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Wing & Claw #1
Forest of Wonders
Raffa Santana has always loved the mysterious Forest of Wonders. For a gifted young apothecary like him, every leaf has the potential to unleash a kind of magic. If only Raffa's cautious father would allow him to experiment freely, Raffa knows he could discover miracles.
When an injured bat crashes into Raffa's life, he invents a cure from a rare crimson vine that he finds deep in the forest. The powers of the vine are stronger than Raffa could have imagined. His remedy saves the animal but also transforms it into something much more than an ordinary bat, with far-reaching consequences. Raffa's experiments lead him away from home to the forbidding city of Gilden, where troubling discoveries make him question who he can trust . . . and whether exciting botanical inventions, including his own, might actually threaten the very creatures of the forest he wants to protect.
This enchanting new series from Linda Sue Park, recipient of the Newbery Medal for A Single Shard, richly explores the links between magic and botany, family and duty, environment and home.
When an injured bat crashes into Raffa's life, he invents a cure from a rare crimson vine that he finds deep in the forest. The powers of the vine are stronger than Raffa could have imagined. His remedy saves the animal but also transforms it into something much more than an ordinary bat, with far-reaching consequences. Raffa's experiments lead him away from home to the forbidding city of Gilden, where troubling discoveries make him question who he can trust . . . and whether exciting botanical inventions, including his own, might actually threaten the very creatures of the forest he wants to protect.
This enchanting new series from Linda Sue Park, recipient of the Newbery Medal for A Single Shard, richly explores the links between magic and botany, family and duty, environment and home.
343 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2016
80 people are currently reading
2992 people want to read
About the author
Linda Sue Park
72 books1,193 followersLinda Sue Park is a Korean American author of children's fiction. Park published her first novel, Seesaw Girl, in 1999. To date, she has written six children’s novels and five picture books for younger readers. Park’s work achieved prominence when she received the prestigious 2002 Newbery Medal for her novel A Single Shard.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 236 reviews
December 9, 2020
Raffa Santana is a young apothecary student, training under his father (Mohan) and his mother. Mohan, ever a cautious teacher, seems more intent on limiting Raffa's learning rather than encouraging it.
He held the lantern higher, nerves tingling in anticipation.
"It's complicated," he said at last. "Perhaps when you're older."Raffa's always had a knack for knowing what the plants can do and often far beyond his experience for finessing even the trickiest of poultices using ingredients from the Forest of Wonders.
Unfortunately, this has not earned him the favor of his older cousin.
"You're the baby genius - you figure it out."In an effort to impress, Raffa and his cousin break into his father's highly guarded supplies and begin experimenting...with disastrous results and soon Mohan even further restricts Raffa's lessons.
Raffa seethed. As long as he was under Mohan's watchful eye, he would never be able to make those kind of discoveries, either.While under his punishment, an injured bat is discovered.
The bat was so badly hurt, it would need the best of care to survive...Raffa successfully begs to visit the Forest of Wonders to search for a mysterious healing plant.
Using his instincts and quite a bit of luck, Raffa mixes a concoction to heal the bat's extensive injuries...which has a few unintended consequences. Aka - now the bat talks.
Meanhile Raffa's uncle and cousin are recruited by the country's largest branch of the apothecary to do a mysterious task. A few days after they leave, Raffa realizes something sinister is afoot and sets off himself to warn them.
Only, Raffa soon realizes that what is actually happening is far worse than he could ever imagine.
Overall - this one started strong but really fizzled.
I loved the idea of apothecary-based magic but the execution of it felt...lackluster and disappointingly mundane.
Several times the characters would be doing things that clearly seemed magical, only to insist that it wasn't. A bit confusing in terms of world building.
Raffa was a bit annoyingly precocious for my taste.
He spends so much time whining about his father's restrictions (aka that the REALLY bad stuff was being kept away from the twelve-year-old) but all I could see was a dad trying to keep his son from messing with things that he didn't understand.
About midway through the book, it turned from a cool apothecary-based book to a weird war-animal and save-the-planet sort of schtick. Highly confusing and not at all amusing.
I don't think I will be continuing with this series.
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July 19, 2016
Oooooooh, boy. What a disappointment.
Okay. So this book started out great. I loved the apothecary magic. I liked how magical the forest in which the story took place was. The characters were charming too. Really, the first one hundred pages had everything that I love going for it... and then as soon as I started part two, something just fell. The story suddenly became boring, childish, and very preachy when it came to the environment. Don't get me wrong, I believe it is good to take care of the environment, but I don't like when anything preaches to me or turns a good story into an excuse to shove a message down the reader's throat. I like a book with a fully fleshed-out tale, believable characters, genuine emotion, and a point that is at the heart of the story but is not all the story has to offer. Sadly, this book has little in the way of anything else.
Another problem I had with this story was that it took itself too seriously in issues that didn't seem all that important. While the problems could have been summed up quickly, the characters talk about it over and over, and the main character Raffa keeps thinking it about until the problem comes to a predictable conclusion. In which case, the problem is then forgotten about altogether and the characters move onto the next thing, showing that it wasn't at all important to furthering the plot in any significant way.
In the end, the story took on a childish tone that did not match up with the flat writing and length of the book. If the author wanted to write something for younger kids, she needed to use easier words and sentences, and to cut the book in half. Too long, too pointlessly dragged out.
I guess the main reason I'm so frustrated with this novel is that I was absolutely hooked in the beginning. I was grabbed by the magic and charm. I wanted to keep breezing through this cozy story... but then it did a 180 and bored me to sleep. Unfortunately, this is an open-ended series that I will never finish. I read the whole book; I gave this series a fair chance. But there are just too many other books to read. This may be a good read for a nine or ten year old kid who is a more advanced reader. Otherwise, Wing & Claw is too old for young kids and too young for older kids.
Okay. So this book started out great. I loved the apothecary magic. I liked how magical the forest in which the story took place was. The characters were charming too. Really, the first one hundred pages had everything that I love going for it... and then as soon as I started part two, something just fell. The story suddenly became boring, childish, and very preachy when it came to the environment. Don't get me wrong, I believe it is good to take care of the environment, but I don't like when anything preaches to me or turns a good story into an excuse to shove a message down the reader's throat. I like a book with a fully fleshed-out tale, believable characters, genuine emotion, and a point that is at the heart of the story but is not all the story has to offer. Sadly, this book has little in the way of anything else.
Another problem I had with this story was that it took itself too seriously in issues that didn't seem all that important. While the problems could have been summed up quickly, the characters talk about it over and over, and the main character Raffa keeps thinking it about until the problem comes to a predictable conclusion. In which case, the problem is then forgotten about altogether and the characters move onto the next thing, showing that it wasn't at all important to furthering the plot in any significant way.
