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The Crystilleries of Echoland
IN A SEE-THROUGH LAND our reflections live. They call us Sounds. They are our Echoes. And they think that they must die when we do. Is this why children are disappearing from the Sound realm? Because someone wants their Echo to die?
Twelve-year-old Will Cleary tries to escape the frightening answer. But dangers sweep him into that magical, see-through land. And there, in a fortress filled with castaway children, a two-hundred-year-old riddle lies buried. The most important boy in Echoland will help Will solve it, with a handful of other teens. For the fate of Echoland, and of the Sound realm, depends on the answer. An answer hidden in an ancient book… Deep in a frozen lake of gems… Beyond a buried door… At the foot of the greatest Crystillery of all. But many men and monsters, crystal balls and spying eyes, will try to stop the brave teens.
~ 2018 Pacific Book Awards Winner ~
~ 2018 Purple Dragonfly 2nd Place Winner ~
~ 2018 Los Angeles Book Festival Runner-up ~
~ 2018 Readers' Favorite 4th place (Honorable Mention) ~
~ 2018 New York Book Festival Honorable Mention ~
~ 2018 San Francisco Book Festival Honorable Mention ~
THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN disappear from our world. No one sees the kidnapping; or if they do, they forget. But one toddler returns after a week, riding a wolf, with a falcon circling over him.
That boy is Will Cleary.
Will tries to live a normal life. But his twin sister is still missing, and their parents never stop searching for her. Then just before his thirteenth birthday, Will's pets reveal a secret to him. (Though how it happens will remain a secret, until you read the book.)
A hidden world lies beneath our feet, a land filled with see-through trees and lucent people. They call us Sounds, and they are our Echoes; for each one of them is a reflection of one of us. It is a sparkling, beautiful place, a winter wonderland. But there is evil there, a terrible law, the Law of Death.
When a Sound dies in our world, his Echo is executed in Echoland. And there are those who reverse the order of things, to achieve their wicked ends. They hunt the Sound of the Echo they want to kill. Then the first death leads to the second as surely as lightning leads to thunder.
Is that what happened to the missing children in Will's realm? Did someone want to murder their Echoes? Or are these Sounds still alive, trapped somewhere in Echoland?
Will tries to escape the frightening answer. But dangers sweep him into that magical, see-through land. And there, in a fortress filled with castaway children, a two-hundred-year-old riddle lies buried. The most important boy in Echoland will help Will solve it, with a handful of other kids. For the fate of Echoland, and of the Sound realm, depends on the answer.
An answer hidden in an ancient book…
Deep in a frozen lake of gems…
Beyond a buried door…
At the foot of the greatest Crystillery of all.
But many men and monsters, crystal balls and spying eyes, will try to stop the brave teens. For how see-through your skin is is all-important in Echoland. And when this ancient hate will end, the realm of the Echoes will change forever.
Twelve-year-old Will Cleary tries to escape the frightening answer. But dangers sweep him into that magical, see-through land. And there, in a fortress filled with castaway children, a two-hundred-year-old riddle lies buried. The most important boy in Echoland will help Will solve it, with a handful of other teens. For the fate of Echoland, and of the Sound realm, depends on the answer. An answer hidden in an ancient book… Deep in a frozen lake of gems… Beyond a buried door… At the foot of the greatest Crystillery of all. But many men and monsters, crystal balls and spying eyes, will try to stop the brave teens.
~ 2018 Pacific Book Awards Winner ~
~ 2018 Purple Dragonfly 2nd Place Winner ~
~ 2018 Los Angeles Book Festival Runner-up ~
~ 2018 Readers' Favorite 4th place (Honorable Mention) ~
~ 2018 New York Book Festival Honorable Mention ~
~ 2018 San Francisco Book Festival Honorable Mention ~
THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN disappear from our world. No one sees the kidnapping; or if they do, they forget. But one toddler returns after a week, riding a wolf, with a falcon circling over him.
That boy is Will Cleary.
Will tries to live a normal life. But his twin sister is still missing, and their parents never stop searching for her. Then just before his thirteenth birthday, Will's pets reveal a secret to him. (Though how it happens will remain a secret, until you read the book.)
A hidden world lies beneath our feet, a land filled with see-through trees and lucent people. They call us Sounds, and they are our Echoes; for each one of them is a reflection of one of us. It is a sparkling, beautiful place, a winter wonderland. But there is evil there, a terrible law, the Law of Death.
When a Sound dies in our world, his Echo is executed in Echoland. And there are those who reverse the order of things, to achieve their wicked ends. They hunt the Sound of the Echo they want to kill. Then the first death leads to the second as surely as lightning leads to thunder.
Is that what happened to the missing children in Will's realm? Did someone want to murder their Echoes? Or are these Sounds still alive, trapped somewhere in Echoland?
Will tries to escape the frightening answer. But dangers sweep him into that magical, see-through land. And there, in a fortress filled with castaway children, a two-hundred-year-old riddle lies buried. The most important boy in Echoland will help Will solve it, with a handful of other kids. For the fate of Echoland, and of the Sound realm, depends on the answer.
An answer hidden in an ancient book…
Deep in a frozen lake of gems…
Beyond a buried door…
At the foot of the greatest Crystillery of all.
But many men and monsters, crystal balls and spying eyes, will try to stop the brave teens. For how see-through your skin is is all-important in Echoland. And when this ancient hate will end, the realm of the Echoes will change forever.
374 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 1, 2019
98 people are currently reading
334 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
March 20, 2018
Wavers between a 3 and 3.5 star book.
Four months ago, a king died.
The Royal Shekel, a coin that proves that Fortune is on the king’s side, has gone missing.
The king’s twelve-year-old son still lives, though many believe he shouldn’t.
Those who went through extreme measures to ensure his death ten years ago.
And this is just in Echoland, a land that exists beneath our own. Or, maybe it’s just an Echo for Alaska.
I received an e-copy of this book, a remake/new edition of the author’s first book The Sound & the Echoes, for my honest review. And I feel bad for saying that I didn’t feel like this grabbed me like the first one.
Both are fast-paced, but I felt that “Crystilleries” was more choppy than the first. I found myself confused at times, with abrupt scene changes and offset conversations that sometimes have to be reread, because emotions/added info aren’t there.
It’s not a bad book. Maybe I should have reread the original before this one. If I do go back to that, I will likely edit this review.
One great thing about them both is that Hebrew is the key to saving Echoland. I don’t know Hebrew, but that unique aspect just makes me smile.
I want to focus on the plot and the good about this book. What I found to be negative (and really is the basis of the rating) is at the end of this review.
There is a lot of artwork, more than in the original, and it’s all beautiful. I love the vibrant blues (and greens) of Echos and Echoland, of what the characters are witness to.
All life begins twice: the original is a Sound and the opaque images are the reflections, the Echos. The rivers of Earth wash them away into Echoland.
The Sound Will Cleary is 12, and his Echo is the Prince. Ten years ago, he was dragged into the lake by his house, along with his twin sister, Emmy. Will somehow made it back with new “pets”, a falcon and a wolf: Deá and Damian, respectively.
Because Emmy is still missing, the Cleary parents have gone estranged. Will’s father focuses on books while his mother is constantly diving around the lake. They also seem to have difficulty taking Will’s words and suggestions into consideration.
Memory loss, really.
Will has what he calls a “gravestone” book , 1,007 pages long of people who have vanished.
Will is the only one who returned, with a glowing plant wrapped around his bottom. The truth of his “pets” is neat, though is obvious in hindsight (if you haven’t read the original).
The missing people are due to an old myth that was turned into law many, many years ago: When a Sound dies, his Echo should die too, or evil times will follow. Only kings are exempt from the Law of Death. But not princes.
Deá and Damian push Will to receive certain help on Earth before he goes undercover to the Echo realm with a Crystillery, an object that recreates memories and is quite rare, if not illegal to have. A lot of plans are foiled by Fate Sealers, Echo creatures that used to be men but now spy on the Sound realm (through Cyrstilleries), to find out who died. Or to take people like Will who they think should die in order to kill the Echo.
And Will MUST go to Echoland, while staying safe from the Fate Sealers, because his life and those of all the Echos depends on him and the Shekel.
It’s convoluted yet very interesting.
Chapter 22 is less confusing and the story really picks up then, but there is still quite a bit of wonkiness along the way.
* Will meets Emmy’s friend Peter Patrick Peterson who is an interesting and humorous fellow. Any time I read of his dog, Poudini, I think of Zero from “Nightmare Before Christmas.” There is no reason for this, other than that’s how my brain works.
It [doesn’t] help that Echoland has ghostly beings.
* We learn that people, even kings, are against the Law of Death. “Because happy people fight back when Fate Sealers come to kill them.” (Chapter 24)
* The Fate Sealers are utterly chilling and horrifying. From the onset of their creation to their sadistic ways, they are soulless and moral-less creatures.
Things that bothered me:
~ The story dragged me along, but it was tough to keep up with
~ At one point, Deá and Damian seem to know Will thought they were dying based on what they looked like, but there’s no comment about this and the dialogue just continues on-end.
~ The word ‘lucent’ is used in almost every single chapter and began to grate on me after reading it for the third or fourth time.
~ Along with the first point, and with what I said about “choppiness” - the foes come at random, and there are interactions (mostly bad) between them and Will (and his friends/allies), but then he goes about his day almost as normal.
~ The ending, particularly with getting through the lake, is also abrupt and doesn’t have a real conclusion for me.
Four months ago, a king died.
The Royal Shekel, a coin that proves that Fortune is on the king’s side, has gone missing.
The king’s twelve-year-old son still lives, though many believe he shouldn’t.
Those who went through extreme measures to ensure his death ten years ago.
