Хидър и Най

Hither & Nigh #1

by Ellen Potter, Елън Потър, Гергана Дечева (Translator)

Нел е момиче, изключвано от няколко училища, защото системно бяга от час, за да играе шах с шахматните измамници във Вашингтон Скуеър парк. Постоянното отсъствие и от новото училище я отвежда до наказание - задължително участие в клуб Последен шанс (буквално последен), който се ръководи от мистериозния господин Буут. В клуба Нел е заедно с трима други ученика все наказани заради лоши прояви. Нел, Круд, Викинг и Аника са проблемни деца, всяко от които се справя по някакъв начин с травма, през която е минало. И както всичко е реално, много скоро става съвсем различно.

Нел случайно попада в един паралелен свят - Ню Йорк, но не съвсем; сега, но не съвсем; Сентръл парк, но не съвсем и тръгва да търси отвлечения си преди три години брат Ривър.

Светът на Нел не е измислица. Това е реалният свят на всяко едно дете в Ню Йорк и навсякъде по света, с тегобите на тийнейджърските години, училището, разделението на децата на богове и плебеи, на тукашни и чужди - реални неща. И... не съвсем.

Тематиките, които книгата Хидър & Най поставя са много, дълбоки и сериозни за по-зрелия читател, а за децата историята е едно Виенско колело, където с всяко покачване и спускане сцената се сменя и слънцето изгрява, но и залязва; или вали, но и пече; или е град, но не съвсем, или е гора, но не съвсем. Не мога да разкажа повече, не бива да съсипвам изненадите.

Книгата е за всяка възраст, но може би защото някак е прието, че само децата вярват в чудеса, нека е за тях. А за нас, за зрелите и мъдри хора, нека си остане сухата реалност, в която или ни е много удобно, или която не искаме да напуснем от страх да не дадем криле на надеждата в нас, на доброто в нас, защото не искаме да повярваме в силата на приятелството и настояваме да се държим за съмненията в себе си - все причини ние, зрелите, да не търсим повече магията. А тя е навсякъде около нас и жужи като електричество.

Елън Потър е носителка на над двадесет литературни награди, като седем от нейните книги за деца и юноши са сред стоте най-велики книги за тази аудитория за всички времена.

Гергана Дечева

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Magic, Urban Fantasy, Childrens, Young Adult, New York

380 pages, Paperback

First published October 18, 2022

About the author

Ellen Potter is the author of many children's books, including the Olivia Kidney series, Pish Posh, SLOB, and The Kneebone Boy. Her non-fiction book, Spilling Ink; a Young Writer’s Handbook, was co-authored by Anne Mazer

Olivia Kidney was awarded Child magazine’s “Best Children’s Book Award” and was selected as one of the “Books of the Year” by Parenting magazine.

SLOB is on more than 10 state book award lists and was selected for the Junior Library Guild.

Spilling Ink; A Young Writer’s Handbook was a New York Public Library Top 100 Children’s Book for 2010 and a Children’s Literature Assembly 2011 Notable Book.

Her newest series is Piper Green and the Fairy Tree.

Reviews

[Belles Middle Grade Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This was PHENOMENAL! I loved this book so much! This has the real life pressures that go along with being a kid in middle school, mixed with magical adventures, spells, monsters, & alternate worlds. NYC as a setting is always amazing, but you add in an ALTERNATE NYC(the Nigh)on top of that? SO GOOD. Both NYCs are sooo atmospheric. The alternate 1 being so imaginative, unique, & full of so many magical, amazing, & sometimes terrifying things. The Nigh is a magical & amazing place, but also has its quite scary parts-just like the real NYC(the Hither). I’ve read 1 other book(loved it too)by this author, & she doesn’t talk down to kid readers, or shy away from the hard stuff. Our MC Nell’s brother disappeared 3 years earlier, snatched in Centralpark, & on top of that you have the toll it has taken on Nell. She skipped a lot of school, & was gambling/hustling playing chess with some big players in the park. Seems like it was hard to get away from the pull the gambling had on her as well. She also has the guilt from her brothers disappearance, & a mom who left a long time ago, who just didn’t want to be a mom. When this magical world opens up to her, & she learns & sees so many things, she begins to wonder if the magical world had something to do with what happened to her brother. Until we find out 1 way or another, you’re left guessing along with her-could it be true, or is this another piece of hope Nell is clinging to? Powerful stuff. All the details that make up the alternate NYC, & the magic system in here are all SO creative & so imaginative. I especially loved the idea of chopsticks! Genius! Then you have of course, the whole idea of the Hither & Nigh, as well as: the Imps, Folk, The Minister, Magicians, Poachers, Smugglers, Boggedy Cats, Nibbins & Inklings, skrill, the taxi, Oomphalos, & so much more. Also, all the different amazing spells we see the group of kids learn-like the Farborgan Maneuver! Loved the whole idea of that, & the whole process itself in doing the spell is so great. Then Mr. Boots, the 1 teaching them magic, is such an intriguing character, & you’re second guessing yourself every time you see him almost-wondering if he is a good or bad guy. I also absolutely LOVED the scenes where they play the game Operation-brilliant! And also the Alice in Wonderland statues! When we find out the truth, & where that leads us-blown away by it all. Couldn’t put it down. Such an epic ending. I love everything about this-if there is going to be a sequel lol if not, that ending doesn’t have closure for me..so I’m PRAYING that means sequel. I feel like there’s still so much so see, learn, & explore with this story, the characters & the magical world..plus, I just love this & WANT more. HIGHLY recommend. This comes out September 27th! STUNNING cover by the AMAZING Jennifer Bricking too!💜