In the end, the story took on a childish tone that did not match up with the flat writing and length of the book. If the author wanted to write something for younger kids, she needed to use easier words and sentences, and to cut the book in half. Too long, too pointlessly dragged out.
I guess the main reason I'm so frustrated with this novel is that I was absolutely hooked in the beginning. I was grabbed by the magic and charm. I wanted to keep breezing through this cozy story... but then it did a 180 and bored me to sleep. Unfortunately, this is an open-ended series that I will never finish. I read the whole book; I gave this series a fair chance. But there are just too many other books to read. This may be a good read for a nine or ten year old kid who is a more advanced reader. Otherwise, Wing & Claw is too old for young kids and too young for older kids.
April 24, 2025
As much as any children's author of her era, Linda Sue Park—winner of the 2002 Newbery Medal for A Single Shard—had a widely varied body of work. Picture books and novels, historical and contemporary fiction, comedy and drama: she wrote all of these, to the approval of young readers everywhere. Forest of Wonders, book one in the Wing & Claw trilogy, was Ms. Park's initial foray into fantasy literature. Twelve-year-old Raffa Santana lives with his family at the Pother Settlement, in a rural part of Obsidia. Cut off from other lands by a series of massive quakes two centuries ago, Obsidia relies on its apothecaries to keep the populace healthy, and the Santanas are a family of healers. Small for his age, Raffa is a talented disciple of his father, Mohan. Raffa's instinct for creating medicine from woodland herbs is extraordinary, an ability his cousin Garith, older by one year, wishes he had, too. To replenish his supply of herbs, Raffa enjoys taking day-trips into the mysterious Forest of Wonders; the forestry continually shifts as if by magic, and rumors persist of strange entities that roam the many winding paths. For Raffa, the Forest of Wonders is about to become a gateway to adventure.
When Garith's father, Ansel, announces the two of them are moving to the big city of Gilden to take a prestigious apothecary position, Raffa is dismayed. The Santanas were offered jobs as part of the same project, but Mohan turned them down to stay in the Pother Settlement. Gilden seems an ideal place for Raffa to hone his talent; why would his father undermine his future this way? Raffa is angry and Garith feels sorry for him, but Mohan stands by the decision. Before Ansel and Garith leave, however, Raffa and Garith take one last trip into the Forest of Wonders in search of a particular medicinal vine no one has seen for generations. It is needed to save the life of a little bat that Raffa finds bleeding and broken, attacked by an unknown creature. Only the healing powers of this vine can save the bat, but what are the chances Raffa and Garith will rediscover it when apothecaries have searched for years without success?
Don't underestimate Raffa's apothecarial instinct. He recovers a specimen of the vine and returns home in time to save the torn-up bat from death. Raffa is stunned by what happens next: the bat talks, in human language. Is the vine responsible for this miracle? Echo, as Raffa names the bat, has a limited vocabulary, but is capable of independent thought and coherent conversation. The vine certainly appears powerful, but after Garith takes a clipping of it to work with in Gilden, Raffa realizes how volatile the vine's medicinal properties can be. Avoiding dangerous reactions while experimenting with it requires great apothecarial sensitivity, a natural ability Garith lacks. If Raffa sends word to Gilden telling Garith to delay experimenting on the vine clipping, the message could take a week or longer to arrive, but Raffa's parents refuse to travel into the city themselves right now. Reluctant to disobey, Raffa nonetheless gathers supplies and sneaks out of the house at night, bound for the city. Garith must be warned immediately.
A menagerie of delights and dangers lie ahead. Raffa carries Echo with him, the purple-eyed bat a source of humor and comfort as Raffa drifts far beyond his comfort zone. Raffa hopes to feel at home in Gilden, to engineer a few medical innovations using Ansel's sophisticated new resources before Raffa has to return to the Pother Settlement. Maybe then Mohan will understand that Raffa needs access to the technology available in Gilden. The trek to the city is perilous, and getting into the innermost area, where Ansel and Garith live, is next to impossible without knowledge of the system. With the help of a few new friends, Raffa reunites with his cousin and uncle, and his plan appears to be going well: the vine doesn't seem to have done any harm yet, and Raffa is permitted to work with Garith on new uses for it until his parents come to Gilden to pick him up. But Raffa feels uneasy; under the leadership of Chancellor Leeds and a host of apothecarial scientists, medical research in Gilden has taken an unsettling turn. Does the Chancellor want to advance medical science, or are her motives less pure? Questioning Gilden's government authorities is a mistake, Raffa finds, but will it be too late to save himself and his family from a horrible fate?
"(T)he truth might as well not exist to those who refuse to believe it."
—Salima, Forest of Wonders, PP. 17-18
I might rate Forest of Wonders two and a half stars; it has intriguing concepts. Obsidia is an interesting world, and much of its history is left to be explored in books two and three. There's a balance of good, evil, and indifferent among the characters, as well as ambiguity as to who fits each category. The writing isn't as gripping or immersive as I hoped, and the story is notably light on surprises, but I have a lot of respect for Linda Sue Park; she may be building to something wonderful in book two, Cavern of Secrets. I definitely want to see what's coming next.
When Garith's father, Ansel, announces the two of them are moving to the big city of Gilden to take a prestigious apothecary position, Raffa is dismayed. The Santanas were offered jobs as part of the same project, but Mohan turned them down to stay in the Pother Settlement. Gilden seems an ideal place for Raffa to hone his talent; why would his father undermine his future this way? Raffa is angry and Garith feels sorry for him, but Mohan stands by the decision. Before Ansel and Garith leave, however, Raffa and Garith take one last trip into the Forest of Wonders in search of a particular medicinal vine no one has seen for generations. It is needed to save the life of a little bat that Raffa finds bleeding and broken, attacked by an unknown creature. Only the healing powers of this vine can save the bat, but what are the chances Raffa and Garith will rediscover it when apothecaries have searched for years without success?
Don't underestimate Raffa's apothecarial instinct. He recovers a specimen of the vine and returns home in time to save the torn-up bat from death. Raffa is stunned by what happens next: the bat talks, in human language. Is the vine responsible for this miracle? Echo, as Raffa names the bat, has a limited vocabulary, but is capable of independent thought and coherent conversation. The vine certainly appears powerful, but after Garith takes a clipping of it to work with in Gilden, Raffa realizes how volatile the vine's medicinal properties can be. Avoiding dangerous reactions while experimenting with it requires great apothecarial sensitivity, a natural ability Garith lacks. If Raffa sends word to Gilden telling Garith to delay experimenting on the vine clipping, the message could take a week or longer to arrive, but Raffa's parents refuse to travel into the city themselves right now. Reluctant to disobey, Raffa nonetheless gathers supplies and sneaks out of the house at night, bound for the city. Garith must be warned immediately.
