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Starfell #3
Starfell #3: Willow Moss & the Vanished Kingdom: A Magical Middle Grade Fantasy for Kids (Ages 8-12) About a Witch's Urgent Mission to Protect Children
Intrepid young witch Willow Moss is back in a third installment of this magical middle grade series, perfect for fans of Terry Pratchett.
For the first time ever, Willow Moss is going to school.
Magical children have long been barred from attending school. And the sudden reversal of the rule by the mysterious (and nefarious) Brothers of Wol seems too good to be true. Why would they decide to change it now?
Willow, though hesitant, embarks on this new path with her usual courage and determination. On her first day, she meets new friends Twist and Peg, who will soon become her next partners-in-adventure.
Because Willow is about to be tasked with her most urgent mission yet: to protect the children of Starfell, uncover the mystery of a long-lost kingdom--and prevent the very source of all magic from falling into the wrong hands.
For the first time ever, Willow Moss is going to school.
Magical children have long been barred from attending school. And the sudden reversal of the rule by the mysterious (and nefarious) Brothers of Wol seems too good to be true. Why would they decide to change it now?
Willow, though hesitant, embarks on this new path with her usual courage and determination. On her first day, she meets new friends Twist and Peg, who will soon become her next partners-in-adventure.
Because Willow is about to be tasked with her most urgent mission yet: to protect the children of Starfell, uncover the mystery of a long-lost kingdom--and prevent the very source of all magic from falling into the wrong hands.
208 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 4, 2021
9 people are currently reading
1886 people want to read
About the author
Dominique Valente
17 books184 followersDominique Valente is the bestselling author of the Starfell series.
She was a journalist for over a decade but thankfully came to her senses and now writes about grumpy monsters, dragons and witches instead.
She grew up in South Africa but now lives along the Suffolk coast in the UK and writes in a green writing shed that takes time to warm up much like her brain. She is powered by coffee, chocolate and stories about magic.
Born with one hand, her books are often subtle love-letters to anyone who has ever felt different or wanted to belong.
For news, book signings, festivals and other events find out more at www.dominiquevalente.com
She was a journalist for over a decade but thankfully came to her senses and now writes about grumpy monsters, dragons and witches instead.
She grew up in South Africa but now lives along the Suffolk coast in the UK and writes in a green writing shed that takes time to warm up much like her brain. She is powered by coffee, chocolate and stories about magic.
Born with one hand, her books are often subtle love-letters to anyone who has ever felt different or wanted to belong.
For news, book signings, festivals and other events find out more at www.dominiquevalente.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
May 21, 2021
Check out my 'reading middle grade for a magical week off' reading vlog where I talk about Willow Moss and the Vanished Kingdom: https://youtu.be/qDV2nQ5me58
Possibly the best in the series so far, the third instalment of the Starfell series was extremely fast-paced and exciting. I loved the new characters introduced and had such a fun time reading this physically along with the audiobook too. Such a treat of a series that is easily binge-worthy!
Possibly the best in the series so far, the third instalment of the Starfell series was extremely fast-paced and exciting. I loved the new characters introduced and had such a fun time reading this physically along with the audiobook too. Such a treat of a series that is easily binge-worthy!
May 11, 2022
"𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸? 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘬𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯'𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮, 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘴."
I enjoy a good middle-grade read and this adventure of Willow Moss was so fun to follow. Even though it's part of a series (the third book in the series) I feel this can be read as a standalone since there isn't a continuation of a quest but in fact a whole new one. I want to sing praises to Sarah Warburton for these adorable and magical illustrations; each illustration is beautiful and will definitely capture any child's attention.
With this compelling read, any young reader will be transported to this magical world, enjoying the unique names and laughing aloud at Oswin and his moods. As with any story, there are some lessons to be learned that will impact a young reader. Wisdom is hidden in the humour which will help children to handle certain situations as they grow older. The text design and layout are beautiful, constantly capturing the reader's attention and making for a fun read. The story itself is wonderful, as an adult, I already love Willow Moss, and can imagine that a child will love her even more.
Willow’s quest includes a thrilling adventure, danger, magical abilities and creatures and the friends accompanying her on her journey are funny and smart. This is an enjoyable and entertaining read, definitely something any child will like. Perfect for ages 8-12.
Many thanks to Jonathan Ball Publishers for this gifted copy.
I enjoy a good middle-grade read and this adventure of Willow Moss was so fun to follow. Even though it's part of a series (the third book in the series) I feel this can be read as a standalone since there isn't a continuation of a quest but in fact a whole new one. I want to sing praises to Sarah Warburton for these adorable and magical illustrations; each illustration is beautiful and will definitely capture any child's attention.
With this compelling read, any young reader will be transported to this magical world, enjoying the unique names and laughing aloud at Oswin and his moods. As with any story, there are some lessons to be learned that will impact a young reader. Wisdom is hidden in the humour which will help children to handle certain situations as they grow older. The text design and layout are beautiful, constantly capturing the reader's attention and making for a fun read. The story itself is wonderful, as an adult, I already love Willow Moss, and can imagine that a child will love her even more.
Willow’s quest includes a thrilling adventure, danger, magical abilities and creatures and the friends accompanying her on her journey are funny and smart. This is an enjoyable and entertaining read, definitely something any child will like. Perfect for ages 8-12.
Many thanks to Jonathan Ball Publishers for this gifted copy.
May 22, 2022
This series just melts my heart more & more with each book. I love being transported to this magical & beautiful world by the author. The world, characters, & story she has created are so stunning in every single way. The “lost” thing we have to recover in each book so far is also so imaginatively done, & so creative & fascinating too. The lost day in book 1, then books 2’s lost thing, & then this book-wowza(not saying what’s lost after book 1 so not to spoil). Such a big task for our Willow in this, but she proves time & time again how strong & fierce she really is-even proving it to herself. I love her character growth so far through the books, & I’m really loving the girl she’s becoming even more as she continues to learn & grow & experience life. I really love how there is a new adventure in each book. Even if it’s tied to the main part, it doesn’t just drag that on & on. All new, almost separate in a way, adventures are created & I love that. That plus each new lost thing in each one is so enjoyable, & entertaining. I also love how you always see familiar favs, but also meet all new characters each book that you fall in love with as well. I loved Twist so much, & where she lives, the backstory, & just everything we learn period. I’m absolutely in love with Scratch! When an author can make you fall in love with a table-enough said! Oswin still has my heart of course though lol. “‘Oh nooo! Oh, me 'orrid aunt, do all roads lead to eel?'” He’s just so original & unique, & while he may be very grumpy, he remains so LOVABLE! He gets some good advise in here as well about looking like a cat, to go along with all the other amazing messages throughout the book. The twists, & that ending had my mouth hanging open! Immediately dived into the next book! Highly recommend! Once again, both UK(done by Sarah Warburton) & US(done by Yaoyao Ma Van As)both have stunning covers. I read the UK edition because it’s also filled with the most beautiful illustrations as well, & I enjoy that so much!💜
July 9, 2023
Another delightful gem in the Starfell universe!