And this is just in Echoland, a land that exists beneath our own. Or, maybe it’s just an Echo for Alaska.
I received an e-copy of this book, a remake/new edition of the author’s first book The Sound & the Echoes, for my honest review. And I feel bad for saying that I didn’t feel like this grabbed me like the first one.
Both are fast-paced, but I felt that “Crystilleries” was more choppy than the first. I found myself confused at times, with abrupt scene changes and offset conversations that sometimes have to be reread, because emotions/added info aren’t there.
It’s not a bad book. Maybe I should have reread the original before this one. If I do go back to that, I will likely edit this review.
One great thing about them both is that Hebrew is the key to saving Echoland. I don’t know Hebrew, but that unique aspect just makes me smile.
I want to focus on the plot and the good about this book. What I found to be negative (and really is the basis of the rating) is at the end of this review.
There is a lot of artwork, more than in the original, and it’s all beautiful. I love the vibrant blues (and greens) of Echos and Echoland, of what the characters are witness to.
All life begins twice: the original is a Sound and the opaque images are the reflections, the Echos. The rivers of Earth wash them away into Echoland.
The Sound Will Cleary is 12, and his Echo is the Prince. Ten years ago, he was dragged into the lake by his house, along with his twin sister, Emmy. Will somehow made it back with new “pets”, a falcon and a wolf: Deá and Damian, respectively.
Because Emmy is still missing, the Cleary parents have gone estranged. Will’s father focuses on books while his mother is constantly diving around the lake. They also seem to have difficulty taking Will’s words and suggestions into consideration.
Memory loss, really.
Will has what he calls a “gravestone” book , 1,007 pages long of people who have vanished.
Will is the only one who returned, with a glowing plant wrapped around his bottom. The truth of his “pets” is neat, though is obvious in hindsight (if you haven’t read the original).
The missing people are due to an old myth that was turned into law many, many years ago: When a Sound dies, his Echo should die too, or evil times will follow. Only kings are exempt from the Law of Death. But not princes.
Deá and Damian push Will to receive certain help on Earth before he goes undercover to the Echo realm with a Crystillery, an object that recreates memories and is quite rare, if not illegal to have. A lot of plans are foiled by Fate Sealers, Echo creatures that used to be men but now spy on the Sound realm (through Cyrstilleries), to find out who died. Or to take people like Will who they think should die in order to kill the Echo.
And Will MUST go to Echoland, while staying safe from the Fate Sealers, because his life and those of all the Echos depends on him and the Shekel.
It’s convoluted yet very interesting.
Chapter 22 is less confusing and the story really picks up then, but there is still quite a bit of wonkiness along the way.
* Will meets Emmy’s friend Peter Patrick Peterson who is an interesting and humorous fellow. Any time I read of his dog, Poudini, I think of Zero from “Nightmare Before Christmas.” There is no reason for this, other than that’s how my brain works.
It [doesn’t] help that Echoland has ghostly beings.
* We learn that people, even kings, are against the Law of Death. “Because happy people fight back when Fate Sealers come to kill them.” (Chapter 24)
* The Fate Sealers are utterly chilling and horrifying. From the onset of their creation to their sadistic ways, they are soulless and moral-less creatures.
Things that bothered me:
~ The story dragged me along, but it was tough to keep up with
~ At one point, Deá and Damian seem to know Will thought they were dying based on what they looked like, but there’s no comment about this and the dialogue just continues on-end.
~ The word ‘lucent’ is used in almost every single chapter and began to grate on me after reading it for the third or fourth time.
~ Along with the first point, and with what I said about “choppiness” - the foes come at random, and there are interactions (mostly bad) between them and Will (and his friends/allies), but then he goes about his day almost as normal.
~ The ending, particularly with getting through the lake, is also abrupt and doesn’t have a real conclusion for me.
May 25, 2019
The Crystilleries of Echoland by Dew Pellucid is a wonderfully adventurous story. Will Cleary mysteriously disappeared when he was 2, along with his twin sister Emma. Just as mysteriously, Will returned without Emma and without memories of where he had been. Fast forward 10 years and Will's mother and father are both still searching for Emma. Will decides to take the search into his own hands and ends up in a different land, Echoland. In Echoland, every Sound, or earthling, has an Echo, or a see through crystalline version of themselves. Will must stay alive in order to find his sister and to help his echo, the Prince of Echoland.
Will Cleary has decided enough is enough, he will find his sister himself.
His two childhood pets lead Will through a portal that brings him into Echoland. Echoland, where his sister's Sound is stuck, where Fatesealers roam free to take whomever they want, where Will must hide in plain site to keep himself alive. Will, along with the help of a magician friend Peter, the reluctant half Echo, half Sound boy, the Prince, and his sister, have to figure out a way to stay alive long enough to figure out the truth of the old King's death. Navigating the halls of the orphanage, it's bullies and spies, the odd Victor Valerian and his niece, along with the Fatesealers, Peter and his friends start to discover that not everything is as it seems. There is more going on in this kingdom than it appears to be.
The adventure begins right off the bat with Will being transported to Echoland. The author made you jump right into the story, but he gave enough information about the character and his family that you didn't feel cheated. There was enough character depth in those first 2 chapters that helped to give you some background on them. I loved the symbolism of Will's childhood pets "dying" as he leaves his childhood behind. One character that confused me, but I really did like was Valerie Valerian. Valerie is this enigma that really has no explanation, just this chatacter in the background that shows up from time to time. Her random showings though, make her intriguing even though she doesn't contribute much. I thought that for the most part, the secondary characters on the protagonist's side were well written. I enjoyed the way the author wrote about Harmonia and the Harmonies. Taking something that is shunned and turning it into a wonderful thing, something that really everyone wants, peace and belonging.
I enjoyed this book, but there was quite a lot that I didn't care for in the story. The absolute biggest issue I had was with the Prince. The Prince needed to get his throne to save his realm, this is a major plot within the book. I honestly felt like there should have been more help from the Prince or someone in his "camp". Instead, Will is pretty much left to do everything and dodge all the bad guys. Where is the Prince, and why isn't there more help. For a lot of this book, it feels very scrambled, like the author really didn't know how to go about this adventure yet they wanted all this great detail put in. It feels like there should have been more importance and thought out to the main plot rather than all of this outide detail. For example, the animals, really now, what did the animals actually contribute to the story, they really feel more like word filler than anything. The Fatesealers, they were roaming around the orphanage, so obviously they knew Will was there, they were so very present but they just lurked. With how they story was told, up to that point, the Fatesealers should have killed Will, but they don't, it just doesn't follow. I also didn't care for the twist at the end with Victor Valerian being the killer. It seems like he was just thrown under the bus because the author wanted a twist but didn't know how else to do it. This twist really took away from the book, the king should have just done it, there was nothing added, and no deeper meaning for having Victor being the killer.
I will give this book a rating of 2 out of 4 stars. I would love to give this more, but there was too many plots going on in the book without actually going anywhere. I think that the adventure part was fun, the Echo realm was well thought of, and the characters had great personalities. I can see this book leading into a great series, but I would like to see more cohesive thoughts and plots. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Fantasy, Adventure, and Young Adults.
Will Cleary has decided enough is enough, he will find his sister himself.
His two childhood pets lead Will through a portal that brings him into Echoland. Echoland, where his sister's Sound is stuck, where Fatesealers roam free to take whomever they want, where Will must hide in plain site to keep himself alive. Will, along with the help of a magician friend Peter, the reluctant half Echo, half Sound boy, the Prince, and his sister, have to figure out a way to stay alive long enough to figure out the truth of the old King's death. Navigating the halls of the orphanage, it's bullies and spies, the odd Victor Valerian and his niece, along with the Fatesealers, Peter and his friends start to discover that not everything is as it seems. There is more going on in this kingdom than it appears to be.
The adventure begins right off the bat with Will being transported to Echoland. The author made you jump right into the story, but he gave enough information about the character and his family that you didn't feel cheated. There was enough character depth in those first 2 chapters that helped to give you some background on them. I loved the symbolism of Will's childhood pets "dying" as he leaves his childhood behind. One character that confused me, but I really did like was Valerie Valerian. Valerie is this enigma that really has no explanation, just this chatacter in the background that shows up from time to time. Her random showings though, make her intriguing even though she doesn't contribute much. I thought that for the most part, the secondary characters on the protagonist's side were well written. I enjoyed the way the author wrote about Harmonia and the Harmonies. Taking something that is shunned and turning it into a wonderful thing, something that really everyone wants, peace and belonging.
I enjoyed this book, but there was quite a lot that I didn't care for in the story. The absolute biggest issue I had was with the Prince. The Prince needed to get his throne to save his realm, this is a major plot within the book. I honestly felt like there should have been more help from the Prince or someone in his "camp". Instead, Will is pretty much left to do everything and dodge all the bad guys. Where is the Prince, and why isn't there more help. For a lot of this book, it feels very scrambled, like the author really didn't know how to go about this adventure yet they wanted all this great detail put in. It feels like there should have been more importance and thought out to the main plot rather than all of this outide detail. For example, the animals, really now, what did the animals actually contribute to the story, they really feel more like word filler than anything. The Fatesealers, they were roaming around the orphanage, so obviously they knew Will was there, they were so very present but they just lurked. With how they story was told, up to that point, the Fatesealers should have killed Will, but they don't, it just doesn't follow. I also didn't care for the twist at the end with Victor Valerian being the killer. It seems like he was just thrown under the bus because the author wanted a twist but didn't know how else to do it. This twist really took away from the book, the king should have just done it, there was nothing added, and no deeper meaning for having Victor being the killer.