A menagerie of delights and dangers lie ahead. Raffa carries Echo with him, the purple-eyed bat a source of humor and comfort as Raffa drifts far beyond his comfort zone. Raffa hopes to feel at home in Gilden, to engineer a few medical innovations using Ansel's sophisticated new resources before Raffa has to return to the Pother Settlement. Maybe then Mohan will understand that Raffa needs access to the technology available in Gilden. The trek to the city is perilous, and getting into the innermost area, where Ansel and Garith live, is next to impossible without knowledge of the system. With the help of a few new friends, Raffa reunites with his cousin and uncle, and his plan appears to be going well: the vine doesn't seem to have done any harm yet, and Raffa is permitted to work with Garith on new uses for it until his parents come to Gilden to pick him up. But Raffa feels uneasy; under the leadership of Chancellor Leeds and a host of apothecarial scientists, medical research in Gilden has taken an unsettling turn. Does the Chancellor want to advance medical science, or are her motives less pure? Questioning Gilden's government authorities is a mistake, Raffa finds, but will it be too late to save himself and his family from a horrible fate?
"(T)he truth might as well not exist to those who refuse to believe it."
—Salima, Forest of Wonders, PP. 17-18
I might rate Forest of Wonders two and a half stars; it has intriguing concepts. Obsidia is an interesting world, and much of its history is left to be explored in books two and three. There's a balance of good, evil, and indifferent among the characters, as well as ambiguity as to who fits each category. The writing isn't as gripping or immersive as I hoped, and the story is notably light on surprises, but I have a lot of respect for Linda Sue Park; she may be building to something wonderful in book two, Cavern of Secrets. I definitely want to see what's coming next.
March 27, 2017
What a fun book for middle school/YA. I love Linda Sue Park's work and this book is wonderful. Two apothecary families are raising sons. Raffa is a natural apothecary but his cousin Garith tries hard. After a remarkable trip alone to the Forest of Wonders, the boys return home with a rare herbal and to the news that both families have been invited to be official apothecaries in the city of Gilden where they will enjoy luxury housing, all meals, large pay, and the chance to work on a secret project. Garith's father accepts and goes off with Garith but Raffa's parents turn down the offer. When it is discovered that Garith stole some of the rare herb and doesn't know of its dangers, Raffa runs away to the city to warn him and with the aid of two girls, a talking bat, and a forest bear, must escape and try to warn others of what the horrible secret project really is.
March 1, 2016
From the publisher: The first book in a planned trilogy, Linda Sue Park’s enchanting new fantasy-adventure richly explores the links between magic and botany, family and duty, environment and home.
Wing and Claw Book 1: Forest of Wonders, has much to recommend it. The cover is gorgeous, and the main character, Raffa, is admirable and talented. His cousin makes fun of him for his small size, but he is the better apothecary student.
Raffa, his parents, his cousin, and his uncle live in a village and are all apothecaries (or apothecaries in the making). They live near the Forest of Wonders, where they collect plants that can be used to lessen pain and heal injuries. Raffa has a gift, an ability to intuit whether combinations will help or harm. He saves a badly injured bat, and it leads to consequences he couldn’t possibly have imagined.
There is conflict in the story, and peer pressure, and bad behavior by adults. For once, a bat is one of the good characters (although at the expense of crows and owls, who are depicted as doing bad things). For my taste, for a book called Forest of Wonders, too much of the story was set in the city and not enough in the Forest itself. I hope more time will be spent in the Forest in the remaining two books in the series.
The story has the nice message that every life is worth saving. It also questions the relationship between humans and animals and the rights that animals have. The book does not stand alone; it ends very much in the middle of the story. Wing and Claw Book 1: Forest of Wonders is intended for children age 8-12/grades 3-7. I think it will appeal to children who love animals and nature (although parents should be aware that some animals are intentionally injured in the story). A 3.5 star book.
I read an advance reader's edition of Wing and Claw Book 1: Forest of Wonders.
Wing and Claw Book 1: Forest of Wonders, has much to recommend it. The cover is gorgeous, and the main character, Raffa, is admirable and talented. His cousin makes fun of him for his small size, but he is the better apothecary student.
Raffa, his parents, his cousin, and his uncle live in a village and are all apothecaries (or apothecaries in the making). They live near the Forest of Wonders, where they collect plants that can be used to lessen pain and heal injuries. Raffa has a gift, an ability to intuit whether combinations will help or harm. He saves a badly injured bat, and it leads to consequences he couldn’t possibly have imagined.
There is conflict in the story, and peer pressure, and bad behavior by adults. For once, a bat is one of the good characters (although at the expense of crows and owls, who are depicted as doing bad things). For my taste, for a book called Forest of Wonders, too much of the story was set in the city and not enough in the Forest itself. I hope more time will be spent in the Forest in the remaining two books in the series.
The story has the nice message that every life is worth saving. It also questions the relationship between humans and animals and the rights that animals have. The book does not stand alone; it ends very much in the middle of the story. Wing and Claw Book 1: Forest of Wonders is intended for children age 8-12/grades 3-7. I think it will appeal to children who love animals and nature (although parents should be aware that some animals are intentionally injured in the story). A 3.5 star book.
I read an advance reader's edition of Wing and Claw Book 1: Forest of Wonders.
July 6, 2016
A solid fantasy, but nothing here compels me to sing praises. The adventure towards the end of the book was good, but most of the story seemed to move slowly for me. Botanicals and apothecary magic probably won't be a big draw for my middle schoolers.
May 10, 2016
Raffa has always had a gift for botanicals. But when an attempt to save an injured bat leads him to a new discovery, the consequences stretch far wider than he could have imagined. Now Raffa struggles to decide the best way forward, one that allows him to honor his training as an apothecary as well, or one where he could possibly make new discoveries . . .
This is an engaging book whose biggest flaw is that the entire plot is obvious once past a certain point early in the story. Raffa's talents make him a wildcard, since he can intuit the best way to mix a botanical without knowing ahead of time what will result. He does have training, and works within that, but the scarlet vine he brings home has properties beyond anything he's worked with before.
But then we have his uncle going to pursue a new research opportunity in the city, a once in a lifetime, too good to be true opportunity Raffa's parents are less sure about. And from that point until the end not much was a surprise anymore, at least for me. I wish there had been a good reason---or even a bad one---presented for the villain's motivations (I find it hard to credit the lies, since there's no evidence of any legitimate use presented, just showmanship and later evil). What ABOUT the rest of the world? Raffa is ignorant of it, of course, but there's no reason the townsfolk he runs into have to be as well.
