can't remember before, is made more salient because she knows something isn't right.

A young adult/middle grade reader may not pick up on all the clues, but as someone that had previously read it and knew the rough shape of the story, there are a lot of clues as to what is going on. But it also draws heavily on the magical. Again, this is a significant spoiler, but Beatrice and Tom were in a car accident. Death is searching for Tom. Beatrice was unconscious, but not near death as Tom is.

Part of what is revealed is the role that Beatrice played, not just as the girlfriend, but as the cause of the harm. So there is guilt and grief. I do think that some of the teenage rebellion that led to accident is a bit cardboard, but the point isn't the rebellion, but the discovery of love and the desire to protect. Young adults have big feelings. And there needs to be places to explore those big feelings. And this is a great fictional exploration of the ways that big feelings matter, and that there can be consequences of rash decisions.

This was originally posted on my blog at https://bookwi.se/the-queen-of-ebenez... and https://bookwi.se/the-queen-of-ebenezer/

[Alison Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am obsessed with this book. The people in my life are probably sick of me recommending it, but I will never stop! Seriously. One of my favorite things about this book is how unique it is. I've never read anything like it. It reminds me of nothing else...in a very good way. It's dreamy but with a very real sense of character and place, somehow both rich and sparse, and it has the most satisfying of endings. I read it in one sitting and enjoyed every second. PLEASE read it. When you do, find me and talk to me about it because I love gushing about this book!

[Benjamin Paiva · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great short read! K. B. Hoyle has made a truly unforgettable world - with a splash of "Charlotte's Web," a hint of "Wizard of Oz," a dollop of "Alice in Wonderland," and great heap of originality, she has made reading this book an experience like no other. I enjoyed the lightness of the lines in verse as we explore this whimsical land, and appreciated the darker portions of suspense. I recommend this to all interested readers or those who enjoyed any of the aforementioned books -- but readers under 8 or 9 may be frightened by a certain character (but no spoilers!)

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. It is a bit of a different read, and it took me some time to adjust to the way the story was unfolding and told. However, once I understood what was going on I couldn't wait to get back to it.

I think it would make an excellent read for my teen book club because of the themes explored and the story itself. It's a great opportunity to read something with a more poetic feel to it.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so amazing. I was confused about what was going on and when the book explained it, it blew my mind! K.B. Hoyle is such a talented author and I enjoy reading all her books! I loved seeing how Beatrix and Tom knew each other and was happy sobbing at the end. :)

[Debs Daniels · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book certainly has a mysterious feel to it, even for the heroine. The story does unravel to reveal the source of the mystery, which wasn't anything I was able to predict. This was very unique. I read it in a day or two and enjoyed it.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gifted by my sister (who is mentioned in the acknowledgements!!) I had no expectations coming into this, but what an immersive and beautiful read! I feel it warrants a reread, as I'm sure there are clues and symbolism I missed on the first read.

[Robyn Field · Rating 5 out of 5]

I typically only read books in the 8-12 y/o genre, but I am so glad I branched out to read this one! It’s mysterious and beautiful and gave me a touch of “The Golden Key” by George MacDonald, which to me is the highest compliment. Highly recommend for your teens!

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely and a bit haunting. Beautifully sympathetic to adolescent struggles and dreams.

[Lexie Foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully symbolic and incredibly entrancing. Magical while also holding grief and pain so gently

[Lilah Fogle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing! It was written especially for teens and definitely delivered! As a thirteen year old who loves books this was an awesome choice. The character development of Bea and Tom is truly genius and the storyline is very intriguing. I finished “The Queen of Ebenezer” in roughly a day because it was that good. K.B. Hoyle seems like a great author and I can’t wait to get more of her books!