I will give this book a rating of 2 out of 4 stars. I would love to give this more, but there was too many plots going on in the book without actually going anywhere. I think that the adventure part was fun, the Echo realm was well thought of, and the characters had great personalities. I can see this book leading into a great series, but I would like to see more cohesive thoughts and plots. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Fantasy, Adventure, and Young Adults.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 18, 2018
I had the unique chance to review both 'The Chrystilleries of Echoland' as well as review it in it's original form, 'The Sound and the Echoes'. I've always loved how unique this story concept is, and even though I had read the original version a number of years ago (5 years ago, to be specific. I just checked!), it never once left my memory. You know, there are often books that you love while reading them, and expect that you'll always be able to recall them, but a few weeks after reading them, other books quickly push them from your memory. This was certainly not the case with The Sound and the Echoes. While I may not have thought about this book everyday, I never once forgot about it. There was just something in the combination of writing style and concept that made this book stick with me, so when the author messaged me and told me that she had released an updated version of the story, I was excited to read it and see how it was different from what I remembered.
Now, I don't recall the original story enough to tell you of the differences; I only remember bits and pieces, so not enough for a comparison. However, I thoroughly enjoyed 'The Crystilleries of Echoland' and it held up to my glowing memories of the original novel. As soon as I started reading it felt a bit like 'home', a wonderful throwback. The concept held up to my expectations. I love the idea of there being an alternate realm, where people have the same names but different personalities and lives. It's kind of like how in an alternate dimension you get to see how people change because of their circumstances, only with the Echo Realm they are completely different people, but share a special kind of connection.
So I loved that concept, and then I enjoyed learning about the details of the Echo Realm and the way that it functioned. Not only did Echoes live in the Echo Realm, but also some Sounds and Fate Sealers. Fate Sealers have a bit of a Dementor vibe, though their jobs are much different than the jobs of the characters in Harry Potter. At first I had a bit of trouble recalling who a few characters were and what their jobs were in the Echo Realm, but after I read about 20% I felt like I had everyone settled in my memory.
As for the plot, I felt that it moved more quickly than the plot of the original copy. The chapters were short, which cause the plot to feel faster paced. Short chapters also keep me reading; it's always 'I'll stop at the end of the next chapter!' but when you read the end, you decide that the chapter was so short that you may as well read another!
The writing was wonderful; it was very easy for me to picture the characters' surroundings and the appearance of the Echo Realm.
There was a definite touch of darkness in this book, but it's just enough to give it some flavor; certainly not enough darkness to scare anyone off! The content is perfectly clean, and while the book may be long, it is engaging and quick enough paced that younger MG readers can easily enjoy it. I am not near the age of a Middle Schooler, but I enjoyed the book more than perhaps even they would. This is definitely something that an adult could enjoy just as well as a child. Perhaps it could even be a book for parents and children to read together!
I loved the original version of this story, and the updated 'The Chrystilleries of Echoland' did not disappoint. I recommend this book not only for its unique and fascinating concept, but also for its lovely descriptions and fast-paced sequence of events.
Now, I don't recall the original story enough to tell you of the differences; I only remember bits and pieces, so not enough for a comparison. However, I thoroughly enjoyed 'The Crystilleries of Echoland' and it held up to my glowing memories of the original novel. As soon as I started reading it felt a bit like 'home', a wonderful throwback. The concept held up to my expectations. I love the idea of there being an alternate realm, where people have the same names but different personalities and lives. It's kind of like how in an alternate dimension you get to see how people change because of their circumstances, only with the Echo Realm they are completely different people, but share a special kind of connection.
So I loved that concept, and then I enjoyed learning about the details of the Echo Realm and the way that it functioned. Not only did Echoes live in the Echo Realm, but also some Sounds and Fate Sealers. Fate Sealers have a bit of a Dementor vibe, though their jobs are much different than the jobs of the characters in Harry Potter. At first I had a bit of trouble recalling who a few characters were and what their jobs were in the Echo Realm, but after I read about 20% I felt like I had everyone settled in my memory.
As for the plot, I felt that it moved more quickly than the plot of the original copy. The chapters were short, which cause the plot to feel faster paced. Short chapters also keep me reading; it's always 'I'll stop at the end of the next chapter!' but when you read the end, you decide that the chapter was so short that you may as well read another!
The writing was wonderful; it was very easy for me to picture the characters' surroundings and the appearance of the Echo Realm.
There was a definite touch of darkness in this book, but it's just enough to give it some flavor; certainly not enough darkness to scare anyone off! The content is perfectly clean, and while the book may be long, it is engaging and quick enough paced that younger MG readers can easily enjoy it. I am not near the age of a Middle Schooler, but I enjoyed the book more than perhaps even they would. This is definitely something that an adult could enjoy just as well as a child. Perhaps it could even be a book for parents and children to read together!
I loved the original version of this story, and the updated 'The Chrystilleries of Echoland' did not disappoint. I recommend this book not only for its unique and fascinating concept, but also for its lovely descriptions and fast-paced sequence of events.
March 22, 2018
Good, solid YA book
This novel was written with a YA audience in mind, and it delivers. The story is interesting, with good characters. The plot is unique in it's approach and there are enough surprises to keep it interesting. Overall, this is a good read and makes for a solid contribution to the fantasy genre!
This novel was written with a YA audience in mind, and it delivers. The story is interesting, with good characters. The plot is unique in it's approach and there are enough surprises to keep it interesting. Overall, this is a good read and makes for a solid contribution to the fantasy genre!
November 1, 2019
REQUESTED TO REMOVE MY AMAZON REVIEW BECAUSE I GAVE A 2 STAR REVIEW BY AUTHOR!!!
So normally this is not something I would do but I feel this is extremely wrong. I review books for onlinebookclub.org somewhat frequently. After I submitted my review to onlinebookclub they asked me to put a short review on amazon as well, so I did. However just like on here I gave the book a 2-star review.
The author, using her real name Tal Boldo, sent an email to Scott, the owner of onlinebookclub asking to reach out to me for me to take the review down because of it being a 2-star review. I naturally refused. To do so would not only be morally wrong but also against Amazon's rules. I feel as a book reviewer it is my job to provide an honest review of the books I read and I will not change them or remove them just because the author doesn't like it.
Here is a copy of the email that was forwarded to me by Scott from Tal Boldo regarding my review:
Subject: Help with 2-star Amazon Reviews
Date: Wed, 30 Oct 2019 21:52:21 +0000
From: Tal Boldo
To: Scott
Scott,
I believe that 2 club members have recently posted the first 2-star
reviews on Amazon. As the book was a gift, I think the author’s choice
not to share the review on Amazon ought to be respected. Although I do
not know the reviewers’ names on Online Book Club, it seems likely that
they originated from the club because I provide no free books elsewhere.
Scott, perhaps you have a way of discovering whether the writers are
club members. I would greatly appreciate your help and advice once again!
Amazon review by Melissa Espenschied
Amazon review by Amie M. Allen
Respectfully yours,
Tal Boldo
Here is my Amazon review of the book:
The Crystilleries of Echoland is a book series that seems to have gotten fairly popular very quickly. I had to read it to see what everyone was talking about. It appears to draw readers in with similarities to books like Harry Potter and is even geared towards the same age group.
Echoland is the home of Echos or our reflections and there is currently a law in place that if a Sound (someone from our world) dies then their Echo must die as well. Will is the Sound to the Prince of Echoland and must team up with him in an attempt to change this law of death. Of course, there are those who don't want them to succeed and have no problem traveling between our realm and Echoland, a land of ice, to stop Will and the Prince.
Normally I like fantasy and young adult books but there was something that felt off about this one. It could have been that the way Echoland was described made me picture a world that was nothing but an icy blue with no contrast to it. It also could have been the fact that the book ended up confusing at times and the writing was choppy.
Either way, I imagine a child, around middle school, aged, would still enjoy this book with very few complaints. Yet an adult might find it a bit dry.
My full review that I sent to onlinebookclub is here:
https://nightreaderreviews.blogspot.c...
(It is a longer review so I just linked to it)
The amazon rules state:
"Can I give free or discounted copies of my books to readers?
You may provide free or discounted copies of your books to readers. However, you may not demand a review in exchange or attempt to influence the review. Offering anything other than a free or discounted copy of the book—including gift cards—will invalidate a review, and we'll have to remove it. To learn more, see our Community Guidelines. "
If you wonder about the difference in the ratings its because onlinebookclub has their own 4-star system that I have to convert to a 5 star for Amazon and Goodreads. Any questions feel free to message me.
Normally I do not do things like this but I must speak out against what I feel like is the equivalent to "buying" a review.
https://nightreaderreviews.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/nightreaderr...
So normally this is not something I would do but I feel this is extremely wrong. I review books for onlinebookclub.org somewhat frequently. After I submitted my review to onlinebookclub they asked me to put a short review on amazon as well, so I did. However just like on here I gave the book a 2-star review.
The author, using her real name Tal Boldo, sent an email to Scott, the owner of onlinebookclub asking to reach out to me for me to take the review down because of it being a 2-star review. I naturally refused. To do so would not only be morally wrong but also against Amazon's rules. I feel as a book reviewer it is my job to provide an honest review of the books I read and I will not change them or remove them just because the author doesn't like it.
Here is a copy of the email that was forwarded to me by Scott from Tal Boldo regarding my review:
Subject: Help with 2-star Amazon Reviews
Date: Wed, 30 Oct 2019 21:52:21 +0000
From: Tal Boldo
To: Scott
Scott,
I believe that 2 club members have recently posted the first 2-star
reviews on Amazon. As the book was a gift, I think the author’s choice
not to share the review on Amazon ought to be respected. Although I do
not know the reviewers’ names on Online Book Club, it seems likely that
they originated from the club because I provide no free books elsewhere.