I wish Kuma had been a shapeshifting bear the way it almost appeared in the beginning, and not just a girl who partnered a bear in nearly the way Raffa has partnered with Echo. I wish the titular Forest of Wonders had a bigger role in the plot than simply being a place where the vine grows, and that the creatures living in such a magical spot were more than just ordinary. I wish more had been explored with magic in general, and what it is and isn't, and if people as well as plants might have some kind of power (because despite all the denials, clearly some form of magic is in operation, and any history on how power works would have been nice).
The clear setup for a sequel gives me some hope the series will draw out more complexity from the overall situation. That said, I'm not really that interested in going forward with this. This book was a decent read, just not one that grabbed me. I rate this book Neutral.
See my reviews and more at https://offtheshelfreviews.wordpress....
This is an engaging book whose biggest flaw is that the entire plot is obvious once past a certain point early in the story. Raffa's talents make him a wildcard, since he can intuit the best way to mix a botanical without knowing ahead of time what will result. He does have training, and works within that, but the scarlet vine he brings home has properties beyond anything he's worked with before.
But then we have his uncle going to pursue a new research opportunity in the city, a once in a lifetime, too good to be true opportunity Raffa's parents are less sure about. And from that point until the end not much was a surprise anymore, at least for me. I wish there had been a good reason---or even a bad one---presented for the villain's motivations (I find it hard to credit the lies, since there's no evidence of any legitimate use presented, just showmanship and later evil). What ABOUT the rest of the world? Raffa is ignorant of it, of course, but there's no reason the townsfolk he runs into have to be as well.
I wish Kuma had been a shapeshifting bear the way it almost appeared in the beginning, and not just a girl who partnered a bear in nearly the way Raffa has partnered with Echo. I wish the titular Forest of Wonders had a bigger role in the plot than simply being a place where the vine grows, and that the creatures living in such a magical spot were more than just ordinary. I wish more had been explored with magic in general, and what it is and isn't, and if people as well as plants might have some kind of power (because despite all the denials, clearly some form of magic is in operation, and any history on how power works would have been nice).
The clear setup for a sequel gives me some hope the series will draw out more complexity from the overall situation. That said, I'm not really that interested in going forward with this. This book was a decent read, just not one that grabbed me. I rate this book Neutral.
See my reviews and more at https://offtheshelfreviews.wordpress....
February 4, 2017
Linda Sue Park is one of my favorite authors, so I knew I needed to read this as soon as I heard about it. While Park isn't known for writing fantasy, I was intrigued. And I was not disappointed at all. In fact, I enjoyed the book very much. Raffa is training with his mother and father to be an apothecary. And he seems to have a knack for it, he can in fact feel when he's gotten the portions right. But his father doesn't believe in intuition and is stern and controlling which irritates Raffa. Things start to change however when Raffa rescues an injured bat and he is able to create a healing poultice and medicine using an unusual crimson vine from the Forest of Wonders. But when the medicine makes it so the bat can talk it becomes clear that this vine has some rather unusual properties.
When Raffa's uncle and cousin leave to go to the city, Raffa wants to go with them but his parents refuse. But after working with the vine and discovering how dangerous it is, Raffa feels like he has to warn his cousin and uncle. But after arriving in Gilden, he discovers that something fishy is going on involving animal experimentation and he has to decide if he is willing to go along with it or stand up against it. He also meets a girl who has a special relationship with an animal just as he does with Echo, the bat.
Park has created an enchanting world with its own rules and morals. Her characters are fleshed out well and easy to root for, especially Raffa and Echo. The bat provides some humor that lightens the story a bit. The moral conflict that Raffa faces, especially concerning his uncle adds some depth and makes for a great theme. There is a lot here both for entertainment purposes and teaching/thinking purposes. I am eager to get my hands on the second and third books.
When Raffa's uncle and cousin leave to go to the city, Raffa wants to go with them but his parents refuse. But after working with the vine and discovering how dangerous it is, Raffa feels like he has to warn his cousin and uncle. But after arriving in Gilden, he discovers that something fishy is going on involving animal experimentation and he has to decide if he is willing to go along with it or stand up against it. He also meets a girl who has a special relationship with an animal just as he does with Echo, the bat.
Park has created an enchanting world with its own rules and morals. Her characters are fleshed out well and easy to root for, especially Raffa and Echo. The bat provides some humor that lightens the story a bit. The moral conflict that Raffa faces, especially concerning his uncle adds some depth and makes for a great theme. There is a lot here both for entertainment purposes and teaching/thinking purposes. I am eager to get my hands on the second and third books.
November 11, 2016
ark, Linda Sue Forest of Wonders (Wing and Claw 1), 343 pages. Harper (Harper Collins Publisher) 2016. $16.99. Language: G (0 swears, 0 "f"); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG.
Raffa Santana lives near the Forest of Wonders. He and his parents work as apothecaries gathering plants and herbs from the forest to made infusions to care for their village. Raffa has a special talent with infusions. While caring for an injured bat Raffa uses a rare red vine that has some magical side effects. Not only can the vine heal, it gives animals the ability to speak. Raffa must make certain that this new knowledge stays a secret. When his cousin steals some of the vine, Raffa must follow him and stop him from exposing the vine's power before it is too late.
This is the first book in a new series from Newbery Medal author Linda Sue Park, and has the potential to be the next big hit. Fans of the Spirit Animals Series will love this story. With an array of great characters who are thrown together on a dangerous adventure, this is one book you won't want to put down.
EL, MS -ESSENTIAL. Gina, Media Specialist
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2016/...
Raffa Santana lives near the Forest of Wonders. He and his parents work as apothecaries gathering plants and herbs from the forest to made infusions to care for their village. Raffa has a special talent with infusions. While caring for an injured bat Raffa uses a rare red vine that has some magical side effects. Not only can the vine heal, it gives animals the ability to speak. Raffa must make certain that this new knowledge stays a secret. When his cousin steals some of the vine, Raffa must follow him and stop him from exposing the vine's power before it is too late.
This is the first book in a new series from Newbery Medal author Linda Sue Park, and has the potential to be the next big hit. Fans of the Spirit Animals Series will love this story. With an array of great characters who are thrown together on a dangerous adventure, this is one book you won't want to put down.
EL, MS -ESSENTIAL. Gina, Media Specialist
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2016/...
June 3, 2017
Despite starting out slow, this book kept me engaged with the complexity of the Apothecary (I love the subject) world the author created along with the excellent writing. I suspect it would have been different if I wasn't already a fan of the author's writing.