The world of Starfell continues to grow and expand, filled with magical characters, setting, and plot. I loved the Elves and their world which was so inventive, and I really loved how the magic grew with the addition of Twist and her aunts, the stone dragons, and the emblem murals that spring to life on building, a testament to Valente's lush and whimsical imagination. I simply cannot get enough!
Willow Moss is a lovable quirky main character; her main trait is her determination which is such an inspiring aspect for all readers. All of Valente's characters are unique and utterly delightful! Sarah's charming and sweet illustrations burst on all pages, perfectly paired with Dominique's writing style.
Jam-packed with an exciting and imaginative cast and storytelling, this is such a heartwarming and enchanting read for all to enjoy!
IG Post: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cszn3FDSjii/
The world of Starfell continues to grow and expand, filled with magical characters, setting, and plot. I loved the Elves and their world which was so inventive, and I really loved how the magic grew with the addition of Twist and her aunts, the stone dragons, and the emblem murals that spring to life on building, a testament to Valente's lush and whimsical imagination. I simply cannot get enough!
Willow Moss is a lovable quirky main character; her main trait is her determination which is such an inspiring aspect for all readers. All of Valente's characters are unique and utterly delightful! Sarah's charming and sweet illustrations burst on all pages, perfectly paired with Dominique's writing style.
Jam-packed with an exciting and imaginative cast and storytelling, this is such a heartwarming and enchanting read for all to enjoy!
IG Post: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cszn3FDSjii/
February 7, 2022
This might be my favourite book in the series so far! I am just so in love with the characters and the world and Willow is such an amazing main character. I truly can’t wait for the next book!
December 20, 2023
3.5* generously put in as 4* for Goodreads.
New Words Learnt - 0
It's been a while since I've read the 2nd book, so the gap definitely did leave some holes in my memory regarding specific characters or events. However, I felt that the charm and magic (no pun intended!) of the first two definitely carried over into this one. I love exploring the world of Starfell, so places like Lael were a treat. I am excited to see what The Magic Thief brings to the series, and whether it'll be last book.
Overall, however, I felt like this was a mixed bag of good and meh. The story, while fine, was very simple and VERY OBVIOUS. See how I capitalised that word? Well someone (ideally one of Twist's three aunts) should've spelt that out to the gang before they embarked on their very stupid and very predictable quest. So, in that regard, it was mostly eye-rolls and groans from me. This 'protagonist has to find the McGuffin before the bad guy so that they can prevent them from doing bad things only for the bad guy to take advantage of all the protagonist's progress and steal said Mcguffin at the end' trope has to die. And all its variations. You can't as an author look at this trope and say, "Yeah, I think my readers are going to love that, Imma include it.". Also not a fan of 'Parents don't listen to kids because they're kids even though kids are right and everybody is in danger' trope. But I guess you could put that down to the Gerful chalk. The ending was emotional but I think its impact would've been better if it had a quest and climax of a similar calibre. Add in some questionable writing inclusions which very much put the focus on 'Tell, don't show' and the result is more eye-rolls. To those who say this was fast-paced, the first 25% of this book takes place in a classroom, then 40% in a city with 0 dangers. Not that I mind that, I like slower-paced books, or the very least, some breathing room. Just a counter-point to the fast-pace claims (climax not included because climaxes are supposed to be like that anyway).
Old characters (well, only Willow and Oswin feature heavily here, sprinkled with some Silas), were the same as ever, which is grand. The new characters were, again, a mix bag. I enjoyed Twist's character; she was fun whenever she was on page. To a smaller degree her aunts as well. Osmerelda was a brilliant inclusion and I agree with the agent who said she had to stay no matter what. Rock dragon was fine I guess, probably would've taken more enjoyment if I had read this when I was 12. But now we move on to Peg. Oh boy Peg. Let me sum up his personality very quickly. He's a normal human (i.e. non-magical), sees magic or magical stuff. Is amazed. Says something. Everybody laughs. Repeat for 250pages. If he was supposed to be a comic relief, he failed. If he was supposed to have some sort of plot relevance, he failed (you could easily fit knowledgable-in-astronomy-character elsewhere). Speaking of which, I did like the map of the stars and their constellations but a) wished there was another map without the drawings so that we can have a base of reference (but I get it, ink is expensive -_-), and b) we got a proper map of Starfell as well.
The writing for the most part was good. However, there were times where it or the events it was describing felt simple, short, or forced (just like the humour). The merman in act 3 is a prime example of this. There were also a lot of conveniences for the sake of the plot but I let them slide so long as they didn't hinder the reading experience. The illustrations were beautifully drawn and captured the world pretty much how I imagined it. One thing though is that the page-position of them sometimes ruined an upcoming event when you turn the page and see the illustration a page or two before reading it. More a layout fault than the story's.
Lastly, I may have been very harsh in my review but that's because I do enjoy the series, the characters and the world, and I want it to do well and win me over fully. I remember with the first and second book it was always at a nearly moment, and the same is true here. But perhaps the Magic Thief will be the one to finally do it.
New Words Learnt - 0
It's been a while since I've read the 2nd book, so the gap definitely did leave some holes in my memory regarding specific characters or events. However, I felt that the charm and magic (no pun intended!) of the first two definitely carried over into this one. I love exploring the world of Starfell, so places like Lael were a treat. I am excited to see what The Magic Thief brings to the series, and whether it'll be last book.
Overall, however, I felt like this was a mixed bag of good and meh. The story, while fine, was very simple and VERY OBVIOUS. See how I capitalised that word? Well someone (ideally one of Twist's three aunts) should've spelt that out to the gang before they embarked on their very stupid and very predictable quest. So, in that regard, it was mostly eye-rolls and groans from me. This 'protagonist has to find the McGuffin before the bad guy so that they can prevent them from doing bad things only for the bad guy to take advantage of all the protagonist's progress and steal said Mcguffin at the end' trope has to die. And all its variations. You can't as an author look at this trope and say, "Yeah, I think my readers are going to love that, Imma include it.". Also not a fan of 'Parents don't listen to kids because they're kids even though kids are right and everybody is in danger' trope. But I guess you could put that down to the Gerful chalk. The ending was emotional but I think its impact would've been better if it had a quest and climax of a similar calibre. Add in some questionable writing inclusions which very much put the focus on 'Tell, don't show' and the result is more eye-rolls. To those who say this was fast-paced, the first 25% of this book takes place in a classroom, then 40% in a city with 0 dangers. Not that I mind that, I like slower-paced books, or the very least, some breathing room. Just a counter-point to the fast-pace claims (climax not included because climaxes are supposed to be like that anyway).