Scott, perhaps you have a way of discovering whether the writers are
club members. I would greatly appreciate your help and advice once again!
Amazon review by Melissa Espenschied
Amazon review by Amie M. Allen
Respectfully yours,
Tal Boldo
Here is my Amazon review of the book:
The Crystilleries of Echoland is a book series that seems to have gotten fairly popular very quickly. I had to read it to see what everyone was talking about. It appears to draw readers in with similarities to books like Harry Potter and is even geared towards the same age group.
Echoland is the home of Echos or our reflections and there is currently a law in place that if a Sound (someone from our world) dies then their Echo must die as well. Will is the Sound to the Prince of Echoland and must team up with him in an attempt to change this law of death. Of course, there are those who don't want them to succeed and have no problem traveling between our realm and Echoland, a land of ice, to stop Will and the Prince.
Normally I like fantasy and young adult books but there was something that felt off about this one. It could have been that the way Echoland was described made me picture a world that was nothing but an icy blue with no contrast to it. It also could have been the fact that the book ended up confusing at times and the writing was choppy.
Either way, I imagine a child, around middle school, aged, would still enjoy this book with very few complaints. Yet an adult might find it a bit dry.
My full review that I sent to onlinebookclub is here:
https://nightreaderreviews.blogspot.c...
(It is a longer review so I just linked to it)
The amazon rules state:
"Can I give free or discounted copies of my books to readers?
You may provide free or discounted copies of your books to readers. However, you may not demand a review in exchange or attempt to influence the review. Offering anything other than a free or discounted copy of the book—including gift cards—will invalidate a review, and we'll have to remove it. To learn more, see our Community Guidelines. "
If you wonder about the difference in the ratings its because onlinebookclub has their own 4-star system that I have to convert to a 5 star for Amazon and Goodreads. Any questions feel free to message me.
Normally I do not do things like this but I must speak out against what I feel like is the equivalent to "buying" a review.
https://nightreaderreviews.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/nightreaderr...
August 13, 2018
Very good fantasy book it's about a see through world where children are disappearing and only one child ever returns, Will Cleary who is looking
for his twin sister who is missing in Echoland, with his pets a wolf and a falcon who watch over him protecting him from harm. I enjoyed reading
this story of Will and his adventures. This book won The purple dragonfly book award for 2018. I won this e-book from goodreads giveaway in
return for a honest review.. I recommend this book to YA
for his twin sister who is missing in Echoland, with his pets a wolf and a falcon who watch over him protecting him from harm. I enjoyed reading
this story of Will and his adventures. This book won The purple dragonfly book award for 2018. I won this e-book from goodreads giveaway in
return for a honest review.. I recommend this book to YA
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 4, 2018
Great read
January 24, 2019
My review can be found at the following:
https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/vie...
https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/vie...
January 25, 2025
The Crystilleries of Echoland is a high fantasy young adult story that takes place both in this world and in a parallel world of sorts called Echoland. In this world, people are known as "Shades," and in Echoland, the inhabitants are known as, "Echos." The protagonist, Will (a Shade), finds himself suddenly immersed in this other realm, Echoland, in a quest to both find and save his sister and along the way finds out that he plays a key role in rescuing the realm. As he learns more about Echoland and the perils that it entails, he enlists the help of several new friends to accomplish his goals. In this epic story, the reader can look forward to lots of action, plot twists, magic, exciting escapes, and so much more. It's easy to feel immersed in this magical tale with how descriptive the author is.
While the writing occasionally felt stilted and the transitions weren't always the smoothest, I thought this was eloquently written and things were described in great detail. This author paints an amazing picture of Echoland and I was able to create an elaborate mental image of the realm based on the author's description. The vocabulary used throughout the book was expansive and added a level of depth to character's conversations that I appreciated.
One of the aspects that I really liked about this story was the use of one of the characters of the tale as the author. It ties things together and makes it feel more authentic. Gives it more of a feel of a first hand account and makes it that much more magical.
I also loved that the author makes a point of highlighting that all people should be accepted and are equal, regardless of skin color. I think that's a really important message to have in a story like this when there is such a divide between peoples in the realm.
If you're a fan of the Harry Potter books, then this story will definitely be up your alley. There are many parallels between that series and this book. In fact, there are many aspects from the story that a reader can draw a direct correlation to in a Harry Potter story. I counted eleven different events or similar characters during the story that were so similar to Harry Potter, it felt like it was taken right from those stories, and twisted some or changed just enough so that it wasn't a direct mimicry. While the inspiration for these aspects might have come from Harry Potter , they didn't feel nearly as grand or as well developed in this story.
While I do believe this is an appropriate book for the age group that it is written for, there are some aspects that a reader needs to be aware of before reading. The book contains some darker aspects, such as stillborn births, murder, and the torture of animals. While I believe the topics are written in a manner that makes them appropriate for the age group, it might not be something that all readers are comfortable with. Putting a list of content warnings at the beginning of the book might be helpful.
Another issue the intended audience (YA) might run into is that the storyline in general is very confusing. At no point during this story did I really feel like I had a concrete grasp of what was truly going on. How characters go about traveling between worlds was obscure and I don't know that it was ever explained to a degree that would made sense to me. It seemed at points like there might be more than just the two realms that I initially thought there were; and especially at the beginning of the story - it was not clear if they were in Echoland or in the realm Shades live in.
Throughout the story, but especially at the beginning; new information is dropped so frequently with little preamble that it makes it hard to keep up and at times reading this book felt more like a chore than anything else. If there had been more world building done at the start of the story I think I would have understood things much better and it would have been beneficial. It felt as if the author dropped the reader several chapters into the book and that as the reader, they should already be aware of key aspects regarding the storyline.
All of this is to say; if I, as an adult had difficulty grasping major concepts of this story, then it might be stretching things to expect that the intended audience could fully grasp everything going on during this book.
Ultimately, I rated this book a 1/5. The storyline is very confusing and as stated previously, at no one point did I truly feel like I had a concrete grasp of what was happening. Events jumped around so often with little to no explanation it felt as if I had missed something. I also thought there were too many similarities between this story and the Harry Potter series for it to be a coincidence and felt like a straight up rip-off. I do love the idea behind this story, and the author paints an excellent picture. Towards the end of the book, probably the last 25%, the plot really picks up and is action packed and held my interest much better than the first 75% of the story. I'm not sure that this is a story I would recommend to read, but I wouldn't say that I would tell people to actively avoid this book.
While the writing occasionally felt stilted and the transitions weren't always the smoothest, I thought this was eloquently written and things were described in great detail. This author paints an amazing picture of Echoland and I was able to create an elaborate mental image of the realm based on the author's description. The vocabulary used throughout the book was expansive and added a level of depth to character's conversations that I appreciated.
One of the aspects that I really liked about this story was the use of one of the characters of the tale as the author. It ties things together and makes it feel more authentic. Gives it more of a feel of a first hand account and makes it that much more magical.
I also loved that the author makes a point of highlighting that all people should be accepted and are equal, regardless of skin color. I think that's a really important message to have in a story like this when there is such a divide between peoples in the realm.
If you're a fan of the Harry Potter books, then this story will definitely be up your alley. There are many parallels between that series and this book. In fact, there are many aspects from the story that a reader can draw a direct correlation to in a Harry Potter story. I counted eleven different events or similar characters during the story that were so similar to Harry Potter, it felt like it was taken right from those stories, and twisted some or changed just enough so that it wasn't a direct mimicry. While the inspiration for these aspects might have come from Harry Potter , they didn't feel nearly as grand or as well developed in this story.
While I do believe this is an appropriate book for the age group that it is written for, there are some aspects that a reader needs to be aware of before reading. The book contains some darker aspects, such as stillborn births, murder, and the torture of animals. While I believe the topics are written in a manner that makes them appropriate for the age group, it might not be something that all readers are comfortable with. Putting a list of content warnings at the beginning of the book might be helpful.
Another issue the intended audience (YA) might run into is that the storyline in general is very confusing. At no point during this story did I really feel like I had a concrete grasp of what was truly going on. How characters go about traveling between worlds was obscure and I don't know that it was ever explained to a degree that would made sense to me. It seemed at points like there might be more than just the two realms that I initially thought there were; and especially at the beginning of the story - it was not clear if they were in Echoland or in the realm Shades live in.
Throughout the story, but especially at the beginning; new information is dropped so frequently with little preamble that it makes it hard to keep up and at times reading this book felt more like a chore than anything else. If there had been more world building done at the start of the story I think I would have understood things much better and it would have been beneficial. It felt as if the author dropped the reader several chapters into the book and that as the reader, they should already be aware of key aspects regarding the storyline.
All of this is to say; if I, as an adult had difficulty grasping major concepts of this story, then it might be stretching things to expect that the intended audience could fully grasp everything going on during this book.
Ultimately, I rated this book a 1/5. The storyline is very confusing and as stated previously, at no one point did I truly feel like I had a concrete grasp of what was happening. Events jumped around so often with little to no explanation it felt as if I had missed something. I also thought there were too many similarities between this story and the Harry Potter series for it to be a coincidence and felt like a straight up rip-off. I do love the idea behind this story, and the author paints an excellent picture. Towards the end of the book, probably the last 25%, the plot really picks up and is action packed and held my interest much better than the first 75% of the story. I'm not sure that this is a story I would recommend to read, but I wouldn't say that I would tell people to actively avoid this book.
Want to read
May 7, 2018I this book for free from the author/publisher in response for an honest review of the book. I have not had the opportunity to read this book at this time. I will add my
review of this book once I have read the book. Thank k you for allowing me the optometrist review your work. I look forward to reading this book.
review of this book once I have read the book. Thank k you for allowing me the optometrist review your work. I look forward to reading this book.