However, if you manage to get past the somewhat slow beginning it will pay off. What started out as the perfect dream for Raffa slowly morphed into his worst nightmare. His struggle between wanting to follow his ambitions and knowing when something doesn't feel right thus shouldn't be done was poignant.
Parents and family are very present in the book and I am really looking forward to what will happen later on considering the circumstances under which Raffa's adventures (or misadventures) started out.
Since everything is told from Raffa's point of view you get to know more about his world outside of his little village right along with him and I can not wait to see more of it.
However, if you manage to get past the somewhat slow beginning it will pay off. What started out as the perfect dream for Raffa slowly morphed into his worst nightmare. His struggle between wanting to follow his ambitions and knowing when something doesn't feel right thus shouldn't be done was poignant.
Parents and family are very present in the book and I am really looking forward to what will happen later on considering the circumstances under which Raffa's adventures (or misadventures) started out.
Since everything is told from Raffa's point of view you get to know more about his world outside of his little village right along with him and I can not wait to see more of it.
January 7, 2017
This book is great for students who love fantasy, animals, and the mysteries of apothecary work! I really enjoyed reading about the way the main character and his family use the Forrest of Wonders to create very interesting combinations. The book kept me in suspense!
March 26, 2017
This was just flat and pointless. There was really no plot and the story arc that was there was incredibly weak. It was honestly forgettable. I finished it last night and I've already brain dumped it.
The only thing cute was the talking bat.
The only thing cute was the talking bat.
March 19, 2017
Right up my alley - really loved it, and will probably re-read it. Made me want to write in this world!
February 23, 2017
The Trees The Limit
Wing and Claw Forest of Wonders
Book by: Linda Sue Park
By: Jin C.
In a forest full of magic with exotic plants cool right? People like apothecaries use them, why don't you ask Raffa about it. Well Raffa Santana (a.k.a. baby genius) a ten year old boy who always wanted to become an apothecary, using different botanicals for cures. But he had a problem with his father looking over his shoulder when he is creating the simplest formulas. “Watching and commenting on what seemed like his every move”. Bummer Right? I would hate to have those helicopter parents, I kind of feel sorry for him (kind of). Anyway, Raffa always wanted be on his own using his own botanicals to make his own formulas (cures) like a real apothecary. So that’s just his life, basically. Also getting what he wants will come at a price that he will not be able to afford.
Then one special day, a very injured bat crashed into his room. “The bat seemed almost like a gift: a chance to work on serious injuries by himself”. Wow isn’t that amazing; his gift came from above, literally. He inspected the bat and made an infusion and poultice for the little guy but it wasn’t enough.
He had to tell his mum and da because he wanted to help that bat. His da told him about a red scarlet vine that his mum (his dad’s mum) used, to heal a horribly burned girl. Raffa knew that was his only chance for him to save the bat. He pleaded to his parents to go to the forest to find the vine, wait hold on The Forest of Wonders. So his mum said yes, only if he brings his cousin Garith. Garith (“a year older but not a year wiser”) and Raffa set off to get that vine.
While they were in the “Forest of Wonders” they had been strangly attacked by an owl? In the middle of the day? Hmmmm, that’s kind of fishy, don’t you think? But wait, there's more, there was a forest clearing. It wasn’t there the last time he went, what? Well this is confusing. When they rested Raffa saw a red snake, in a green forest, terrible camo. But it wasn’t a snake, it was the vine. So they headed back. He made an infusion and poultice for the bat (with his dad watching over him obviously).
They had a feast, but they only had feasts for a celebration, this day is full of mysteries. Garith’s da told him that his family is going to Gilden and they were invited too. He exploded in excitement but his da said no. His da is such a bummer, sucks to be him. He left two days later, and he missed him but was also mad at him. He is just filled with mixed emotions.
So he and his da used the vine and harnessed its power to see what capabilities it had. It can heal but do massive amounts of damage at the same time. Then Raffa saw that one of the clippings was missing. The first thing that popped into his mind was Garith. Obviously he was jealous and mad at him he didn’t go to Gilden even though it wasn’t his fault. He had to warn him of its power, so now he wants to protect him from the vine.
He asked his mum if she could send a message to him. She said she will but it will take a week. He wanted the message to be sent now. Just wow, Garith got his da to help him, he needs to chill out. Still he wanted the message sent quickly. So Raffa packed his stuff and set off to a journey to Gilden, putting himself in more danger than he already is in.
This is a great book, filled with twists and turns. A very suspenseful story that makes you read the story twice with characters you can’t forget. It is an exciting book with action here and there, like a storm.
Wing and Claw Forest of Wonders
Book by: Linda Sue Park
By: Jin C.
In a forest full of magic with exotic plants cool right? People like apothecaries use them, why don't you ask Raffa about it. Well Raffa Santana (a.k.a. baby genius) a ten year old boy who always wanted to become an apothecary, using different botanicals for cures. But he had a problem with his father looking over his shoulder when he is creating the simplest formulas. “Watching and commenting on what seemed like his every move”. Bummer Right? I would hate to have those helicopter parents, I kind of feel sorry for him (kind of). Anyway, Raffa always wanted be on his own using his own botanicals to make his own formulas (cures) like a real apothecary. So that’s just his life, basically. Also getting what he wants will come at a price that he will not be able to afford.
Then one special day, a very injured bat crashed into his room. “The bat seemed almost like a gift: a chance to work on serious injuries by himself”. Wow isn’t that amazing; his gift came from above, literally. He inspected the bat and made an infusion and poultice for the little guy but it wasn’t enough.
He had to tell his mum and da because he wanted to help that bat. His da told him about a red scarlet vine that his mum (his dad’s mum) used, to heal a horribly burned girl. Raffa knew that was his only chance for him to save the bat. He pleaded to his parents to go to the forest to find the vine, wait hold on The Forest of Wonders. So his mum said yes, only if he brings his cousin Garith. Garith (“a year older but not a year wiser”) and Raffa set off to get that vine.
While they were in the “Forest of Wonders” they had been strangly attacked by an owl? In the middle of the day? Hmmmm, that’s kind of fishy, don’t you think? But wait, there's more, there was a forest clearing. It wasn’t there the last time he went, what? Well this is confusing. When they rested Raffa saw a red snake, in a green forest, terrible camo. But it wasn’t a snake, it was the vine. So they headed back. He made an infusion and poultice for the bat (with his dad watching over him obviously).
They had a feast, but they only had feasts for a celebration, this day is full of mysteries. Garith’s da told him that his family is going to Gilden and they were invited too. He exploded in excitement but his da said no. His da is such a bummer, sucks to be him. He left two days later, and he missed him but was also mad at him. He is just filled with mixed emotions.