Old characters (well, only Willow and Oswin feature heavily here, sprinkled with some Silas), were the same as ever, which is grand. The new characters were, again, a mix bag. I enjoyed Twist's character; she was fun whenever she was on page. To a smaller degree her aunts as well. Osmerelda was a brilliant inclusion and I agree with the agent who said she had to stay no matter what. Rock dragon was fine I guess, probably would've taken more enjoyment if I had read this when I was 12. But now we move on to Peg. Oh boy Peg. Let me sum up his personality very quickly. He's a normal human (i.e. non-magical), sees magic or magical stuff. Is amazed. Says something. Everybody laughs. Repeat for 250pages. If he was supposed to be a comic relief, he failed. If he was supposed to have some sort of plot relevance, he failed (you could easily fit knowledgable-in-astronomy-character elsewhere). Speaking of which, I did like the map of the stars and their constellations but a) wished there was another map without the drawings so that we can have a base of reference (but I get it, ink is expensive -_-), and b) we got a proper map of Starfell as well.
The writing for the most part was good. However, there were times where it or the events it was describing felt simple, short, or forced (just like the humour). The merman in act 3 is a prime example of this. There were also a lot of conveniences for the sake of the plot but I let them slide so long as they didn't hinder the reading experience. The illustrations were beautifully drawn and captured the world pretty much how I imagined it. One thing though is that the page-position of them sometimes ruined an upcoming event when you turn the page and see the illustration a page or two before reading it. More a layout fault than the story's.
Lastly, I may have been very harsh in my review but that's because I do enjoy the series, the characters and the world, and I want it to do well and win me over fully. I remember with the first and second book it was always at a nearly moment, and the same is true here. But perhaps the Magic Thief will be the one to finally do it.
March 17, 2021
I picked up the first book in this series last year on a whim when I was browsing Waterstones just before the first lockdown and since then I have been a little obsessed with Willow Moss. I was so glad when I heard the third book was being released this year and I was not disappointed. At first I was a little unsure if I would get back into the world since it had been a while since I read the last book but nope! I slotted right back into the world of Starfell. Valente writes such amazing, interesting characters and puts so much world building into all of her books that really I don’t know why I was worried!
I loved this one, I loved being on another adventure with Willow and her friends and was so glad to see new faces as well as old! And the ending really left me wanting more! It was such a cliff hanger, I really can not wait for the next book in the series!
Special mention to Oswin who is and will always be my favourite….Cat….Sorry Oswin. I just love him so much, he never fails to make me laugh!
Also the illustrations were perfect as usual too!
I loved this one, I loved being on another adventure with Willow and her friends and was so glad to see new faces as well as old! And the ending really left me wanting more! It was such a cliff hanger, I really can not wait for the next book in the series!
Special mention to Oswin who is and will always be my favourite….Cat….Sorry Oswin. I just love him so much, he never fails to make me laugh!
Also the illustrations were perfect as usual too!
January 13, 2023
A fun continuation in the Starfell series, full of magic and adventure.
Willow goes to a 'normal' school due to a new rule that allows witches to go to mainstream schools, but all is not how it seems and along with her new friend Twist and Peg they go off to find the lost kingdom.
Willow goes to a 'normal' school due to a new rule that allows witches to go to mainstream schools, but all is not how it seems and along with her new friend Twist and Peg they go off to find the lost kingdom.
April 12, 2021
4.75 stars
Loved the new characters
Loved the new characters
July 4, 2021
3.5 stars
Read
March 3, 2022Uhm I started the 4th book.. It was released today but I can’t find it on Goodreads 🥺🥺🥺.
July 3, 2022
In 1 ruk uitgelezen! Kan niet wachten tot ik deel 4 in mijn handen heb!!
November 6, 2021
Subtly subversive!
December 5, 2021
Da mir die ersten beiden Bände von der „Der Zauber von Immerda“ - Reihe so gut gefallen haben, musste ich natürlich auch den dritten Teil unbedingt bei mir einziehen lassen. Auf das neue Immerda-Abenteuer habe ich mich tierisch gefreut.
Magisch begabten Kindern ist es seit jeher verboten auf nicht-magische Schule zu gehen. Zumindest war das bis vor kurzem noch Gesetz. Als die Wol-Brüder diese Regel ganz plötzlich ändern und Junghexe Anemona fortan die Schulbank mit nicht-magischen Kindern drücken soll, hält sich ihre Begeisterung sehr in Grenzen. Zudem ist sie auch äußerst misstrauisch. Warum haben die Wol-Brüder ihre Meinung auf einmal so geändert? Und wieso sollen die Lehrer den Schülern eintrichtern, dass Magie schädlich sei? Für Anemona steht sofort fest, dass sie der Sache auf den Grund gehen muss. Zusammen mit der Tornado-Elfe Stormy, dem Jungen Peg und ihrem Kobold Oswald findet sie schnell heraus, dass Immerda in großer Gefahr schwebt. Um ihre Heimat zu schützen, müssen Anemona und ihre Freunde ein lang verschollenes Königreich wiederfinden. Ein neues unglaubliches Abenteuer beginnt...
Es ist bei mir nun tatsächlich schon wieder über ein Jahr her, dass ich den zweiten Teil gelesen habe und obwohl mir dessen Handlung inzwischen nicht mehr vollkommen präsent ist, habe ich mühelos in den Nachfolger hineingefunden. Kurze Info an alle Neulinge: Da die Bände aufeinander aufbauen, rate ich sehr, sie in der chronologischen Reihenfolge zu lesen. Meiner Ansicht nach braucht man das Vorwissen, um den Erzählungen ohne Probleme zu folgen zu können.
Der dritte Band setzt relativ zeitnah an dem Ende des Vorgängers an und man ist sofort wieder mittendrin im Geschehen. Die Geschichte beginnt mit Anemonas erstem Schultag, welcher nicht nur ganz anders verlaufen wird als gedacht, sondern auch der Beginn eines neues großen Abenteuers sein wird.
Bei mir trat von Anfang an das ein, was schon bei den beiden vorherigen Bänden der Fall war: Einmal mit dem Lesen begonnen, wollte ich am liebsten gar nicht mehr damit aufhören. Die Handlung hat mich vom ersten Moment an in ihren Bann ziehen können und der tolle Schreibstil von Dominique Valente hat sich erneut hervorragend für mich lesen lassen. Da meine Begeisterung in keinster Weise nachlassen sollte und dank der kurzen Kapitel und den vielen Illustrationen ein angenehm flüssiger Lesefluss entsteht, bin ich auch dieses Mal nur so durch die Seiten geflogen und habe das Buch innerhalb kurzer Zeit beendet.