April 7, 2018
That the reader can feel the chill from every snow heap and the breeze from every arrow's near miss is a testament to the author's ability to set the scene and immerse her readers. The Crystilleries of Echoland is a complex fantasy tale intended for a "YA" audience, but is one that could be enjoyed across age and gender lines, as long as the reader has room for a little adventure in his or her heart.
The story is fast-paced, and begins when 12 year old Will and readers are simultaneously introduced to a whole new realm. He is a Sound who discovers he has an Echo - a reflection of himself that lives, as all Echoes do, in Echoland. But Will's Echo is special - a Prince on track to be King. There is chaos and conspiracy in the realm of Echoes, and Will bravely risks his life to cross over and help his Echo while staying undercover at an Orphanage.
Readers are spectators in this beautiful, frozen and at times frightening world, as Will and his friends take on the dangerous task of uncovering the mystery of who killed the Prince's father while at the same time seeking to overthrow the False King (the Prince's corrupt uncle) so that the Prince may take his rightful throne and fix the broken laws and political system.
Filled with adventure, friendship, bravery and mystery, The Crystilleries of Echoland is a page turner up until the final chapter.
The story is fast-paced, and begins when 12 year old Will and readers are simultaneously introduced to a whole new realm. He is a Sound who discovers he has an Echo - a reflection of himself that lives, as all Echoes do, in Echoland. But Will's Echo is special - a Prince on track to be King. There is chaos and conspiracy in the realm of Echoes, and Will bravely risks his life to cross over and help his Echo while staying undercover at an Orphanage.
Readers are spectators in this beautiful, frozen and at times frightening world, as Will and his friends take on the dangerous task of uncovering the mystery of who killed the Prince's father while at the same time seeking to overthrow the False King (the Prince's corrupt uncle) so that the Prince may take his rightful throne and fix the broken laws and political system.
Filled with adventure, friendship, bravery and mystery, The Crystilleries of Echoland is a page turner up until the final chapter.
Read
September 13, 2019Wonderful YA story
This is a delightful take and I enjoyed it immensely. It could be a little hard to follow at times but the rich charters, the storyline, the perspective is spot on. Thank you for a very good read.
This is a delightful take and I enjoyed it immensely. It could be a little hard to follow at times but the rich charters, the storyline, the perspective is spot on. Thank you for a very good read.
August 1, 2019
This is a bizarre and magical story about a twelve-year-old human boy named Will Cleary whose family has lived under the shadow of his twin sister's disappearance for the past ten years. On the day that his sister disappeared, Will was returned home on the back of a wolf with a falcon flying beside him. The wolf and falcon became his pets.
With the help of the magical wolf and falcon and information from the gravestone book, which contains information about all the children who have gone missing from the human world, Will travels to Echoland to attempt to find his sister. He learns that every person, or Sound, has a corresponding Echo. Will's Echo is the rightful prince of Echoland. The throne was usurped by his corrupt uncle, who murdered his father.
With the help of new friends Peter and Valerie, Will makes it his mission to help the Prince take back the throne. During the course of his journey, he encounters many new delights and terrors.
Because of the dark themes, this story is not appropriate for young children. It is an excellent story for anyone who enjoys the fantasy genre, particularly the world-building aspect. It (dare I say) echoes such classic young adult fantasy stories as The Chronicles of Narnia and Harry Potter, but in no way imitates them.
The reader who is looking for a determined hero who faces a great deal of peril and many adventures in a one-of-a-kind setting will surely appreciate this book.
With the help of the magical wolf and falcon and information from the gravestone book, which contains information about all the children who have gone missing from the human world, Will travels to Echoland to attempt to find his sister. He learns that every person, or Sound, has a corresponding Echo. Will's Echo is the rightful prince of Echoland. The throne was usurped by his corrupt uncle, who murdered his father.
With the help of new friends Peter and Valerie, Will makes it his mission to help the Prince take back the throne. During the course of his journey, he encounters many new delights and terrors.
Because of the dark themes, this story is not appropriate for young children. It is an excellent story for anyone who enjoys the fantasy genre, particularly the world-building aspect. It (dare I say) echoes such classic young adult fantasy stories as The Chronicles of Narnia and Harry Potter, but in no way imitates them.
The reader who is looking for a determined hero who faces a great deal of peril and many adventures in a one-of-a-kind setting will surely appreciate this book.
April 16, 2018
Much better written than the first copy of The Sound and the Echoes. Exact same storyline but more condensed and more action-filled.
I'm not sure if this is really a children's book, but I suppose it's easy enough for elementary level kids to read. I don't think I would consider this to be a YA book either but I feel that whatever age you are, you might enjoy some magic and fun in reading this.
As you read along, you can definitely find that race (color) plays a big role in this book.
Thank you for the free copy!
I'm not sure if this is really a children's book, but I suppose it's easy enough for elementary level kids to read. I don't think I would consider this to be a YA book either but I feel that whatever age you are, you might enjoy some magic and fun in reading this.
As you read along, you can definitely find that race (color) plays a big role in this book.
Thank you for the free copy!
July 2, 2018
I think this is a great book. I plan on listening to it again with my kiddos. I think they will both love it. I am truly looking forward to more books by this author. I loved the fact that they used hebrew in the book instead of making up a language as many other tend too... I also personally love the language... Can't Wait For More!
January 22, 2020
I don’t know if I actually read the same book as everyone else because I felt like the prose was almost unbearably clunky. It had awkward scene transitions and bland characters. I really tried to give it a chance, but it just wasn’t for me.
July 12, 2018
4.5 STARS. Print and Audio Book Review: The Crystilleries of Echoland, is a magical, mystical journey into the parallel Echo realm where twelve-year-old Will Cleary finds his identity is not what he believed it to be and even things in his world are not what they seem. The premise is wonderful – haven’t all of us wondered at times about the existence of parallel worlds? Throw into the mix that it’s an often Harry Potter-like world with fantastic feats and beasts, full of mystery and danger, and you’ve got a winning combination that readers will devour.
The Echo realm is pure magic -- a mystical, shimmering world of illusions and often deadly realities. There are plenty of colorful characters, including the terrifying but intriguing Fate Sealers (think Dementors from HP, but even more gruesome). Lessons of friendship and loyalty, accepting differences, and putting others before one’s self make The Crystilleries of Echoland an impactful reading choice.
Author Dew Pellucid's imagination is wondrous and the author's ability to put ideas to paper is phenomenal. The author truly immerses the reader into the setting where descriptions are vibrant, emotions are strong, and danger feels real. Andy Simmons's haunting CGI illustrations draw readers into the Echo realm, its characters, and its landscapes, and are a good forced pause between chapters that are sometimes relentlessly fast-paced. The writing and artwork allow for readers to truly escape into an otherworldly experience every time they turn the page.
ABOUT THE AUDIO BOOK: The narration of The Crystilleries of Echoland is outstanding. Narrator B.J. Harrison is flawless in his portrayal of the many voices and personalities within the story. His pacing and emotion perfectly match the intended tone and mood of the plot, and listeners will be delighted with his accent. I would listen to him narrate directions for assembling a box and be engrossed.
Be warned -- there is a fair amount of death and killing, often remorseless, and some moderately intense, even grisly scenes of violence. The audience feels tween/middle-grade, but with those elements in mind, it’s best suited for more mature young readers and older. From a technical perspective, the Grammar Policewoman issues a citation because the book needs another pass by the proofreader to correct typos, punctuation and capitalization errors, and the overuse of the word “lucent.”
Twists and turns abound, and readers will find themselves utterly immersed in this story right up to the satisfying ending, which leaves open the possibility of more Echoland adventures. (Fingers crossed.) Prepare to be thinking about the fantastic Echo world, where there is adventure, danger, and beauty beyond imagination, long after finishing The Crystilleries of Echoland.
Thank you to the author for sending me a beautiful, color illustrated copy of this book plus an audio download in exchange for my honest opinions of each – the only kind I give. This full review and other special features on Hall Ways Blog
The Echo realm is pure magic -- a mystical, shimmering world of illusions and often deadly realities. There are plenty of colorful characters, including the terrifying but intriguing Fate Sealers (think Dementors from HP, but even more gruesome). Lessons of friendship and loyalty, accepting differences, and putting others before one’s self make The Crystilleries of Echoland an impactful reading choice.
Author Dew Pellucid's imagination is wondrous and the author's ability to put ideas to paper is phenomenal. The author truly immerses the reader into the setting where descriptions are vibrant, emotions are strong, and danger feels real. Andy Simmons's haunting CGI illustrations draw readers into the Echo realm, its characters, and its landscapes, and are a good forced pause between chapters that are sometimes relentlessly fast-paced. The writing and artwork allow for readers to truly escape into an otherworldly experience every time they turn the page.
ABOUT THE AUDIO BOOK: The narration of The Crystilleries of Echoland is outstanding. Narrator B.J. Harrison is flawless in his portrayal of the many voices and personalities within the story. His pacing and emotion perfectly match the intended tone and mood of the plot, and listeners will be delighted with his accent. I would listen to him narrate directions for assembling a box and be engrossed.
Be warned -- there is a fair amount of death and killing, often remorseless, and some moderately intense, even grisly scenes of violence. The audience feels tween/middle-grade, but with those elements in mind, it’s best suited for more mature young readers and older. From a technical perspective, the Grammar Policewoman issues a citation because the book needs another pass by the proofreader to correct typos, punctuation and capitalization errors, and the overuse of the word “lucent.”
