Majestica

by Sarah Tolcser

Welcome to the Hotel Majestica, where fantastical creatures—and dangerous mysteries—abound!

Hattie Swift is a maid-in-training at Majestica, a resort and nature preserve where visitors come face to face with rare magical flora and fauna. She’s thrilled to be invited along on the park’s famous wilderness train excursion for the first time, but there’s a catch: she has to accompany Evelyn Ridgewell, the hotel owner’s haughty niece, who wants nothing to do with her.

Soon after embarking, Evelyn overhears a man who aims to hunt the park’s creatures for sport, and Hattie meets Jacob Threadborne, an apprentice magician sent by a foreign government on a top-secret mission. Then the magical fences keeping guests safe stop working, and the train breaks down in the most treacherous part of the jungle. Faced with poachers, man-eating trees, and a dragon on the loose, Hattie, Evelyn, and Jacob must stick together to figure out what’s gone wrong at Majestica . . . that is, if they want to make it out alive.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Adventure, Action, Dragons, Fiction, Childrens

307 pages, Hardcover

Published July 2, 2024

Reviews

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very fun new magical adventure for middle grade readers featuring a wonderful cast of characters both human and otherwise. There are familiar creatures like dragons and unicorns, and unfamiliar ones like trigers and a Leaping (teleporting) Lemur, plus a ton of action and a very solid mystery at its heart. I loved the worldbuilding: both Majestica itself and the hints of the larger world around it. I hope there's more books!

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a little Harry Potter, a little Indiana Jones and a dash of A Little Princess l wrapped into one. I loved it! This book completely surprised and impressed me! I liked the premise but went into it with much trepidation as I’ve been disappointed by similar promises in the past. However, I absolutely adored this! The characterization is outstanding, and I appreciated how the adults were multi-faceted (rare in a MG book!) and even the “bad guys” had some nuance. The dual POV was really well done, I enjoyed the perspectives of both of our heroines, and it was wonderful to really feel how they learned, grew, changed, throughout the story, not only through their own eyes but in the way they saw one another. Such a fine job showing the inner worlds, dreams, and fears of two girls from such disparate backgrounds (the typical “spoiled rich girl” and the “lowly maid who could be more” outshine and outgrow the tropes). The magical elements are so lovely, especially the magical creatures. We have the typical creatures like dragons and unicorns but also some really fun new ones to this world – the teleporting lemur is one of my favorites. (Oh, and the drawings of these creatures are really beautiful, as is the map – I do love a good map-of-the-book-world!) The stakes are high and I will say that the danger-suspense element was a little more intense than I expected given the overall tone and age range and a few elements were really rather heart-wrenching, so if you have sensitive young readers, be aware that one of the key adult characters, though not a main character, dies in an accident and our young protagonist watches as he falls to his death and this affects her greatly; other characters are threatened with death when they are captured by trees that suck the life out of them and leave behind only skeletons; magical creatures are often in peril; the main characters come upon the carcass of a magical animal that has been poached for its hide—that was too graphic for me, I had to skip that part!; and another magical creature is sadly mistreated though the heroines do work to save it and there is ultimately a happy ending all things considered The book ends in a satisfying way, and feels complete, though I would really love a sequel! I read this aloud to my eleven-year-old and he also loved it. One of my favorite middle grade books in recent years!