Dominique Valente hat mich auch mit diesem Band auf ganzer Linie überzeugen können, ich finde ihn genauso bezaubernd wie beiden Vorgänger. Auch die Story in „Das verschluckte Königreich“ nimmt uns auf eine packende und gefährliche Reise voller Überraschungen, Geheimnisse, Magie und Wunder mit und wird mit viel Tempo, Humor und Fantasie erzählt. Ich bin aus dem Mitfiebern und Schmunzeln abermals kaum mehr herausgekommen und von dem großen Einfallsreichtum der Autorin war ich erneut ganz fasziniert. Dominique Valente hat ihrer Kreativität zweifellos wieder ihren Lauf gelassen. Zusammen mit Anemona und ihren Freunden wird es uns an die wundervollsten magischen Orte verschlagen, wir werden vielen außergewöhnlichen Geschöpfen begegnen und in den Genuss von lauter amüsanten Wortneuschöpfungen kommen.
Neben der Geschichte bin ich auch von den Figuren wieder absolut begeistert. Ob gut oder böse, alte Bekannte oder neue Charaktere – allesamt wurden sie mit viel Liebe, Witz und Charme ausgearbeitet.
Da hätten wir zum Beispiel unsere Romanheldin und personale Erzählerin Anemona, die sich schon längst einen festen Platz in meinem Herzen gesichert hat. Anemona ist pfiffig, liebenswert, stark und mutig – man muss diese aufgeweckte junge Hexe einfach gernhaben.
Mein persönlicher Liebling ist und bleibt jedoch Oswald, Anemonas mürrisches Monster von unterm Bett. Mit seiner einmalig-grummeligen Art und seiner herrlichen Sprechweise hat er mich mal wieder bestens unterhalten. Ich liebe diesen Kobold einfach, für mich ist Oswald ganz klar der Star in dieser Reihe.
Neben unserer Hauptprotagonistin und ihrem Kobold (der KEINE Katze ist!) sind noch so einige weitere vertraute Gesichter wieder mit von der Partie - wir dürfen aber auch vielen neuen Personen begegnen. Tornado-Elfe Stormy beispielsweise und dem Jungen Peg, mit denen zusammen sich Anemona und Oswald auf die Suche nach dem versunkenen Königreich machen werden. Ob sie es wohl finden werden? Nun, das Unterfangen wird auf jeden Fall nicht einfach sein, so viel sei schon mal gesagt – die vier werden so einige Gefahren und Rätsel meistern müssen. Zum Glück schlummert in den Freunden aber viel Cleverness, Mut, Kampfgeist und Entschlossenheit und da sie sich stets aufeinander verlassen können und mit ihren unterschiedlichen Eigenschaften prima ergänzen, wird ihnen die Rettung Immerdas ganz bestimmt gelingen...Oder?
Die Antwort auf diese Frage werde ich euch hier natürlich nicht geben, die müsst ihr schon selbst herausfinden. Nur so viel noch: Mir hat das Ende richtig gut gefallen, obwohl es ziemlich gemein ist, da es sehr dramatisch und offen ist. Hoffentlich müssen wir uns auf den nächsten Band nicht allzu lange gedulden, ich bin schon so gespannt wie es wohl weitergehen wird.
Was dann natürlich nicht unerwähnt bleiben darf, ist die Gestaltung des Buches. Das Cover ist ein echter Hingucker, mir gefällt es von allen drei Covern am besten. Eine Karte vorne im Buch, die das Setting zeigt, gibt es dieses Mal leider nicht, aber dafür etwas anderes Feines (was, verrate ich hier jedoch nicht, hehe).
Auch die Geschichte ist klasse aufgemacht. Sarah Warburton hat die Erzählung mit zahlreichen großartigen schwarz-weiß Illustrationen versehen, die die Geschehnisse perfekt begleiten und die märchenhafte Welt Immerda wunderbar zum Leben erwecken.
Fazit: Spannend, witzig, warmherzig und magisch. Ein neues fanatisches Abenteuer!
Auf meine Rückkehr nach Immerda habe ich mich eindeutig zurecht so sehr gefreut: Mich hat auch der dritte Band völlig verzaubern können. Dominique Valente und Sarah Warburton bescheren uns mit „Das verschluckte Königreich“ eine weitere fantasievolle und zauberhaft illustrierte Geschichte voller einzigartiger Charaktere, origineller Ideen und wertvoller Botschaften, die einen von Anfang bis Ende mitreißt und einfach nur unheimlich viel Spaß macht. Ich habe Anemona und ihre Freunde liebend gerne auf ihrer abenteuerlichen Reise begleitet und hoffe sehr auf ein baldiges Wiedersehen mit ihnen. Von mir gibt es 5 von 5 Sternen!
Magisch begabten Kindern ist es seit jeher verboten auf nicht-magische Schule zu gehen. Zumindest war das bis vor kurzem noch Gesetz. Als die Wol-Brüder diese Regel ganz plötzlich ändern und Junghexe Anemona fortan die Schulbank mit nicht-magischen Kindern drücken soll, hält sich ihre Begeisterung sehr in Grenzen. Zudem ist sie auch äußerst misstrauisch. Warum haben die Wol-Brüder ihre Meinung auf einmal so geändert? Und wieso sollen die Lehrer den Schülern eintrichtern, dass Magie schädlich sei? Für Anemona steht sofort fest, dass sie der Sache auf den Grund gehen muss. Zusammen mit der Tornado-Elfe Stormy, dem Jungen Peg und ihrem Kobold Oswald findet sie schnell heraus, dass Immerda in großer Gefahr schwebt. Um ihre Heimat zu schützen, müssen Anemona und ihre Freunde ein lang verschollenes Königreich wiederfinden. Ein neues unglaubliches Abenteuer beginnt...
Es ist bei mir nun tatsächlich schon wieder über ein Jahr her, dass ich den zweiten Teil gelesen habe und obwohl mir dessen Handlung inzwischen nicht mehr vollkommen präsent ist, habe ich mühelos in den Nachfolger hineingefunden. Kurze Info an alle Neulinge: Da die Bände aufeinander aufbauen, rate ich sehr, sie in der chronologischen Reihenfolge zu lesen. Meiner Ansicht nach braucht man das Vorwissen, um den Erzählungen ohne Probleme zu folgen zu können.
Der dritte Band setzt relativ zeitnah an dem Ende des Vorgängers an und man ist sofort wieder mittendrin im Geschehen. Die Geschichte beginnt mit Anemonas erstem Schultag, welcher nicht nur ganz anders verlaufen wird als gedacht, sondern auch der Beginn eines neues großen Abenteuers sein wird.
Bei mir trat von Anfang an das ein, was schon bei den beiden vorherigen Bänden der Fall war: Einmal mit dem Lesen begonnen, wollte ich am liebsten gar nicht mehr damit aufhören. Die Handlung hat mich vom ersten Moment an in ihren Bann ziehen können und der tolle Schreibstil von Dominique Valente hat sich erneut hervorragend für mich lesen lassen. Da meine Begeisterung in keinster Weise nachlassen sollte und dank der kurzen Kapitel und den vielen Illustrationen ein angenehm flüssiger Lesefluss entsteht, bin ich auch dieses Mal nur so durch die Seiten geflogen und habe das Buch innerhalb kurzer Zeit beendet.