Twists and turns abound, and readers will find themselves utterly immersed in this story right up to the satisfying ending, which leaves open the possibility of more Echoland adventures. (Fingers crossed.) Prepare to be thinking about the fantastic Echo world, where there is adventure, danger, and beauty beyond imagination, long after finishing The Crystilleries of Echoland.
Thank you to the author for sending me a beautiful, color illustrated copy of this book plus an audio download in exchange for my honest opinions of each – the only kind I give. This full review and other special features on Hall Ways Blog
April 10, 2018
The Crystilleries of Echoland by Dew Pellucid begins as thousands of children disappear with only one child ever having returned. Will Cleary returned with a falcon and a wolf to watch over him, but his twin sister remained behind in Echoland, another world filled with reflections of us called Echoes. All Will's parents have done since he came back is to plot ways to find his sister, often barely acknowledging his existence. When his faithful protectors reveal a shocking truth, Will is pulled back into the world he doesn't remember on a journey to find his sister. Along the way, he turns to new allies for help as he's swept into the discovery of the missing children, into solving a murder, and into helping the rightful heir onto the throne.
Dew Pellucid blends together an exciting fantasy adventure with a murder mystery in a journey of growing up. Echoland is a unique and ghost-like mirror world with transparent trees and people. Everything is described in ghostly detail, but often reflects our own world with a mix of absurd and ominous twists. Every little detail of this world matters in the larger picture of the story. It's a wondrous and yet dangerous place that pulls you along for the journey. The stakes are high with Will's life constantly at risk, but his journey through this world teaches him bravery and true friendship. Will's friendships are the strongest connections he has as both of his parents seem to shrug him off whenever he's around, too occupied with trying to find his sister to really see him. Dea and Damian are more than just his pets, they're his protectors, the ones watching over him since he returned home, and the ones that lead him back to Echoland. His life at the beginning is only briefly touched upon, but it's clear he's alone except for his pets so, when he makes friends in Echoland, it further illustrates how important that bond is for him.
His new friends liven the story up while also giving a sense of heart to the tale and providing him with people he wants to protect. Peter is his first real friend in this world. He's a magician who starts off a bit suspicious, but quickly turns into Will's strongest supporter. He has a mischievous side to him, but he's also loyal and compassionate. Animals play a large role throughout the story as Will's pets are the catalyst for his return to Echoland, but it's the Echo Wolf he bonds with later that fills a certain void. Peter has a strong attachment to his dog Poudini, who has an emotional place in the story. Fun nods to common things in our world maintain a lot of the humor throughout as Echoland has Crystalmas instead of Christmas and Poudini is a fun play on the famous magician. The illustrations are stunning and capture important moments throughout with an array of blue hues that capture the lucent essence of the world. The Crystilleries of Echoland is a hero's journey in a story of strength and courage with a dazzling array of illustrations.
Dew Pellucid blends together an exciting fantasy adventure with a murder mystery in a journey of growing up. Echoland is a unique and ghost-like mirror world with transparent trees and people. Everything is described in ghostly detail, but often reflects our own world with a mix of absurd and ominous twists. Every little detail of this world matters in the larger picture of the story. It's a wondrous and yet dangerous place that pulls you along for the journey. The stakes are high with Will's life constantly at risk, but his journey through this world teaches him bravery and true friendship. Will's friendships are the strongest connections he has as both of his parents seem to shrug him off whenever he's around, too occupied with trying to find his sister to really see him. Dea and Damian are more than just his pets, they're his protectors, the ones watching over him since he returned home, and the ones that lead him back to Echoland. His life at the beginning is only briefly touched upon, but it's clear he's alone except for his pets so, when he makes friends in Echoland, it further illustrates how important that bond is for him.
His new friends liven the story up while also giving a sense of heart to the tale and providing him with people he wants to protect. Peter is his first real friend in this world. He's a magician who starts off a bit suspicious, but quickly turns into Will's strongest supporter. He has a mischievous side to him, but he's also loyal and compassionate. Animals play a large role throughout the story as Will's pets are the catalyst for his return to Echoland, but it's the Echo Wolf he bonds with later that fills a certain void. Peter has a strong attachment to his dog Poudini, who has an emotional place in the story. Fun nods to common things in our world maintain a lot of the humor throughout as Echoland has Crystalmas instead of Christmas and Poudini is a fun play on the famous magician. The illustrations are stunning and capture important moments throughout with an array of blue hues that capture the lucent essence of the world. The Crystilleries of Echoland is a hero's journey in a story of strength and courage with a dazzling array of illustrations.
January 29, 2023
I received a free copy of the book through Onlinebookclub.org in return for an honest review.
The premise of the story (mirror worlds with doppelgängers, overthrowing of kings and assassination plots, salvation riding on a young protagonist) is a good one; however, the quality of writing itself causes this book to fall short in many ways. First, there were numerous holes where the author did not explain something effectively prior to incorporating it into the story. This left me consistently going back a page or two to see if there was something mentioned that I somehow missed, and finding out that context was simply left out. Many characters and elements are introduced in such a way that it leaves the reader wondering about their definition and origin. Due to the fact that this is a fantasy novel, and subsequently, encompassed in a mostly fictional world, there really needed to be more explanation and context. Also, there were areas in the book where the author could have made it run more smoothly by using more dialogue, rather than one character running a long monologue. For example, one character would say something that might be received as shocking or profound, and rather than following that with a description of the other character’s reaction and/or allowing that character to speak, the first character would simply press on, sometimes noting the other character’s reaction or question…sometimes not. Also, the character of Will remains, throughout the book, very flat. It is difficult to empathize, or even relate, to a character who does not follow standard logic or show emotional turmoil through the author’s writing.
Then there are the telltale signs that there was no proofreading or editing of this book. For instance, the wording choices often confuse the reader and take away from any credibility that has been created. In one passage, Will says something, followed by, “Will shook his head sarcastically.” How does one shake his head in a sarcastic manner? In another excerpt, Will says something, followed by, “Will gasped miserably.” Again, a gasp and the emotion of being miserable do not go together, and it’s impossible to picture how one would gasp miserably.
All in all, I feel like this had a lot of potential; it just feels as though it wasn’t “fleshed out” enough for people to understand. As it is meant for young adults, I would recommend it for upper-elementary to middle-schoolers, if the reader can easily overlook plot holes and accept elements that are introduced and utilized without context.
The premise of the story (mirror worlds with doppelgängers, overthrowing of kings and assassination plots, salvation riding on a young protagonist) is a good one; however, the quality of writing itself causes this book to fall short in many ways. First, there were numerous holes where the author did not explain something effectively prior to incorporating it into the story. This left me consistently going back a page or two to see if there was something mentioned that I somehow missed, and finding out that context was simply left out. Many characters and elements are introduced in such a way that it leaves the reader wondering about their definition and origin. Due to the fact that this is a fantasy novel, and subsequently, encompassed in a mostly fictional world, there really needed to be more explanation and context. Also, there were areas in the book where the author could have made it run more smoothly by using more dialogue, rather than one character running a long monologue. For example, one character would say something that might be received as shocking or profound, and rather than following that with a description of the other character’s reaction and/or allowing that character to speak, the first character would simply press on, sometimes noting the other character’s reaction or question…sometimes not. Also, the character of Will remains, throughout the book, very flat. It is difficult to empathize, or even relate, to a character who does not follow standard logic or show emotional turmoil through the author’s writing.
Then there are the telltale signs that there was no proofreading or editing of this book. For instance, the wording choices often confuse the reader and take away from any credibility that has been created. In one passage, Will says something, followed by, “Will shook his head sarcastically.” How does one shake his head in a sarcastic manner? In another excerpt, Will says something, followed by, “Will gasped miserably.” Again, a gasp and the emotion of being miserable do not go together, and it’s impossible to picture how one would gasp miserably.
All in all, I feel like this had a lot of potential; it just feels as though it wasn’t “fleshed out” enough for people to understand. As it is meant for young adults, I would recommend it for upper-elementary to middle-schoolers, if the reader can easily overlook plot holes and accept elements that are introduced and utilized without context.
January 19, 2022
The Crystilleries of Echoland is the story of a young boy who's loss of his sister many years ago broke his family apart. His parents both have spent their lives trying to figure out her mysterious disappearance. Will is about to turn 13 he is attacked and learns of a magical world of Echos, who the leaders of which want him dead. For if he dies, his Echo can be legally killed...and his Echo is Important. Will gets brought to the world, where he learns more about the ways Echos see Sounds like him. He works towards finding away to help his Echo and others in that world.
Dew Pellucid has created a compelling and interesting world where the Echos live. A world of see through people, a world that doesn't ignore the every day technology that exists while still being magical and different. It strikes a good balance of not making one ignore our normal surroundings in-order for this magical world to function.
This book doesn't really feel original. The world is different and interesting but it feels like Harry Potter has been broken down into goal points that the book is hitting in order to recreate it's success. The characters do not have the depth or detales that the world does. One of the main characters is very suspicious of a side character but I don't understand why they have these feelings, they are not show to us well from her actions. The bullies are not the kind of people you love to hate, you don't feel the kind of joy and satisfaction that you want when a "good" bully is defeated.
I give this book 2 out of 4. The book is fine. It is very likely that my disconnect from the demographic is why I don't like it and why it feels so bland and and unoriginal. It was fun enough, and it definitely has a world I would have enjoyed playing make believe in when I was 13. I found the goals of the characters were uncompelling, and forced. There wasn't a proper, scarry big bad, and even the smaller baddies didn't have real drive. I don't understand why the bullies even were at this school, let alone why they wanted to pick on the main character. I listened to the audiobook and didn't find any errors. The audiobook reader was great.
It would be good for a 13 year old who devours books, and a good library read but not something you need to own. It's not something you would care to re read.