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hattie Swift has been raised at the Hotel Majestica by the staff, after her mother died when she was small and her father was killed protecting the owner, Clive Ridgewell, from a dragon attack. She hopes to one day be an actual maid and get to wear the traditional black and white uniform, so helps out around the premises and learns about the magical animals that find safety there from the various groundskeepers and trainers. When Evelyn, the demanding niece of Ridgewell shows up and is going to go on the wilderness tour, Hattie is dragged along as her maid after she sees Evelyn poison her companion just enough to make her too ill to go on the trip! Hattie is somewhat interested in seeing more of Ruava, and also glad to get a uniform, even if it is too big, but Evelyn is NOT happy and lets everyone know. Also on the tour is MR. Foxfire, a reporter who was trying to get information from Hattie about the Caretaker of the Hotel Majestica. The hotel had had some problems in the past, but the Caretaker has kept up the grounds and made sure that the animals are not a danger. No one knows quite what the Caretaker is, where it is located, or how it controls the facilities. There's also Jacob Threadborne, apprentice to the Secretary of the Interior, Wing, and Miss Richardson, a professor. Evelyn overhears two men talking about poaching animals and selling them, which is highly illegal, but no one believes her, especially when she publically rifles through their luggage and does not turn up the weapons she says they have. She and Hattie do manage to identify the men, although Hattie doesn't think that Dowson, the Majestica groundskeeper, would be part of such a plot. This is not the worst part of the trip; when the train stalls over a gorge, everyone is endangered, and Hattie and Evelyn barely survive when it plunges into the river below. Evelyn's uncle is killed, but some travelers survive, including Secretary Wing, who insists that Hattie make her way back to the hotel to get help. Most people want to wait for help to come to them, and the poachers have taken the opportunity to go forward with their evil plans. They have even captured a rare unicorn and want to remove its horn, which can only be done by the light of a full moon. Agatha, a dragon who has been seen in the area, seems to be protecting Hattie, Evelyn, and Jacob, who have banded together. Hattie is worried about this at first, since it was Alfred, Agatha's mate, who was responsible for her father's death and was killed as a result. They manage to find out more information about the Caretaker, and think it might be a magical stone that has ties to the incarceration of Evelyn's mother. Eventually, Agatha offers to transport the children back to the hotel. Things are dangerous there are well. Will the trio be able to find the source of the Caretaker and make the Hotel Majestica a continued source of refuge for magical animals?
Strengths: For ardent fantasy fans, this not only includes a map, but drawings of the magical creatures and a list of the cast of characters. This had an Edwardian era feel to it, with trains and radio, but also ladies' maids, muckraking journalists, and sumptous travel into the wilderness. The cover supports that. There is good world building for the hotel, and it seems reasonable that Hattie would have not only been raised there by the staff, but that she had an emotional attachment to the place that informs her actions in regards to saving it. Evelyn is a very entitled character at first, but does experience some emotional growth as the journey turns perilous. The mystery of the Caretaker is not only well developed, but has a surprising resolution.
Weaknesses: Hattie's father's name was Tom Swift, which fits with the era, but is obviously unrelated to the long running book series. Young readers will not know this.
What I really think: This is a great choice for readers who enjoyed books like Gale's The Zoo at the Edge of the World, Beatty's Serafina and the Black Cloak, or George's The Rose Legacy.

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read an ARC so there were some editing errors I assume they caught before publication. The story was a very different fantasy than has been written too much lately. Majestica is a marvelous refuge for the wild fantastical creatures of their world. Hattie has grown up there as an orphan ever since her father died saving the owner’s life. Evelyn is a bitter niece of the owner. How they come together on a special train ride through Majestica and survive catastrophe and in return attempt to save Majestica is a story you really have to read. More of a 3.5 but not really a 4 star book for me. Fun. I’ll likely read any sequels.

[Alesandra: banter_or_bust · Rating 4 out of 5]

Majestica
By Sarah Tolcser
Narrated by Carlotta Brentan
4 ⭐️

I’m really surprised I don’t see this one talked about more. It’s described as a Jurassic Park meets Impossible Creatures, and that’s bang on. It’s upper level middle grade - the writing heavily leans into middle grade. There’s a HUGE theme of death and creature/animal cruelty throughout the book which is why I think it’s definitely 12 years+ (kid maturity depending). The trio of main characters are interesting and show strong development throughout the story. It’s fast paced and keeps the reader on their toes. I really like how the characters’ evolution includes how adults give them autonomy and take their ideas/concerns seriously by the end of the journey. The audiobook is well done and is a great option. This is a great option to pick up.

[Samantha Carson · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 - absolutely delightful!

[Stephanie Affinito · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magestica by Sarah Tolcser is a middle grade novel about two girls, a magical hotel and an expedition gone wrong. It’s getting high praise everywhere, including a starred Kirkus review, and I can see why. I was completely hooked the second I met Hattie and Evelyn, two girls from two very different lives that are thrown together in a very unlikely way. From the magical creatures and fantastical events to the real-life themes of friendship, family secrets and believing in yourself, this book has it all.