Dominique Valente hat mich auch mit diesem Band auf ganzer Linie überzeugen können, ich finde ihn genauso bezaubernd wie beiden Vorgänger. Auch die Story in „Das verschluckte Königreich“ nimmt uns auf eine packende und gefährliche Reise voller Überraschungen, Geheimnisse, Magie und Wunder mit und wird mit viel Tempo, Humor und Fantasie erzählt. Ich bin aus dem Mitfiebern und Schmunzeln abermals kaum mehr herausgekommen und von dem großen Einfallsreichtum der Autorin war ich erneut ganz fasziniert. Dominique Valente hat ihrer Kreativität zweifellos wieder ihren Lauf gelassen. Zusammen mit Anemona und ihren Freunden wird es uns an die wundervollsten magischen Orte verschlagen, wir werden vielen außergewöhnlichen Geschöpfen begegnen und in den Genuss von lauter amüsanten Wortneuschöpfungen kommen.
Neben der Geschichte bin ich auch von den Figuren wieder absolut begeistert. Ob gut oder böse, alte Bekannte oder neue Charaktere – allesamt wurden sie mit viel Liebe, Witz und Charme ausgearbeitet.
Da hätten wir zum Beispiel unsere Romanheldin und personale Erzählerin Anemona, die sich schon längst einen festen Platz in meinem Herzen gesichert hat. Anemona ist pfiffig, liebenswert, stark und mutig – man muss diese aufgeweckte junge Hexe einfach gernhaben.
Mein persönlicher Liebling ist und bleibt jedoch Oswald, Anemonas mürrisches Monster von unterm Bett. Mit seiner einmalig-grummeligen Art und seiner herrlichen Sprechweise hat er mich mal wieder bestens unterhalten. Ich liebe diesen Kobold einfach, für mich ist Oswald ganz klar der Star in dieser Reihe.
Neben unserer Hauptprotagonistin und ihrem Kobold (der KEINE Katze ist!) sind noch so einige weitere vertraute Gesichter wieder mit von der Partie - wir dürfen aber auch vielen neuen Personen begegnen. Tornado-Elfe Stormy beispielsweise und dem Jungen Peg, mit denen zusammen sich Anemona und Oswald auf die Suche nach dem versunkenen Königreich machen werden. Ob sie es wohl finden werden? Nun, das Unterfangen wird auf jeden Fall nicht einfach sein, so viel sei schon mal gesagt – die vier werden so einige Gefahren und Rätsel meistern müssen. Zum Glück schlummert in den Freunden aber viel Cleverness, Mut, Kampfgeist und Entschlossenheit und da sie sich stets aufeinander verlassen können und mit ihren unterschiedlichen Eigenschaften prima ergänzen, wird ihnen die Rettung Immerdas ganz bestimmt gelingen...Oder?
Die Antwort auf diese Frage werde ich euch hier natürlich nicht geben, die müsst ihr schon selbst herausfinden. Nur so viel noch: Mir hat das Ende richtig gut gefallen, obwohl es ziemlich gemein ist, da es sehr dramatisch und offen ist. Hoffentlich müssen wir uns auf den nächsten Band nicht allzu lange gedulden, ich bin schon so gespannt wie es wohl weitergehen wird.
Was dann natürlich nicht unerwähnt bleiben darf, ist die Gestaltung des Buches. Das Cover ist ein echter Hingucker, mir gefällt es von allen drei Covern am besten. Eine Karte vorne im Buch, die das Setting zeigt, gibt es dieses Mal leider nicht, aber dafür etwas anderes Feines (was, verrate ich hier jedoch nicht, hehe).
Auch die Geschichte ist klasse aufgemacht. Sarah Warburton hat die Erzählung mit zahlreichen großartigen schwarz-weiß Illustrationen versehen, die die Geschehnisse perfekt begleiten und die märchenhafte Welt Immerda wunderbar zum Leben erwecken.
Fazit: Spannend, witzig, warmherzig und magisch. Ein neues fanatisches Abenteuer!
Auf meine Rückkehr nach Immerda habe ich mich eindeutig zurecht so sehr gefreut: Mich hat auch der dritte Band völlig verzaubern können. Dominique Valente und Sarah Warburton bescheren uns mit „Das verschluckte Königreich“ eine weitere fantasievolle und zauberhaft illustrierte Geschichte voller einzigartiger Charaktere, origineller Ideen und wertvoller Botschaften, die einen von Anfang bis Ende mitreißt und einfach nur unheimlich viel Spaß macht. Ich habe Anemona und ihre Freunde liebend gerne auf ihrer abenteuerlichen Reise begleitet und hoffe sehr auf ein baldiges Wiedersehen mit ihnen. Von mir gibt es 5 von 5 Sternen!
April 28, 2022
Willow goes to school for the first time. She is not happy about it. She believes there is a plot to steal the magic away from the magical students. Very few people believe her but Twist, an elf who is also in school for the first time, believes her and the two begin their quest, along with classmate Peg, to save the magical children and magic from being destroyed.
I enjoyed this book. It is the third book in the series, but I was able to follow the story line. However, I do want to read the first two books so I know the back story. I liked Willow, Twist, and Peg. They have a lot of gumption to prove that magic is going to be destroyed and Silas, an evil man, wants to take over their world. I like their gifts that they use in their quest. It's sad that Willow has to sacrifice herself but she saved their magical world. With the ending, I think there will be another book. I look forward to reading it.
I enjoyed this book. It is the third book in the series, but I was able to follow the story line. However, I do want to read the first two books so I know the back story. I liked Willow, Twist, and Peg. They have a lot of gumption to prove that magic is going to be destroyed and Silas, an evil man, wants to take over their world. I like their gifts that they use in their quest. It's sad that Willow has to sacrifice herself but she saved their magical world. With the ending, I think there will be another book. I look forward to reading it.
December 13, 2025
I really enjoyed this tale wiih Willow Moss trying to find the Vanished Kingdom with her faithful companion Oswin (kobald/cat) and her new friends Peg (human) and Twist (Elf).
It starts out great and was really interesting and enjoyable to listen to on audio.
It was so much more magical than the first two books of the Starfell Series for me personally. Loved the characters, the places, the magic and other inventions throughout the story.
It starts out great and was really interesting and enjoyable to listen to on audio.
It was so much more magical than the first two books of the Starfell Series for me personally. Loved the characters, the places, the magic and other inventions throughout the story.