Edit-The author said there IS a sequel coming! YAY!💜

[Мария · Rating 4 out of 5]

Много приятно детско фентъзи с магия и вълшебни създания. Приключение в магична страна и доза мистерия.

[Madison Akins · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this, but there were just too many issues. Children being thrown away and eaten after they served their purpose. The trans character came out of nowhere and didn't add anything to the story. The overly uncomfortable description of the naked operations guy. Just too strange.

[Alex Baugh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nell's brother River has been missing for three years now, apparently abducted from Washington Square Park while she was playing chess with one of the daily chess players that are always in the park. But no trace of him could be found. Now, Nell is in seventh grade, and has been assigned detention for cutting school to play chess. But this is no ordinary detention. Called the Last Chance Club, the person in charge, Mr. Boot, is there to teach Nell and the other students magic. There is Annika, who used to be friends with Nell and River, and whose mother married a wealthy man, Crud, a great big guy, and the Viking, as Nell calls him, who seems to have an endless supply of sweets tucked in his socks. Nell immediately distrusts Mr. Boot, especially when she begins to suspect that River's disappearance is connected to the magic world he is teaching them about. Ultimately, Nell and the other students learn to work together and get along. But will they actually be able solve the mystery surrounding River's disappearance? This was a fun tongue-in-cheek mystery mixed with magic book to read, despite the abduction of a child. There's lots of magic and humor, and has a real Alice in Wonderland feeling. And given the ending, I suspect there will be a sequel.

[Angela Staudt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a cute middle grade book! Also very excited for the next book because this one left me with many questions!

[Celia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd like to thank the author for the review copy of her wonderful book! I absolutely love connecting with authors and publishers on Instagram!

This falls on the high end of the most unique books I have ever read in my entire life. For an MG book, the author doesn't talk down to her targeted audience; she places themes in the story that are important and that need to be spoken about.


My favorite part of this book is when Nell goes into the Nigh, a parallel New York City in search of her missing brother, River, and the ending, which leaves the story open for a series. I also adored the ragtag group of kids that aided Nell in her journey. They all stand out, especially Annika who is toiling over losing River as well.

I would love the next book to be from River's POV (I would die for this!)

Overall, this is a solid MG book that adults will enjoy. If you want to be transported into another world, choose this book on September 27th!

[Sarah Goldberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

My son picked this one out for me from the library since I like books with magic. No regrets and found myself wanting to finish it without interruption (which isn’t possible these days).

[Shazza Maddog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nell Batista lives with her father in New York City. Her mother left years ago and her brother, River, was kidnapped three years ago. Nell has a reputation at school for skipping and has been assigned to the Last Chance Club, the last step before being expelled.

But her first day of the club, Nell finds out the leader of the club, Mr. Boot, is planning on teaching her, and her fellow classmates, Annika (a one-time friend from before when Nell's brother was still around), Crud (aka Carmen), a large kid, and Tom (aka the Viking), who's cute enough to attract both Annika and Nell's attention.

Strangely enough, there might be a way to find River again if Nell can master - or at least attempt to master - the magic Mr. Boot is teaching but there's a dark side, too. There is a place called Nigh, a sort of alternate New York, where the fairy folk live, and there's a ways to get through to Nigh from our world. But not all the creatures in Nigh are happy to welcome humans as friends and are looking instead for slaves to help keep their own world powered.

Is River trapped in the NIgh? Or was he taken away by a human kidnapper?

[Gillian French · Rating 5 out of 5]

As with all of Ellen Potter’s books, Hither & Nigh exudes wit, whimsy, and a whole lot of heart. From a writer’s standpoint, I so admire Ellen’s ability to dream up magical elements that somehow manage to balance perfectly on the line between fantasy and reality, never jumping the shark or merely being employed as a quick fix for a plot problem. The cast of characters in the Last Chance Club are so much fun—seriously, could there be a more perfect Ellen Potter-ish name than Crud for a huge, hulking misfit? I adore Mr. Boot’s proper British zaniness, and the various mysteries were well placed and hooking. In short, I loved it, and can’t wait for book two!