[Becky B · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Hotel Majestica is a grand hotel set in the middle of a mythical creature nature preserve. The place is powered by a secret magical invention called the Caretaker which keeps the guests safe from the animals, powers the hotel, runs the rail line through the nature preserve, and maintains the different biomes for all the creatures. Hattie kind of takes these things for granted. She's grown up at Hotel Majestica. Her father was the former gamekeeper before he died in a tragic accident that left the hotel owner, Mr. Ridgewell, with one leg and her father gone. Mr. Ridgewell has provided for Hattie, though, and let her stay on at Hotel Majestica. She's been training as a maid, and this week is her big chance to spread her wings when Mr. Ridgewell's visiting niece, Evelyn, suddenly needs a traveling companion/ladies maid for the train trip through the park her uncle is leading. Evelyn thought by spiking her chaperone's tea with something that left her rather ill, she'd be free to not have a chaperone for the trip. She's not excited to see Hattie, and the feeling is somewhat mutual after Hattie witnessed the whole tea incident and the attitude Evelyn can wield. But when the train breaks down and someone bombs the bridge, the Caretaker shuts down, and Evelyn and Hattie are forced to work together to survive in the nature preserve with the protections off. They'll join forces with a magician's apprentice who was also on the train and whose master has accused Mr Ridgewell of stealing a unicorn. The adult survivors on the journey are focused on keeping the other guests safe and think the Hotel will be sending rescue, but Hattie knows that if the Caretaker is down they'd have no way of knowing the guests on the train are in trouble. To save everyone from being digested by man-eating trees, snatched by a dragon, or taken out by trigers, Hattie is determined to get back to the Hotel. Can 3 tweens who barely get along make it a 3 day walk by themselves in a park filled with wild magical creatures, saboteurs, and who knows what else? And what happened to the Caretaker?

The story varies in perspective from Hattie to Evelyn, so we get both of their perspectives. Evelyn has a lot to learn through this journey. She starts off as a pretty spoiled brat angry at the world because her mother spent her childhood off adventuring rather than spending time with her and then landed herself in jail, and she's been having a rotten time at boarding school. Hattie has a lot of growing to do too. She thought she'd grow up and be a maid in the Hotel, but as she continues to journey she starts to ask questions she hadn't dared to before and discovers talents she hadn't really given thought to in the past. The apprentice from Marchwilder, Jacob, throws some truths at both of the girls that has them reevaluating the whole set up of Hotel Majestica and just how wonderful Mr. Ridgewell really is. There's a bit of a mystery to the story as to who killed the power to the train and who then blew up the bridge it was on, it seems to be 2 separate people. We know there are a group of poachers who snuck guns onto the train and want to kill mythical creatures for the money they can get from them, but we also know there's something more going on and it has to do with the Caretaker. Furthermore, there's a missing gemstone in Marchwilder and a missing unicorn. This could have easily developed into a 2+ book adventure, but the author pretty masterfully tied everything up by the end of the book. I really enjoyed it. Especially Hattie's pet leaping lemur who can teleport. He adds much-needed comic relief at key moments. I liked the combination of character development, several mysteries, a very interesting setting/world building, and several topics to chew on that apply to similar things in the real world.

Notes on content:
Language: None
Sexual content: None
Violence: A past incident that resulted in the death of one person and a limb lost by another has secrets attached to it, so it does come up a couple times (not described in detail until the end and even then it is only loosely described, not really gory). The bad guys do shoot at people and one person is injured (a little blood is described). The bombing of the bridge results in a train car with people in it falling, 2 of them are banged up but survive and a 3rd is presumed dead afterwards. Some people are snared by trees that envelope them and threaten to slowly dissolve them. Wild magical creatures threaten some others. The poachers get to at least one wyvern and the tweens stumble across what is left, a little bit described.
Ethnic diversity: The world is made up. Jacob and his master are described as having darker skin. The girls are described as having lighter skin.
LGBTQ+ content: None specified
Other: Several people/beings are wrongly imprisoned or being held against their will. The ethics of the whole Hotel Majestica setup comes into question. Evelyn purposefully makes her chaperone ill. Someone framed another person for a crime.

[Thistle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick synopsis : Rich girl, poor girl, wealth and status don't matter when bad guys are trying to big game hunt in a magical animal preserve and the train leading out gets blown up.

Brief opinion : Great story with subtle lessons for younger readers!

Plot : Hotel Majestica is a hotel on the edge of a privately owned magical animal preserve. It's a five star place with a magical train that will take the guests through the preserve to see all the animals.