November 21, 2022
Troisième opus de la série, je persiste à dire que Starfell, dans le genre Fantastique Sorcellerie, est une excellente série pour les lecteurs encore trop jeunes pour la série Harry Potter, avec une chronologie simple, un texte accessible, mais créatif, et une héroïne sorcière attachante.
Cette fois, l'ennemi des sorciers, le magicien et chef des fanatiques Frères de Wol, Silas, tente une approche différente en permettant aux écoles d'humains normaux d'intégrer les enfants magiques. Pour Violette, c'est une consternation et une raison supplémentaire d'être vigilent. Pour la vaste majorité des adultes, néanmoins, c'est une bonne idée. Perplexe devant l'attitude insouciante à la limite de l'abrutissement des citoyens de Starfell, Violette va néanmoins devoir faire sa première journée d'école, qui ne se déroule absolument pas comme prévu. Entre un prof qui se sert d'une arme redoutable pour l'esprit humain et une élève elfe qui sait dompter le Vent d'Hiver, Violette fini par faire une évasion particulièrement chaotique, accompagnée de ladite elfe, Twist, d'un humain, Peg, et de son fidèle compagnon kobold, le taciturne et plaignard Oswin. La tentative d'asservissement du prof par la craie de Gerfeuil, instrument magique, est la preuve qu'il se trame quelque chose de grave et comme un malheur ne vient jamais seul, des documents elfiques ont été volés. Ceux-ci pourraient mener Silas à récupérer un artéfact elfique qui a le pouvoir de voler la magie aux gens, sous forme de sceptre. Il aura été vu pour la dernière fois dans une magnifique cité elfique, aujourd'hui cachée par sa propre Reine. Violette et ses compagnons sont donc entrés dans une course contre la montre: ils doivent trouver le sceptre avant Silas et ses sbires.
Honnêtement, ce tome-là, je l'ai rapidement cerné et pour moi, Violette était en train de jouer le jeu de Silas. C'est agaçant de deviner l'histoire. Les deux premiers tomes étaient à mon sens moins prévisibles. L'idée de la cité "vivante" était cependant intéressante et bien décrite et il y a de nombreux éléments magiques fort sympathiques.
Le personnage de Silas m'ennuie singulièrement, cependant. Un peu comme tous ces "Seigneurs des ténèbres", il est plus "grande gueule" dépersonnalisée que réellement effrayant. Un autre qui est avide de grands pouvoirs et de contrôle absolu, mais ça me ramène toujours à la même question: pour quoi faire? Être le plus important? Oui ça on a comprit, clairement il y a un gros trouble de l'attachement là-dedans, mais hormis cela, je trouve ce genre d'antagoniste incomplet et redondant. Ils n'ont pas de vision ou de valeurs et leur plan est toujours le même. Ils sont invariablement bornés, cupides et narcissiques. Ce sont juste de gros cons en manque d'attention, au final, déjoué par des enfants plus malins qu'eux. Et comme bien des mégalomanes en puissance, il appuie sa dictature sur des fondations religieuses. Au moins, on peut dire que c'est crédible sur ce point. Bref, un gros méchant comme on en voit un peu trop souvent, mais c,est là mon humble et impertinent avis. Mes jeunes lecteurs seront assurément moins pointilleux que moi sur ce sujet.
Comme les autres tomes, j'apprécie la majorité féminine qui y est présenté . On l'oublie facilement, parce que c'est la norme, mais les romans jeunesse ont longtemps eu la faiblesse de la représentativité au féminin carencée. Ici, on a de la variété et elles occupent toute sorte de positions sociales et groupes d'âges. En ce sens, les Satrfell innovent. C'est le genre de roman que je souhaiterais pouvoir promouvoir en tant que libraire jeunesse à ma clientèle de 8-9 ans masculine, dont un trop grand nombre boude encore les romans avec des héroïnes. Un drame quand on voit quel genre de beau modèle Violette représente. Elle est courageuse, elle connait la valeur du travail d'équipe, elle est intègre et ne se laisse pas démonter parce que son opinion n'est pas partagé. Elle a des limites, mais aussi de grandes forces, dont un fort code moral. C'est également un personnage qui ramène souvent l'importance de sa grand-mère, décédée dans le premier tome. J'ai rarement un personnage qui fait un deuil aussi évident, merci à elle pour cette réalité souvent négligée.
Donc, si ce n'est pas mon tome préféré, la série reste dans mes favoris pour ce genre dans la littérature Intermédiaire. Un quatrième tome est prévu, ce qui classe la série dans les sagas, dorénavant.
Petit constat quand à la couverture: le personnage aux cheveux blanc assis derrière Violette ( la sorcière) est difficile à identifier. Soit il s'agit de Peg, un garçon humain qui devait voyager avec Violette par balais, mais il est de peau mate aux yeux verts, ce ne peut donc pas être lui. Reste Twist, l'elfe, qui est physiquement pâle, aux cheveux clairs et aux yeux bleus, mais elle possède des oreilles pointues et ne voyage pas sur balais, puisqu'elle contrôle le vent d'Hiver et se déplace grâce à lui. Donc, qui est le personnage sur la couverture? Et il y a un problème d'angle avec le bras et la jambe de Violette, donnant l'impression d'un tibia deux fois trop long et d'un bras droit ayant trois articulations. le reste est vraiment beau, cela dit, je n'ai pas souvent des couvertures pâles. Et la cité elfique en arrière-plan rappelle celles imaginées pour l'univers de J.R.R Tolkiens.
Catégorisation: Fantasy, roman, littérature jeunesse intermédiaire, second cycle primaire, 8-9 ans
Note: 6/10
Cette fois, l'ennemi des sorciers, le magicien et chef des fanatiques Frères de Wol, Silas, tente une approche différente en permettant aux écoles d'humains normaux d'intégrer les enfants magiques. Pour Violette, c'est une consternation et une raison supplémentaire d'être vigilent. Pour la vaste majorité des adultes, néanmoins, c'est une bonne idée. Perplexe devant l'attitude insouciante à la limite de l'abrutissement des citoyens de Starfell, Violette va néanmoins devoir faire sa première journée d'école, qui ne se déroule absolument pas comme prévu. Entre un prof qui se sert d'une arme redoutable pour l'esprit humain et une élève elfe qui sait dompter le Vent d'Hiver, Violette fini par faire une évasion particulièrement chaotique, accompagnée de ladite elfe, Twist, d'un humain, Peg, et de son fidèle compagnon kobold, le taciturne et plaignard Oswin. La tentative d'asservissement du prof par la craie de Gerfeuil, instrument magique, est la preuve qu'il se trame quelque chose de grave et comme un malheur ne vient jamais seul, des documents elfiques ont été volés. Ceux-ci pourraient mener Silas à récupérer un artéfact elfique qui a le pouvoir de voler la magie aux gens, sous forme de sceptre. Il aura été vu pour la dernière fois dans une magnifique cité elfique, aujourd'hui cachée par sa propre Reine. Violette et ses compagnons sont donc entrés dans une course contre la montre: ils doivent trouver le sceptre avant Silas et ses sbires.