So he and his da used the vine and harnessed its power to see what capabilities it had. It can heal but do massive amounts of damage at the same time. Then Raffa saw that one of the clippings was missing. The first thing that popped into his mind was Garith. Obviously he was jealous and mad at him he didn’t go to Gilden even though it wasn’t his fault. He had to warn him of its power, so now he wants to protect him from the vine.
He asked his mum if she could send a message to him. She said she will but it will take a week. He wanted the message to be sent now. Just wow, Garith got his da to help him, he needs to chill out. Still he wanted the message sent quickly. So Raffa packed his stuff and set off to a journey to Gilden, putting himself in more danger than he already is in.
This is a great book, filled with twists and turns. A very suspenseful story that makes you read the story twice with characters you can’t forget. It is an exciting book with action here and there, like a storm.
October 17, 2016
1.5 Stars
Although I had much higher expectations, this book was alright. The writing was average, the plot and characters predictable, and the little story it had was quite bland.
It was just overall... "Meh". It isn't a "must read" or "highly reccomemded", but it's not the worst out there. I wouldn't necessarily purchase it if you want to read it, I find it a waste of money, but if you want to see what happens then I think borrowing it or getting it from a library may be the best bet.
The big problem with this book is the story. Because, hey, guess what, there isn't one! And I know what you're saying - "but there is a story! Didn't you read the synopsis?"
Yes, of course I did! But the plot basically goes like this until the last 30 pages:
"Want to do something.
Do that thing.
Nothing happens/it's underwhelming
Wander around until something happens."
Rinse and repeat until you get to the end.
It's odd, but the first part of the book was perfectly fine. The writing was decent, the characters weren't amazing but not completely overused, and at least the, "herbs and apothecary!!11!1 look we're original" part was in there too. At least they used them, unlike later. After that first part though, it just... kind of fails at everything that was charming about it before. The writing starts to decline as well by that point.
But then suddenly at the end, it gets a plot? They're actually doing something important and relevant to the original synopsis? Woah, whaaaat?
Seriously. I almost was considering reading the next book because of it - I feel like I see a very distant romance, as well as great character development. I kid you not, after the bad things I've said about this book, at least that may be true.
So, to sum it all up, here are the Pro's and Con's:
Pro's:
- The first part was interesting
- Apothocary was an interesting idea
- The main character wasn't too bland
- Ending was alright
- Intriguing future of the next books
Con's:
- Little to no story
- Characters were mostly bland
- Everything was pretty predictable
- Hard to get through
- "Meh" Writing
Overall, this book is, once again... "Meh."
Although I had much higher expectations, this book was alright. The writing was average, the plot and characters predictable, and the little story it had was quite bland.
It was just overall... "Meh". It isn't a "must read" or "highly reccomemded", but it's not the worst out there. I wouldn't necessarily purchase it if you want to read it, I find it a waste of money, but if you want to see what happens then I think borrowing it or getting it from a library may be the best bet.
The big problem with this book is the story. Because, hey, guess what, there isn't one! And I know what you're saying - "but there is a story! Didn't you read the synopsis?"
Yes, of course I did! But the plot basically goes like this until the last 30 pages:
"Want to do something.
Do that thing.
Nothing happens/it's underwhelming
Wander around until something happens."
Rinse and repeat until you get to the end.
It's odd, but the first part of the book was perfectly fine. The writing was decent, the characters weren't amazing but not completely overused, and at least the, "herbs and apothecary!!11!1 look we're original" part was in there too. At least they used them, unlike later. After that first part though, it just... kind of fails at everything that was charming about it before. The writing starts to decline as well by that point.
But then suddenly at the end, it gets a plot? They're actually doing something important and relevant to the original synopsis? Woah, whaaaat?
Seriously. I almost was considering reading the next book because of it - I feel like I see a very distant romance, as well as great character development. I kid you not, after the bad things I've said about this book, at least that may be true.
So, to sum it all up, here are the Pro's and Con's:
Pro's:
- The first part was interesting
- Apothocary was an interesting idea
- The main character wasn't too bland
- Ending was alright
- Intriguing future of the next books
Con's:
- Little to no story
- Characters were mostly bland
- Everything was pretty predictable
- Hard to get through
- "Meh" Writing
Overall, this book is, once again... "Meh."
April 12, 2018
Personal Response
Personally, I really liked the book Wing & Claw Forest of Wonders . I loved all the apothecary magic and how Raffa was an avid apothecary himself. I like that the animals Raffa treated were able to talk because it made the book a lot more interesting because of it. I also liked when a new character would be added, they would have a backstory and not just thrown in.
Plot summary
The book is about a 12-year-old boy named Raffa, who saves the life of a bat with a rare and mysterious vine he found in the forest. Raffa later discovers the bat can speak due to the powers of the scarlet vine. He finds out that the vine has many other dangerous powers, so he goes on a journey to the city of Guilden to warn his cousin, who had taken a sample of the plant for testing reasons. On his journey, he meets new friends who help him along the way. He also discovers the mayor of the city of Guilden plans to use the vine to train an army of animals for an unknown reason with the help of Raffa’s cousin.
Recommendation
I would recommend this book to anyone the ages of 10-15. I would recommend this age restriction because the book is not very challenging. I would also think anyone who likes fantasy books would like this as well.
Personally, I really liked the book Wing & Claw Forest of Wonders . I loved all the apothecary magic and how Raffa was an avid apothecary himself. I like that the animals Raffa treated were able to talk because it made the book a lot more interesting because of it. I also liked when a new character would be added, they would have a backstory and not just thrown in.
Plot summary
The book is about a 12-year-old boy named Raffa, who saves the life of a bat with a rare and mysterious vine he found in the forest. Raffa later discovers the bat can speak due to the powers of the scarlet vine. He finds out that the vine has many other dangerous powers, so he goes on a journey to the city of Guilden to warn his cousin, who had taken a sample of the plant for testing reasons. On his journey, he meets new friends who help him along the way. He also discovers the mayor of the city of Guilden plans to use the vine to train an army of animals for an unknown reason with the help of Raffa’s cousin.
Recommendation
I would recommend this book to anyone the ages of 10-15. I would recommend this age restriction because the book is not very challenging. I would also think anyone who likes fantasy books would like this as well.
April 10, 2016
I was pretty torn on this one. It's really 2.5 stars but I couldn't quite bring the official rating up to three. It was just... kinda weird. The first 80% of the novel was plodding, plain, and cheesy. It didn't seem like events were strongly connected to each other, and there didn't seem to be an aim to the wanderings and events of Raffa, the main character. In the final 20%, things really amp up and get very intense and even a bit scary, which is jarringly different from the tone of the rest of the novel. I caught myself once saying out loud while reading, "What the heck is going on with this book?!"