Hattie is an orphaned girl who works as a maid. Evelyn's uncle owns the hotel. They both end up on the train taking the tour, along with a number of bad men (hunters, no hunting is permitted in the preserve) and various other adults with their own plots and plans.

Someone blows up the train, which leaves all the hotel guests and staff on foot among dangerous magical creatures.

Writing/editing : Writing was great and editing was nearly perfect (I spotted only one single issue).

What I Liked/What I Didn’t Like : I read so many YA and MG books, it's (sadly) rare for the adult characters in them to be full-fledged, realistic characters and not just something to get in the way of the young characters' plans. In Majestica, the adults were just as developed as characters as the kids were (though of course the kids were the main characters, so we didn't see as much of the adults).

I loved the mythical creatures (dragons, unicorns, trigers (not a typo), and many others). They all seemed realistic and believable.

I liked the messages this book taught: The impact of hunting rare wild creatures. The aftereffects of trophy hunting. The violence that some people inflict all too casually. The blindness people can have towards someone they love.

I loved seeing the impact the story had on Hattie and Evelyn, how it changed them in completely different ways.

The only thing I didn't like was that this author only has two other books published (the last one six years ago). I wish she had a whole library out for me to read!

Rating: 1-Hated / 2-Disliked / 3-Okay / 4-Liked / 5-Loved : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️- 5 stars, loved.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Hotel Majestica is a known destination for anyone who would like a chance to meet majical creatures. From dragons to unicorns and everything in between, the Majestica has become a nature reserve to protect these creatures of fantasy in a Victorian-Era-like world. Hattie Swift, an orphan has grown up at the hotel after her parents died, and she is a maid-in-training. She would like nothing more than to spend the rest of her like working with the animals on the property.

As a result, she is more than thrilled when she gets the opportunity to explore the resort's wilderness train excursion for the first time. Unfortuantely, their is a a catch. She is being assigned to accompany Evelyn Ridgewell, the niece of the hotel's owner. She was certainly born with a silver spoon in her moth. Evelyn's mom was a famous adventurer who helped find many of the animals on the property, but she has also gone missing. Also along on the adventure is Jacob Threadborne, an apprentice mage from another country who has been assigned to the excursion as part of some secret mission.

The three of them find them at the center of an adventure when it seems like things take a dangerous tern when a number of poachers also end up being on the train. The train ends up being knocked off the tracks and the resort goes haywire when the magical fences helping keep the animals in certian locations drop.

Who will survive? Who will stop the poachers and save the resort before the magic holding everything together completely fails?

This was a fun read that reminded me a lot of the Lady Trent books by Marie Brennan if they were written for the intermediate (tween) readers. The characters were fun and the plot played out in innteresting ways.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun middle grade fantasy that's like Jurassic Park with fantasy creatures instead of dinosaurs. It's also sorta a steampunk-style fantasy, with a train and general Edwardian feel. A very cool setting for a middle grade.

Hotel Majestica is a swanky hotel in the middle of a giant magical creature sanctuary, where rich people go to gawk at them. The novel switches perspectives between two girls. Hattie is a maid at the Hotel Majestica. Her father was the former gamekeeper, until he died protecting the hotel's owner from a dragon attack, and her mother died as a young child, unknown circumstances. Evelyn is the owner's niece, a super rich and snobby girl who just failed out of school because she doesn't have a lick of magic. She's visiting her uncle for a tour of the park. But things go terribly wrong when the train tour gets sabotaged.

A very fun read, if maybe a little too on the nose with the JP comparison, and the character arcs were a little too swift. Likely not going to bother kids!

[Stephanie Dyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hattie is an orphan who has grown up at the Majestica Hotel. Evelyn is the niece of the hotel’s owner. Neither girl is pleased when Hattie is assigned as Evelyn’s maid for the tourist expedition to tour the park that surrounds the hotel - a park filled with magical beasts from different places. But when the trip gets derailed, literally, when the train crashes leaving all the tourists stranded in the wilderness. Hattie and Evelyn have to join forces to save the animals from poachers and the park from total destruction.

While aimed at younger readers this is a delightful adventure story for readers of all ages. There are dragons and other marvelous creatures, danger - but not too frightening for younger readers - personal growth and the discovery of real friendship. While this is a great, self-contained story I, for one, would not be unhappy to see Hattie and Evelyn in another adventure. Highly recommended.