Honnêtement, ce tome-là, je l'ai rapidement cerné et pour moi, Violette était en train de jouer le jeu de Silas. C'est agaçant de deviner l'histoire. Les deux premiers tomes étaient à mon sens moins prévisibles. L'idée de la cité "vivante" était cependant intéressante et bien décrite et il y a de nombreux éléments magiques fort sympathiques.
Le personnage de Silas m'ennuie singulièrement, cependant. Un peu comme tous ces "Seigneurs des ténèbres", il est plus "grande gueule" dépersonnalisée que réellement effrayant. Un autre qui est avide de grands pouvoirs et de contrôle absolu, mais ça me ramène toujours à la même question: pour quoi faire? Être le plus important? Oui ça on a comprit, clairement il y a un gros trouble de l'attachement là-dedans, mais hormis cela, je trouve ce genre d'antagoniste incomplet et redondant. Ils n'ont pas de vision ou de valeurs et leur plan est toujours le même. Ils sont invariablement bornés, cupides et narcissiques. Ce sont juste de gros cons en manque d'attention, au final, déjoué par des enfants plus malins qu'eux. Et comme bien des mégalomanes en puissance, il appuie sa dictature sur des fondations religieuses. Au moins, on peut dire que c'est crédible sur ce point. Bref, un gros méchant comme on en voit un peu trop souvent, mais c,est là mon humble et impertinent avis. Mes jeunes lecteurs seront assurément moins pointilleux que moi sur ce sujet.
Comme les autres tomes, j'apprécie la majorité féminine qui y est présenté . On l'oublie facilement, parce que c'est la norme, mais les romans jeunesse ont longtemps eu la faiblesse de la représentativité au féminin carencée. Ici, on a de la variété et elles occupent toute sorte de positions sociales et groupes d'âges. En ce sens, les Satrfell innovent. C'est le genre de roman que je souhaiterais pouvoir promouvoir en tant que libraire jeunesse à ma clientèle de 8-9 ans masculine, dont un trop grand nombre boude encore les romans avec des héroïnes. Un drame quand on voit quel genre de beau modèle Violette représente. Elle est courageuse, elle connait la valeur du travail d'équipe, elle est intègre et ne se laisse pas démonter parce que son opinion n'est pas partagé. Elle a des limites, mais aussi de grandes forces, dont un fort code moral. C'est également un personnage qui ramène souvent l'importance de sa grand-mère, décédée dans le premier tome. J'ai rarement un personnage qui fait un deuil aussi évident, merci à elle pour cette réalité souvent négligée.
Donc, si ce n'est pas mon tome préféré, la série reste dans mes favoris pour ce genre dans la littérature Intermédiaire. Un quatrième tome est prévu, ce qui classe la série dans les sagas, dorénavant.
Petit constat quand à la couverture: le personnage aux cheveux blanc assis derrière Violette ( la sorcière) est difficile à identifier. Soit il s'agit de Peg, un garçon humain qui devait voyager avec Violette par balais, mais il est de peau mate aux yeux verts, ce ne peut donc pas être lui. Reste Twist, l'elfe, qui est physiquement pâle, aux cheveux clairs et aux yeux bleus, mais elle possède des oreilles pointues et ne voyage pas sur balais, puisqu'elle contrôle le vent d'Hiver et se déplace grâce à lui. Donc, qui est le personnage sur la couverture? Et il y a un problème d'angle avec le bras et la jambe de Violette, donnant l'impression d'un tibia deux fois trop long et d'un bras droit ayant trois articulations. le reste est vraiment beau, cela dit, je n'ai pas souvent des couvertures pâles. Et la cité elfique en arrière-plan rappelle celles imaginées pour l'univers de J.R.R Tolkiens.
Catégorisation: Fantasy, roman, littérature jeunesse intermédiaire, second cycle primaire, 8-9 ans
Note: 6/10
November 24, 2025
I liked this one more than the 2nd book, although it mostly just sets up the plot for the 4th book, as a stand alone it feels sort of flat. I really enjoyed the world building though and can't wait to see how it all ends :O
July 28, 2024
Starfell: Willow Moss and the Vanished Kingdom (Unabridged) is a chapter book for children, by Dominique Valente. The audiobook is narrated by Tuppence Middleton. This book follows the events of book 2. In this book, Willow has been sent to school for the first time, and finds herself in a lesson where… things go wrong. Along with some new friends she has made, she travels the lands, searching for a kingdom that has been lost.
(Just a note, before I get started with my review. Since I read an audiobook version on Spotify, I am not 100% sure how some names and things are spelt, so I apologise if I misspell them.) In the last paragraph I mentioned that the book follows on from events in book 2. Because of this, if you have not read the first two books, it might be difficult for you to understand a lot of stuff happening in this book. The author does a good job of trying to explain a lot of things, such as events, and giving basic introductions of characters that were introduced to the series prior. However, there are still a lot of things that may be difficult to understand, if you have not read the earlier books in the series, because you might not be aware of a bunch of situations that are plot relevant to understanding the situations in this book.
My first thought about the book is that I do like it. I think the author takes appropriate steps to make sure to give some progress between the second book and this one; to give us an idea of what Willow has done in between the two. It’s good to hear about her concerns about the problems going on in the magical world, and how people she knows have been affected by these problems. Just like the other two books in the series so far, there’s a huge emotional depth to this book. Willow has some very real feeling emotions, especially because she feels like she’s tried to tell people things, yet that people aren’t believing her, or heeding her warnings.
One thing I really like about this book is the conspiracy aspects in the beginning of the book, and the way Willow has a lot of confusion about what is happening with the school stuff, and the recent changes to allow her into the school. I think a lot of it works well because of the drama and suspense that these scenes bring to the book. And there are also a lot of action scenes, full of incredible stuff happening, as well as all the exploration that Willow does. She goes on an incredible adventure, and she gets to visit some incredible places. One really great portion is when the author is taking us through elf houses, and I really enjoyed hearing about the way they’re built and formed. It was fascinating stuff, and I thought it presented some really great worldbuilding, where the author has taken care to think of the lives of the people she creates, as well as the places they inhabit. It felt like a really special moment, when we got to take a trip through the city, and learn more about the history of the lives of elves. Fascinating stuff, in my opinion. There was also a lot of good foreshadowing. Not just in this book, but the author also used a lot of foreshadowing that had initially been presented from other books. And one key thing I enjoyed about that is that characters were still being considered; a lot of them weren’t just forgotten about. It makes it feel more realistic, in my opinion, because such characters still have an impact on Starfell and still have an impact in Willow’s life.