There were good points about it though! The themes were ambitious for an intermediate/middle grade novel. Animal experimentation and the rights of animals were pretty big in the second half and I really respected the author for going there. But the vehicle for these themes came in a big clunky package.
There were good points about it though! The themes were ambitious for an intermediate/middle grade novel. Animal experimentation and the rights of animals were pretty big in the second half and I really respected the author for going there. But the vehicle for these themes came in a big clunky package.
October 9, 2016
Raffa is unusually talented for an apprentice apothecary, but he keeps secret the fact that he can "sense" the right combinations for botanicals. Venturing into the forest one day with his cousin to find an elusive vine plant that might heal an injured bat, Raffa is delighted when he does find it, and even more delighted when the vine works--with an unexpected side effect. Envious of his uncle and cousin, who head off to the city for a new job with the government, Raffa is determined to warn them of some of the vine's more dangerous qualities, and follows them. Little does he know that he will soon be embroiled in a terrible plot. An interesting new fantasy that only underscores this author's flexibility and talent. 4th-6th grades.
June 7, 2018
Raffa is a gifted young pother (apothecary), learning about botanicals from his parents and his uncle. When he finds a badly injured bat, Raffa begs for permission to go into the Forest of Wonders to find a rare plant for a cure. He and his cousin are successful, but the consequences are startling ... and lead straight to much bigger problems.
Shakes and quakes. Cousins and competition. Echo and ouch. Runaways and garrisons. Greenhouses and scarecrows. Salves and cinders. The Wing & Claw world is fascinating, and I enjoyed Park's mingling and muddling of familiar words to set the tone. I'll be adding this series to my home shelf.
Raises questions about animal rights, experimentation, cruelty, etc.
Shakes and quakes. Cousins and competition. Echo and ouch. Runaways and garrisons. Greenhouses and scarecrows. Salves and cinders. The Wing & Claw world is fascinating, and I enjoyed Park's mingling and muddling of familiar words to set the tone. I'll be adding this series to my home shelf.
Raises questions about animal rights, experimentation, cruelty, etc.
August 31, 2017
I hate to admit to it, but quite often I pick books entirely on cover, and this one just looks good. I love stories about animals, and this one has quite a few to catch my eye. The beginning of the book was probably better than the ending, if only because I dislike a first book that gives no real information as to why it exists in the first place. It leaves a bit of a bad taste in what was otherwise enjoyable.
What I really liked about this book was the characters. Raffa was especially likable, with his bat Echo, although the rest grew on me by the end. I'm sure if I read book two I will find out more about them.
A fun read for middle grade and above. Four stars.
What I really liked about this book was the characters. Raffa was especially likable, with his bat Echo, although the rest grew on me by the end. I'm sure if I read book two I will find out more about them.
A fun read for middle grade and above. Four stars.
May 3, 2018
This is an enchanting adventure that kids are sure to love. There is magic, talking animals, danger, friendship, and by the end Raffa realizes that choices (and people) are not always what they seem to be. The plot is unresolved at the end (which makes sense because this is a trilogy), but all three books are already released so it's easy to continue with Raffa's adventure.
Highly recommended to students in grades 4 and up, fans of fantasy, magic, and adventure.
I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did an excellent job.
Highly recommended to students in grades 4 and up, fans of fantasy, magic, and adventure.
I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did an excellent job.
December 19, 2016
Intermediate, fantasy, dystopian
November 17, 2017
The bat was adorable, and Raffa made very smart decisions for his age in the book. Overall it is a very interesting concept and I look forward to continuing this series!
May 15, 2023
Raffa is training to become an apothecary. He convinces his parents to let him go into the Forest of Wonders in search of a powerful and mysterious vine his father remembers using in the past for healing. Raffa and his cousin Garith find the vine and bring some samples back. Raffa goes on to use it to heal an injured bat who beings talking to him. When Garith and his father go to Gilden to become apothecaries there, Raffa follows them after an experiment with the vine gone wrong to warn them that it can be dangerous. In the city, Raffa finds some new friends and discovers that his uncle's new apothecary job may not be what it seems.
This was definitely a quick read, even for juvenile fiction. Pacing was excellent, with the stakes growing higher towards the end of the book. While I didn't like Garith starting out, he grew on me as the book went on. I definitely want to read the rest of the series to find out what happens.
This was definitely a quick read, even for juvenile fiction. Pacing was excellent, with the stakes growing higher towards the end of the book. While I didn't like Garith starting out, he grew on me as the book went on. I definitely want to read the rest of the series to find out what happens.
April 22, 2025
I LOVE ECHO! The way he talks, I associate it with the way Nightlight talks in The Sandman and the War of Dreams .
This book was really interesting; I never read a book from a healer's point of view , so it was a very unexpected one.
This book was really interesting; I never read a book from a healer's point of view , so it was a very unexpected one.
March 28, 2017
This book was okaaay. I'm not going to re-read it, at least not willingly. Right now we're doing SBAC testing and I can't get to the library to get another book.
Raffa feels a little underdeveloped, okay, very underdeveloped. Garith too. Trixin and Kuma are the best characters, Kuma more so. But Kuma's name bothers me, because 'Kuma' is bear in Japanese. I guess to most people that would be a discreet reference, but to me, that's like a big sign saying, THIS IS THE GIRL WITH THE BEAR!! Also, that's the name of a character in another series, with a very different appearance than this Kuma.
*spoiler alert* Speaking of bears, the main revelation; 'The chancellor is torturing baby animals to form an army' is bothering. Not to say that it isn't horrible and unethical, but it feels too forced, like shoving someone's head into the story, yelling "See? This person is evil, evil scum! Hate her!" Plus, the chancellor's motives are unexplained. The chancellor is an intelligent woman, and why would you go through the great and expensive lengths to raise an army for a nation that is at peace? Ignoring her BS answer "To do the worst jobs" because, spoiler alert, that's not what it's for. This story might have worked if Obsidia was a war-torn nation in desperate need of protection, or resources, or something.
Finally, Raffa was making a decoction from the vine, not an infusion. Give me a break.
Raffa feels a little underdeveloped, okay, very underdeveloped. Garith too. Trixin and Kuma are the best characters, Kuma more so. But Kuma's name bothers me, because 'Kuma' is bear in Japanese. I guess to most people that would be a discreet reference, but to me, that's like a big sign saying, THIS IS THE GIRL WITH THE BEAR!! Also, that's the name of a character in another series, with a very different appearance than this Kuma.