Dew Pellucid has created a compelling and interesting world where the Echos live. A world of see through people, a world that doesn't ignore the every day technology that exists while still being magical and different. It strikes a good balance of not making one ignore our normal surroundings in-order for this magical world to function.
This book doesn't really feel original. The world is different and interesting but it feels like Harry Potter has been broken down into goal points that the book is hitting in order to recreate it's success. The characters do not have the depth or detales that the world does. One of the main characters is very suspicious of a side character but I don't understand why they have these feelings, they are not show to us well from her actions. The bullies are not the kind of people you love to hate, you don't feel the kind of joy and satisfaction that you want when a "good" bully is defeated.
I give this book 2 out of 4. The book is fine. It is very likely that my disconnect from the demographic is why I don't like it and why it feels so bland and and unoriginal. It was fun enough, and it definitely has a world I would have enjoyed playing make believe in when I was 13. I found the goals of the characters were uncompelling, and forced. There wasn't a proper, scarry big bad, and even the smaller baddies didn't have real drive. I don't understand why the bullies even were at this school, let alone why they wanted to pick on the main character. I listened to the audiobook and didn't find any errors. The audiobook reader was great.
It would be good for a 13 year old who devours books, and a good library read but not something you need to own. It's not something you would care to re read.
March 1, 2019
I received a copy of The Crystilleries of Echoland through OnlineBookClub in exchange for a fair and honest review.
The Crystilleries of Echoland is a novel by Dew Pellucid. One of the many things that makes this novel stand out amongst the rest is the fact that it’s full of illustrated and beautiful images. All of the artwork credit goes to Tal Boldo.
Every year hundreds of children go missing. A heartbreaking number of them never come home. Will Cleary is one of the few exceptions. His sister wasn’t so fortunate. Their disappearance was devastating to their parents, but it was also otherworldly in nature. Now Will seeks to right the wrongs of the past, and save his sister.
The Crystilleries of Echoland is a novel by Dew Pellucid. One of the many things that makes this novel stand out amongst the rest is the fact that it’s full of illustrated and beautiful images. All of the artwork credit goes to Tal Boldo.
Every year hundreds of children go missing. A heartbreaking number of them never come home. Will Cleary is one of the few exceptions. His sister wasn’t so fortunate. Their disappearance was devastating to their parents, but it was also otherworldly in nature. Now Will seeks to right the wrongs of the past, and save his sister.
April 11, 2018
Reviewed by Stephen Fisher for Readers' Favorite
The Crystilleries of Echoland by Dew Pellucid is an engaging story that begins with the Clearys. Ten years ago Will and his twin sister disappeared. Will was found, but Emmy is still missing. Every day their parents keep using the same insane means to obsessively search for their lost daughter with no luck. Will was found with his two pets; Dea, a wolf and Damian, a falcon. Wanting to help find his sister, Will is awakened by his pets talking to him. He is enlightened by his pets telling him about Sounds and Echoes. How Will is a Sound and his reflection is an Echo. In reality, Sounds have substance and Echoes are their translucent reflections. As the story moves along, everything takes a drastic turn when Will finds out that his chemistry teacher is also a part of that world. When Will walks past him as he enters the classroom, he tells Mr. Drinkwater that a Fate Sealer had tried to kill him. Everything after that event flips this fantastic story and kicks it into overdrive.
Dew Pellucid does a superb job of describing in intricate detail the wondrous world of the crystal clear Echoes. The author creates an entire world with a mirrored society that coexists with ours. The characters that she has created in both worlds are believably real. The crystalline Echoes are mostly described in the boarding school that Will and his new-found friends attend. As the author moves the story along, there are many surprises, twists, turns, and even power struggles; just as in most scholastic societies. They have strict rules with dire consequences when rules aren't followed. Dew Pellucid is able to describe events in such detail, using a slew of adjectives that show the author as being able to spin a yarn and she excels at it. I was intrigued by how fast these pages turned for me as I was immediately drawn into the story, and was willingly held captive for its duration. The Crystilleries of Echoland is an entertaining read for all ages.
The Crystilleries of Echoland by Dew Pellucid is an engaging story that begins with the Clearys. Ten years ago Will and his twin sister disappeared. Will was found, but Emmy is still missing. Every day their parents keep using the same insane means to obsessively search for their lost daughter with no luck. Will was found with his two pets; Dea, a wolf and Damian, a falcon. Wanting to help find his sister, Will is awakened by his pets talking to him. He is enlightened by his pets telling him about Sounds and Echoes. How Will is a Sound and his reflection is an Echo. In reality, Sounds have substance and Echoes are their translucent reflections. As the story moves along, everything takes a drastic turn when Will finds out that his chemistry teacher is also a part of that world. When Will walks past him as he enters the classroom, he tells Mr. Drinkwater that a Fate Sealer had tried to kill him. Everything after that event flips this fantastic story and kicks it into overdrive.
Dew Pellucid does a superb job of describing in intricate detail the wondrous world of the crystal clear Echoes. The author creates an entire world with a mirrored society that coexists with ours. The characters that she has created in both worlds are believably real. The crystalline Echoes are mostly described in the boarding school that Will and his new-found friends attend. As the author moves the story along, there are many surprises, twists, turns, and even power struggles; just as in most scholastic societies. They have strict rules with dire consequences when rules aren't followed. Dew Pellucid is able to describe events in such detail, using a slew of adjectives that show the author as being able to spin a yarn and she excels at it. I was intrigued by how fast these pages turned for me as I was immediately drawn into the story, and was willingly held captive for its duration. The Crystilleries of Echoland is an entertaining read for all ages.
February 27, 2021
Follow the adventure of William Cleary in this fantastic tale of magic and family love. At a young age, there is a tragedy in Williams's life, but can it be fixed? A family in one world is in turmoil while the fate of its parallel world, Echoland, hangs in the balance. Both must come together to save all, and William is the key to it all. This book will make you jump for joy, cry, and every emotion in between. [b]Dew Pellucid[/b] paints an incredible picture with her words and allows the reader's imagination to envision a fantastic world and make it come alive indeed.
This book captured my attention from the first chapter. Narrated by B.J. Harrison, the audible book moves at a good pace. The chapters are short enough to allow for breaks when driving, or other activities, without cutting off in the middle. It keeps you wanting more with each chapter. I can see why it is an award-winning book. The charactersare three dimensional and attention to detail, even in the scenery makes the story come alive.
My only negative comment is that it was easy to get lost with some of the character names since it was an audible book, and I could not distinguish between some of them during the reading. I find this to be a common issue with audio books, and the fact it was enjoyable enough to listen to a couple of times made up for this.
I give [i]The Chrystilleries of Echoland[/i] a rating of [b]4 out of 4 stars[/b]. I listened to it twice before writing this review and highly recommend it to others. If you are looking for an audible book to add to your list, this is a must listen to.
Due to some gore, I would recommend this to high school students and above or, for younger readers, parents to listen first and determine if it is suitable for their child. I believe it to be an excellent book for young adults and older to enjoy as well.Those with arachnophobia may want to skip a portion of the book. Depression is also included for those with sensitivities to that.
This book captured my attention from the first chapter. Narrated by B.J. Harrison, the audible book moves at a good pace. The chapters are short enough to allow for breaks when driving, or other activities, without cutting off in the middle. It keeps you wanting more with each chapter. I can see why it is an award-winning book. The charactersare three dimensional and attention to detail, even in the scenery makes the story come alive.
My only negative comment is that it was easy to get lost with some of the character names since it was an audible book, and I could not distinguish between some of them during the reading. I find this to be a common issue with audio books, and the fact it was enjoyable enough to listen to a couple of times made up for this.
I give [i]The Chrystilleries of Echoland[/i] a rating of [b]4 out of 4 stars[/b]. I listened to it twice before writing this review and highly recommend it to others. If you are looking for an audible book to add to your list, this is a must listen to.
Due to some gore, I would recommend this to high school students and above or, for younger readers, parents to listen first and determine if it is suitable for their child. I believe it to be an excellent book for young adults and older to enjoy as well.Those with arachnophobia may want to skip a portion of the book. Depression is also included for those with sensitivities to that.
April 11, 2018
Reviewed by Melinda Hills for Readers' Favorite
Will Cleary is the only child to survive being taken to Shadowpain by evil Echoes, mirror beings to the Sounds, the real humans in our world, in The Crystilleries of Echoland by Dew Pellucid. Unfortunately, Will’s twin sister has been missing for almost 10 years and his parents are still searching, not understanding the truth of the dual worlds. Will discovers the truth, though, and must escape to Echoland to fulfill a mission to save the real Prince who is his own Echo. The evil that killed the former King is trying to establish complete control. That means danger for Will and his new friends in the Orphanage of Castaway Children, Sounds and Echoes alike, as his agents, the Fate Sealers, carefully watch everyone. With animals to help them and ancient maps to guide them, Will and the group experience tremendous adventures and escape danger to try to protect the true Prince, who will be crowned King on his thirteenth birthday if the fake King can be stopped. Will the children be able to solve a 200-year-old mystery and reestablish peace between the topside world and Echoland?
Amazing and imaginative descriptions of a mirror underground world make The Crystilleries of Echoland by Dew Pellucid a fantastic tale full of adventure and bravery. A tremendous, unique concept! Beautiful illustrations depict the magic of the environment and help the story along. The pace of the story is quite fast, though, so it may be tricky for younger readers to follow, but the action is exciting and the cooperation of the children is a valuable lesson. The Crystilleries of Echoland is a great first volume in what promises to be more adventures involving Sounds and Echoes in an enchanted land.