[Rachel Knuttel Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited to finally read another Sarah Tolcser book! I’ve followed her progress in this book via social media since it was just an idea, and it was delightful to see it realized. I really enjoyed this story - it was fun, dramatic, and heartfelt. Fans of fantasy adventure stories like Edge of Extinction or Spiderwick Chronicles will really enjoy this. I loved Hattie and Evelyn. I especially enjoyed seeing Evelyn’s character grow. The plot was not obvious, which I really enjoyed. Plenty of red herrings to distract you from the real villains! I need to get my hands on a physical copy to look at the map and illustrations that I missed out by reading the audiobook. My only critique was that it felt a bit long, but really I enjoyed the whole thing, so I can’t complain! I hope my students enjoy this one as much as I did!

[Melissa Koszer · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars really. An overall fun magical romp in a fantasy world. Adventure along with maid Hattie, heiress Evelyn and slightly late to the game wizard's apprentice Jacob as they solve the mysteries of Hotel Majestica. The hotel is a gateway to a kind of fantasy Jurassic Park, full of dragons, wyverns, fairies, unicorns and other mythical creatures. Fantasy lovers will enjoy this book for sure. I would've liked if Hattie's "special power" had been hinted at a bit earlier in the book, and I would've enjoyed Jacob's participation a little bit earlier, rather than being introduced and then thrown back in towards the end. Good world building!

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hattie and Evelyn, two 13 year old girls who don't like each other, have to work together to survive when their wilderness expedition to see magical beasts goes horribly wrong.

Such a fun read! Fast paced, with believable characters, and a menagerie magical creatures, some familiar, like dragons and unicorns, and some new imaginative creations, like trigers and leaping lemurs. Tolcser made real magic!

[LS Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a mystery combine with fantasy, which is an excellent combination. The strong bossy Evelyn must team up with the less secure Hattie to solve the mystery and help save The Hotel Majestica. But should it be saved, even after learning the horrible truth about it's power. There is some humor, but mostly a lot of action and adventure. It got a little muddled when it came to the finding out who the "real" bad guys were. Lots of readers will like this one.

[H · Rating 3 out of 5]

My 12 year old borrowed this from the library, so I decided to read it, too. It was a little heavier than k was expecting from the cover—with the poaching and animal endangerment—but the story was a good action adventure with magic, cool creatures, and brave kids who figured out the mystery and saved the day.

[Jaclyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't think there is anything that wrong with the book, I just am not really a fantasy fan. There is an interesting world here and has some Jurassic Park vibes. I think those who like fantasy books could be into, but this wasn't really me.

[Crixy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book because I am really into the magic thing. I loved the last part where the dragons were flying. This book is one that draws you in, like the vines are pulling you into the story. This is one you WILL NOT WANT TO PUT DOWN!

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A magical hotel and animal sanctuary are a fantastic setting for an adventure featuring dragons, trigers, poachers and dark magic. There were a few unanswered questions. The plot was fast-paced. The characters were well rendered.

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A marvelous adventure told in alternating viewpoints between the two main female characters, both of whom are 13 years old. Interesting characters; fascinating settings; awesome, magical creatures, and a mystery to boot.

[rachel x]

it's been over 5 years since our last tolcser and now we're getting dragons? love it

[Sharon]

DNF

[Ami Schroder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great middle grade fantasy. Chapters alternate between the two main characters, both strong girl characters!

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun exploration of a magical place, with enough of a mystery to challenge the resourceful young people caught up in it

[Maria]

DNF...paint-by-numbers feel, or the last Hollywood blockbuster...all the ingredients are there ( dragons, and mermaids and so on) but no soul...just not for me

[Christy Gould · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid middle grade adventure. Nothing profound but nothing objectionable.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Majestica is a like a magical version of Jurassic Park. Uncle Clive owns and runs Majestica, a resort with an attached “sanctuary “ for magical creatures. Evelyn is his spoiled niece, Hattie is Evelyn’s reluctant maid and Jacob is the apprentice of a visiting dignitary. All three find themselves on the train tour of the preserve when everything goes south. There are bad guys, powerful relics, violence and unexpected friendships. The book is constant action from start to finish.

I would recommend this book for middle grades on up. There are some deaths and violence.

I received an advance reader copy for free, but all opinions are my own.