*spoiler alert* Speaking of bears, the main revelation; 'The chancellor is torturing baby animals to form an army' is bothering. Not to say that it isn't horrible and unethical, but it feels too forced, like shoving someone's head into the story, yelling "See? This person is evil, evil scum! Hate her!" Plus, the chancellor's motives are unexplained. The chancellor is an intelligent woman, and why would you go through the great and expensive lengths to raise an army for a nation that is at peace? Ignoring her BS answer "To do the worst jobs" because, spoiler alert, that's not what it's for. This story might have worked if Obsidia was a war-torn nation in desperate need of protection, or resources, or something.
Finally, Raffa was making a decoction from the vine, not an infusion. Give me a break.
August 20, 2024
It was rly fun I liked the bat :)
December 10, 2017
I thought this book was really good because it had magical plants that could heal, poison and stick to name a few potion abilities. My favorite part of the book was when Roo swatted the "sick" crows, I liked that part because I could really picture the huge friendly bear protecting kuma and Raffa from the crows trying to peck out their eyes. The characters had weird names like Raffa, Kuma, and Garith. I also thought the little bat named Echo was so cute because he was like a small flying dog that could talk and hang upside down. I felt bad for the baby raccoons named Stick and Bando. I'm definitely going to read the next one!.
May 19, 2021
NGL, I just really love bats lol.
February 12, 2017
Reader thoughts: Cool forest. Raffa actually acted like a 12-year-old. I liked the charm and how Raffa interacted with his parents, the botanicals, and his cousin. I liked that the relationship with his cousin tried to grow (it didn't get far), but at least there was effort.
I didn't like the first scene, which colored the rest of the book. Raffa and Garith get into a cupboard of jars that say "yearnings." Immediately I suspected some sort of aphrodisiac and decided it was inappropriate for a MG novel. (Even if The Giver talks about suppressant pills with a 12-year-old MC, that book wasn't a middle grade book.) Then the parents got all hedgy when they found what the boys got into. So, that's just a weird way to start a kid book.
The characters overreacted to hurt animals. Yes, it's sad, but Raffa finds a dying bat, and his parents decided he can tramp into the magical forest (dangerous!) to find a random magical plant that no one has seen in 100 years. Just for a bat. Because, what, Raffa's parents, lauded apothecaries, have never had a dying person in their care? So they let their son risk his life on a legend for a bat?? (And then people are shocked to speechlessness when they learned some of the forest trees had been chopped down, which I just couldn't understand. Are people just not evil in this world?)
The new words were cool, how Raffa called plants botanicals, and that people said "pothecary" and a few others.
The plot was uninteresting after Raffa got to the city. How could he lose Echo for a day and not notice? I didn't care about the bird training. I didn't get why his uncle didn't send him home immediately ("Oh, you ran away from your parents and came to the big city? That's okay, stay with me so you can impress my boss!").
There were too many assumptions. First, how does he know the infusion made the animals able to speak? Raffa talks about experimenting, but, throughout the whole book, we don't see any of it. He just tries something once and makes assumptions. He doesn't even know if Echo could talk before Raffa met him, which I kept thinking. No, he decides the red vine did it (despite how many times Raffa keeps thinking that apothecary isn't magic).
Second, Kuma and Raffa see a couple coincidences and decide the worst. Raffa decides his uncle is part of the problem just because Kuma thinks she recognizes the man's cloak. Really? And then, instead of confronting anyone, they
Plot hole.
Writer thoughts: The inconsistent pov grates on my nerves. Maybe there are very short scenes and scene breaks that I can't see in the audiobook, but switching to another character's head for a couple paragraphs and then back just seems sloppy.
There were too many characters. Barely. There was Raffa, Garith, Trixen (sp?), and Kuma (sp?), but there were also the parents, the chancellor, Echo, Bando, Twig, and the bear. Yes, I sound hypocritical when I complain about too many characters in books (just take a look at the ones I write, or some of my favorite ones I've read), but it felt off-balance in this book all the same. Really, I just think Trixen (the fermentation assistant, however her name is spelled) was superfluous. What did she add that Garith and Kuma didn't?
I didn't like the first scene, which colored the rest of the book. Raffa and Garith get into a cupboard of jars that say "yearnings." Immediately I suspected some sort of aphrodisiac and decided it was inappropriate for a MG novel. (Even if The Giver talks about suppressant pills with a 12-year-old MC, that book wasn't a middle grade book.) Then the parents got all hedgy when they found what the boys got into. So, that's just a weird way to start a kid book.
The characters overreacted to hurt animals. Yes, it's sad, but Raffa finds a dying bat, and his parents decided he can tramp into the magical forest (dangerous!) to find a random magical plant that no one has seen in 100 years. Just for a bat. Because, what, Raffa's parents, lauded apothecaries, have never had a dying person in their care? So they let their son risk his life on a legend for a bat?? (And then people are shocked to speechlessness when they learned some of the forest trees had been chopped down, which I just couldn't understand. Are people just not evil in this world?)
The new words were cool, how Raffa called plants botanicals, and that people said "pothecary" and a few others.
The plot was uninteresting after Raffa got to the city. How could he lose Echo for a day and not notice? I didn't care about the bird training. I didn't get why his uncle didn't send him home immediately ("Oh, you ran away from your parents and came to the big city? That's okay, stay with me so you can impress my boss!").
There were too many assumptions. First, how does he know the infusion made the animals able to speak? Raffa talks about experimenting, but, throughout the whole book, we don't see any of it. He just tries something once and makes assumptions. He doesn't even know if Echo could talk before Raffa met him, which I kept thinking. No, he decides the red vine did it (despite how many times Raffa keeps thinking that apothecary isn't magic).
Second, Kuma and Raffa see a couple coincidences and decide the worst. Raffa decides his uncle is part of the problem just because Kuma thinks she recognizes the man's cloak. Really? And then, instead of confronting anyone, they
Plot hole.
Writer thoughts: The inconsistent pov grates on my nerves. Maybe there are very short scenes and scene breaks that I can't see in the audiobook, but switching to another character's head for a couple paragraphs and then back just seems sloppy.
There were too many characters. Barely. There was Raffa, Garith, Trixen (sp?), and Kuma (sp?), but there were also the parents, the chancellor, Echo, Bando, Twig, and the bear. Yes, I sound hypocritical when I complain about too many characters in books (just take a look at the ones I write, or some of my favorite ones I've read), but it felt off-balance in this book all the same. Really, I just think Trixen (the fermentation assistant, however her name is spelled) was superfluous. What did she add that Garith and Kuma didn't?
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