[Книжни Криле · Rating 4 out of 5]

„Хидър & Най“ е очарователно младежко фентъзи, способно да омагьоса и по-възрастни читатели, пазещи детското в себе си. Романът на Елън Потър ни запраща в една паралелна, фантастична, но все пак разпознаваема версия на Ню Йорк, където младата Нел ще премине през куп премеждия в търсене на своя отдавна изчезнал брат. Това е една вълшебна история за проблемите на „проблемните деца“, издадена на български от „Peppermill Books“. Прочетете ревюто на „Книжни Криле“: https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/202...

[Gergana Decheva · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never expected to love this book so much. It is, so far, one of the best books not only for children, I have read recently. Extremely well-thought plot, so many twists, so much thrill and the issues it brings forward, digging into everything that is unique for the human nature - good and bad and in between. The pacing is perfect - never slowing down and yet the characters' development is so smooth. I can't wait for continuation of the story. There are lessons to be learnt by the young readers and morals to be reminded to the adult readers. The book is nothing less than marvelous.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for lovers of magic and mystery! Screaming of intensity, humor, and heart, Hither & Nigh creates a new wizarding world parallel to our own. I smiled from the first page and enjoyed every minute from then on. What fun!!!

3 years ago, Nell’s brother vanished. Since then her life has taken a sharp downturn and she now finds herself in the detention of a lifetime. With her only other option being expulsion, she is forced to join the Last Chance Club with a group of misfits and a most peculiar teacher.

Highly recommended for middle grade up, and all lovers of Harry Potter!

[Shauna Morrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a while to get into this book (probably my brain's fault) but once I did, I didn't want to put it down. I assume that this is the start of a series or duology based on how the story ended and I am very much looking forward to reading the next book. I would love to see more of River's story and what he has been doing, what he has been through. I also want to see how the club members progress with their skills. Does Tom come back? Can they get River back?

Highly recommend.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I generally don’t care for juvenile fiction but this caught my attention and kept it. I’m as much surprised by it as anyone. It feels very much like a Harry Potter Mean Girl rip off but the author did a great job creating three dimensional characters. There is a token trans character in the book who really didn’t seem to interact with the other characters nor propel the story forward. I didn’t care for the ending however I felt like it was tacked on the last minute to set up a sequel.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ellen Potter has a way of writing books that are just slightly quirky and unique without being strange or outrageous, as she has done here. There are authentic characters, an original twist on magic and magical realms, and a few unusual details that keep things unpredictable and real. It's a nice mix of mundane concerns combined with extraordinary, normalcy with adventure, and suspense that isn't fully resolved even by the story's end. It's engaging and interesting.

[C Heaslip · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was reading, to choose a read aloud. The characterization and description is very good, but I was concerned about the not very religious use of typically religious vocabulary (angels, holy place, holy terror, Adam and Eve story but modified). The story was good, with plenty of made up mythical creatures. I would have been more comfortable if the author had made up a creature that did good deeds instead of calling it an angel.

[Brittany Caine · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.8! I couldn't get enough of this book. Strongest parts were the beginning and (with no spoilers) the first time she goes into the Nigh. Ending could have been stronger, but I'm also reading as an adult. Young readers will devour!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ellen Potter is a MASTER at creating magical settings, strong characters, and action-packed plots that keep readers turning the pages, gulping in all the deliciousness. Loved her latest middle grade novel & so will the intended audience.

[Stephanie A · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started great - exciting, and fast-paced. For some reason, the author felt the need to throw in a character who had “transitioned” over the summer from male to female. Had no pertinence to the plot at all. DNF.

[Tina Hoggatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent magical world building, atmospheric magic, characters that you root for, plenty of emotion and humor, and middle grade school interactions - I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am excited to read the sequel, just out. Ellen Potter can do it all.

[Hope Annie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was extremely disappointed that a young male character had transitioned and was now pretending to be female. It had no bearing on the story and was completely unnecessary. It was clearly added in to be woke and to desensitize our young children.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magical. Excellent writing.

[Mary · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF - too strange

[Emerald Lavere · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great characters, tension, and creativity. Several questions are left unanswered, but word is a sequel is coming. I look forward to reading it.

[Melinda]

Charming story with magic.

[Ivona]

Успях да прочета 70 страници и грам не ми хареса. Не знам стила ли е, историята ли е, но не е моята книга.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story about a parallel New York City where magic rules and human children are brought so magicians there can use their imaginations to keep their world alive. Nell's brother has been missing for three year when the story begins. She has not given up hope that he is alive though this has caused difficulties for her. After being assigned to a rather interesting detention class, she finds her magic and finds her way to the Nigh to seek her brother. Plenty of drama and excitement for middle grade readers. The ending leaves open the possibilities to come in the next book.