Will Cleary is the only child to survive being taken to Shadowpain by evil Echoes, mirror beings to the Sounds, the real humans in our world, in The Crystilleries of Echoland by Dew Pellucid. Unfortunately, Will’s twin sister has been missing for almost 10 years and his parents are still searching, not understanding the truth of the dual worlds. Will discovers the truth, though, and must escape to Echoland to fulfill a mission to save the real Prince who is his own Echo. The evil that killed the former King is trying to establish complete control. That means danger for Will and his new friends in the Orphanage of Castaway Children, Sounds and Echoes alike, as his agents, the Fate Sealers, carefully watch everyone. With animals to help them and ancient maps to guide them, Will and the group experience tremendous adventures and escape danger to try to protect the true Prince, who will be crowned King on his thirteenth birthday if the fake King can be stopped. Will the children be able to solve a 200-year-old mystery and reestablish peace between the topside world and Echoland?
Amazing and imaginative descriptions of a mirror underground world make The Crystilleries of Echoland by Dew Pellucid a fantastic tale full of adventure and bravery. A tremendous, unique concept! Beautiful illustrations depict the magic of the environment and help the story along. The pace of the story is quite fast, though, so it may be tricky for younger readers to follow, but the action is exciting and the cooperation of the children is a valuable lesson. The Crystilleries of Echoland is a great first volume in what promises to be more adventures involving Sounds and Echoes in an enchanted land.
April 12, 2018
The Crystilleries of Echoland by Dew Pellucid is a beautifully illustrated and well-written fantasy that will warm the hearts of young readers — and old dreamers. My eight-year-old son found delight in reading this with me. It’s a story set in a parallel world, known as Echoland, a world that reflects the reality of our own, only referred to as the Sound world by those who live in Echoland. Echoland is threatened by evil and young Will Cleary is thrust into a magical world, the “see-through” land, where he encounters many castaway children in a fortress. Here he must solve a two-hundred-year-old riddle. The destinies of Echoland and the Sound world depend on his success. But this is a very dangerous adventure, and even with the help of the most gifted boy in Echoland and other daring kids from the fortress, can Will Cleary beat the monsters and bad men that lay traps for him?
The first thing that struck me was the fluidity of the language. The prose has a magic of its own, a charm that compels the reader to keep on reading, and the reader notices this from the very first words of the narrative. Dew Pellucid’s world building is impeccable and the precision in diction is unique. The setting of this book has something eerie about it, but it excites the reader’s imagination all the same. The colorful illustrations complement the writing. The vivid descriptions combine with natural-sounding dialogues to create an exciting reading experience. The Crystilleries of Echoland offers a wonderful escape to readers who want to get away from the doldrums of an empty day. The narrative voice is strong and compelling and the characters are filled with life and emotions that readers — both young and old — can relate to.
The first thing that struck me was the fluidity of the language. The prose has a magic of its own, a charm that compels the reader to keep on reading, and the reader notices this from the very first words of the narrative. Dew Pellucid’s world building is impeccable and the precision in diction is unique. The setting of this book has something eerie about it, but it excites the reader’s imagination all the same. The colorful illustrations complement the writing. The vivid descriptions combine with natural-sounding dialogues to create an exciting reading experience. The Crystilleries of Echoland offers a wonderful escape to readers who want to get away from the doldrums of an empty day. The narrative voice is strong and compelling and the characters are filled with life and emotions that readers — both young and old — can relate to.
August 16, 2024
In a world where thousands of children disappear, and no one know or understand why, one boy, Will Cleary, returns. This book follows his story into finding out about where the children, including his twin sister, Emmy, have gone and if they can be retrieved back or have they been lost forever and why. What he discovers is shocking beyond belief and opens his eyes to a whole world beneath his feet that he never knew existed. Join his adventure to learn about Sounds and Echoes along with their deeply connected and intertwined lives while solving the mystery of the disappearing children along with how integral Will's part in all of this actually is!
I completely devoured this and was hooked through the whole story! To follow the story of Will and how his life went from simple to complex within pages at the beginning, I knew this story was ready to take off and not stop. The only thing stopping this story from getting all five stars is the fact that the rapid progression of the story didn't always allow for the explanations and descriptions that would have allowed for it to fully flourish and delve into the characters and plot the way that would have done it more justice. It kept the plot moving and the story flowing but at times I still wanted areas to go more in depth.
All-in-all, if you are looking for a quick grab-you-in story with an intriguing idea to how parallel worlds can be connected and collide, this is for you. While it may come off as a potential child/young adult type of book, I would angle more towards new adult and adult themed due to the overall plot and underlying themes that are contained throughout the story. Go on ahead and grab for yourself to dive into the Echoland for an adventure unlike other fantasy realms!
I completely devoured this and was hooked through the whole story! To follow the story of Will and how his life went from simple to complex within pages at the beginning, I knew this story was ready to take off and not stop. The only thing stopping this story from getting all five stars is the fact that the rapid progression of the story didn't always allow for the explanations and descriptions that would have allowed for it to fully flourish and delve into the characters and plot the way that would have done it more justice. It kept the plot moving and the story flowing but at times I still wanted areas to go more in depth.
All-in-all, if you are looking for a quick grab-you-in story with an intriguing idea to how parallel worlds can be connected and collide, this is for you. While it may come off as a potential child/young adult type of book, I would angle more towards new adult and adult themed due to the overall plot and underlying themes that are contained throughout the story. Go on ahead and grab for yourself to dive into the Echoland for an adventure unlike other fantasy realms!
February 3, 2022
This an exciting novel that follows Will a 13-year-old boy on a discovery of a new realm called Echoland. Echoland is filled with see-through reflections called Echos and our versions like Will are called Sounds. Echos believe greatly in fate and follow the decrees of fate-sealers and future tellers even when it results in their deaths. Will and his sister went missing as toddlers, but only Will returned. He determines to search for his sister in Echoland. Once there he discovers his Echo is the Prince of Echoland. The Prince needs Wills help to determine how his father the king died and to.save his kingdom from his uncle who seeks to steal the throne. The boys set off an adventure making friends along the way willing to help. They set out to solve an old mystery that may be the key to it all. Will they survive to discover the truth that may change Echoland forever.
This books is well written with intricate unique characters. Echoland is described in great detail and I often felt I could see it in the distance of my mind. The book is filled with adventure and mystery and reminds me of Harry Potter and the children are left to solve the mysteries and save the day!
My only complaint is that the tale.is so detailed with so many characters I often found myself having trouble keeping track. This is the type of book that can be read again and again noticing something new everytime.. I highly recommend this book to young adults that enjoy magic and mystery you won't be let down!
This books is well written with intricate unique characters. Echoland is described in great detail and I often felt I could see it in the distance of my mind. The book is filled with adventure and mystery and reminds me of Harry Potter and the children are left to solve the mysteries and save the day!
My only complaint is that the tale.is so detailed with so many characters I often found myself having trouble keeping track. This is the type of book that can be read again and again noticing something new everytime.. I highly recommend this book to young adults that enjoy magic and mystery you won't be let down!
August 28, 2018
A Unique Tale For Those Who Love Mystery And Fantasy
"The Crystilleries of Echoland" is a coming-of-age novel with quite a unique premise. The author is imaginative, and does well to bring to life this book's many characters. The reader can easily feel the emotions each character feels, and can picture the beautiful, yet dangerous, world of Echoland.
Take a journey through this book into a parallel world where our echoes live. A world full of secrets. Solve the mysteries alongside the characters within the story. Share in their fears, as well as in their triumphs.
This is a fast-paced fantasy novel suitable for preteens and older. Read with caution, as there are many bloody scenes. Fans of novels similar to those within the "Harry Potter" series should find enjoyment in reading this one.
"The Crystilleries of Echoland" is a coming-of-age novel with quite a unique premise. The author is imaginative, and does well to bring to life this book's many characters. The reader can easily feel the emotions each character feels, and can picture the beautiful, yet dangerous, world of Echoland.
Take a journey through this book into a parallel world where our echoes live. A world full of secrets. Solve the mysteries alongside the characters within the story. Share in their fears, as well as in their triumphs.
This is a fast-paced fantasy novel suitable for preteens and older. Read with caution, as there are many bloody scenes. Fans of novels similar to those within the "Harry Potter" series should find enjoyment in reading this one.
October 11, 2019
I had a hard time getting into the story. There were many characters that I ofter confused with Ecoland’s exclamatory words and idioms. The scenes changed too rapidly, especially in the beginning as I tried to envision Ecoland. Perhaps an index of characters and terms would have helped.
Once the story got rolling and the adventure developed, the story improved for me. Even so, I was often confused as to what was happening.
I did think that the story was very clever and the magic was inventive. I particularly liked the drawings at the beginning of the chapters and added a fourth star to the rating as a result.
With a better story arch and character development, this could have been a great story. I wonder how I could be so wrong about a book that won seven awards.
Once the story got rolling and the adventure developed, the story improved for me. Even so, I was often confused as to what was happening.
I did think that the story was very clever and the magic was inventive. I particularly liked the drawings at the beginning of the chapters and added a fourth star to the rating as a result.
With a better story arch and character development, this could have been a great story. I wonder how I could be so wrong about a book that won seven awards.
April 3, 2018
Just to say, this review will be short and sweet, no words can explain the emotions I felt while reading this book. It takes me back to wanting to be young again and experience all the things in this book. I am usually an audiobook listener but I made an exception for this book, it was so worth the read. It is aimed for a ya audience but made me feel young at heart while reading it. I read it with my boy/girl twins and they were in love with it as much as I was. I truly believe in this author And that she has many more amazing books to come. Nothing beats magic, friendship and experiences with friends. So to say it simple, I LOVED THIS BOOK.
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