Just like the other books in the series so far, I absolutely adore the narration by Tuppence Middleton. In this book, she again does some fabulous work. I know I’ve said this many times, but I love the voice she does for Oswin. Her exclamations of his remarks, like “oh, me horrid aunt!” and stuff like that make me smile. Oswin is a character I can relate to so much. I, too, would be super freaked out by so many of the scenarios being faced. And the narrator does a great job with all the other characters and scenarios, too. There’s a good level of emotion in a lot of the situations, and she has good tones for conveying levels of emotions, and a lot of good pacing to provide suspense. I think there was a lot of good vocal work done here.
Overall, I thought the book was pretty good. It was a great adventure, and there were a bunch of scenes that I enjoyed a lot. The key favourite thing I enjoy about the books so far is the worldbuilding that the author does. There’s a lot of care to describe all sorts of things about scenes, and even the history of the places, and characters. I will admit that there’s definitely some tropes in this book. But I think the book is still really successful in the way it’s written because of all the work the author does in creating characters and other parts of the world. And the narrator does excellent work in bringing the book to life; she uses her voice well and gives the book all sorts of incredible moments. I definitely recommend this series.
(Just a note, before I get started with my review. Since I read an audiobook version on Spotify, I am not 100% sure how some names and things are spelt, so I apologise if I misspell them.) In the last paragraph I mentioned that the book follows on from events in book 2. Because of this, if you have not read the first two books, it might be difficult for you to understand a lot of stuff happening in this book. The author does a good job of trying to explain a lot of things, such as events, and giving basic introductions of characters that were introduced to the series prior. However, there are still a lot of things that may be difficult to understand, if you have not read the earlier books in the series, because you might not be aware of a bunch of situations that are plot relevant to understanding the situations in this book.
My first thought about the book is that I do like it. I think the author takes appropriate steps to make sure to give some progress between the second book and this one; to give us an idea of what Willow has done in between the two. It’s good to hear about her concerns about the problems going on in the magical world, and how people she knows have been affected by these problems. Just like the other two books in the series so far, there’s a huge emotional depth to this book. Willow has some very real feeling emotions, especially because she feels like she’s tried to tell people things, yet that people aren’t believing her, or heeding her warnings.
One thing I really like about this book is the conspiracy aspects in the beginning of the book, and the way Willow has a lot of confusion about what is happening with the school stuff, and the recent changes to allow her into the school. I think a lot of it works well because of the drama and suspense that these scenes bring to the book. And there are also a lot of action scenes, full of incredible stuff happening, as well as all the exploration that Willow does. She goes on an incredible adventure, and she gets to visit some incredible places. One really great portion is when the author is taking us through elf houses, and I really enjoyed hearing about the way they’re built and formed. It was fascinating stuff, and I thought it presented some really great worldbuilding, where the author has taken care to think of the lives of the people she creates, as well as the places they inhabit. It felt like a really special moment, when we got to take a trip through the city, and learn more about the history of the lives of elves. Fascinating stuff, in my opinion. There was also a lot of good foreshadowing. Not just in this book, but the author also used a lot of foreshadowing that had initially been presented from other books. And one key thing I enjoyed about that is that characters were still being considered; a lot of them weren’t just forgotten about. It makes it feel more realistic, in my opinion, because such characters still have an impact on Starfell and still have an impact in Willow’s life.
Just like the other books in the series so far, I absolutely adore the narration by Tuppence Middleton. In this book, she again does some fabulous work. I know I’ve said this many times, but I love the voice she does for Oswin. Her exclamations of his remarks, like “oh, me horrid aunt!” and stuff like that make me smile. Oswin is a character I can relate to so much. I, too, would be super freaked out by so many of the scenarios being faced. And the narrator does a great job with all the other characters and scenarios, too. There’s a good level of emotion in a lot of the situations, and she has good tones for conveying levels of emotions, and a lot of good pacing to provide suspense. I think there was a lot of good vocal work done here.
Overall, I thought the book was pretty good. It was a great adventure, and there were a bunch of scenes that I enjoyed a lot. The key favourite thing I enjoy about the books so far is the worldbuilding that the author does. There’s a lot of care to describe all sorts of things about scenes, and even the history of the places, and characters. I will admit that there’s definitely some tropes in this book. But I think the book is still really successful in the way it’s written because of all the work the author does in creating characters and other parts of the world. And the narrator does excellent work in bringing the book to life; she uses her voice well and gives the book all sorts of incredible moments. I definitely recommend this series.
January 10, 2022
The Plot: Includes minor refs to the previous story.
Willow is heading to school. Not just any school but one that now accepts magical children into its classes. Usually, this would all seem very inclusive. But Willow is suspicious. Up unto this point, the schools, which are controlled by the Brothers of Wol, have wanted nothing to do with magical folk. In fact, they have done everything to push magic as far out of the kingdom as possible.
But, the wizard, Silas, has managed through magic to get himself in charge of the brotherhood. Worse still, he has somehow managed to convince the magical folk of the Enchancil (the magic council) to send their kids to school. To Willow, this just doesn't seem possible, let alone credible. Her parents and the council seem to have forgotten the evil Silas and the brotherhood have done.
To find out more, Willow heads to school. She instantly is considered dangerous and scares the kids and the teacher. Just when the teacher thinks things couldn't get worse than having a witch pupil, another arrives in the form of an elf child called Twist Howling. Twist, who controls the icy Northwind, comes in a literal mini tornado and creates more havoc as the classroom is turned upside down. Once the class settles, the teacher opens the new coursework sent by the Brothers of Wol. Suddenly, and most suspiciously, he is all confident.
Placing a chalk X on the classroom door, he instructs the pupils to open their new books. This reveals the Brother's plans — to teach the magical and non-magical kids alike that magic is evil and wrong. Worse still, the X on the door is magic and will cause all the kids to go home happy and content and help dissuade them from using magic again. Effectively it is brainwashing!
Not only that, Willow and company discover that Silas is working on a way to strip the magic from all magical beings in Starfell! The kids are just the first stage in a monstrous plan which will elevate Silas to the status of a god. Well, in his eyes at least, and who would be left to oppose him if they are all subdued???
All Silas needs to complete his plan is the 'elf staff', a powerful magical staff that belonged to the queen of the vanished elf kingdom of Llandunia. The staff could give, or take away, the magic of anyone or thing. But the kingdom and staff disappeared at the end of the last magic war to save Starfell. Nobody living knows their whereabouts. That is no living human or elf. Silas has pinched an old elf manuscript that is supposed to reveal the whereabouts of the kingdom.
So, knowing this, Willow, Twist, Oswin, and Peg – the only non-magical kid in the class who's not afraid of the magic – must set off to find what is lost and really doesn't want to be found. But can they escape the classroom and the enchanted handcuffs the school teacher is intent on shackling our heroes with?!
OK, I could easily give away so much here as the adventure does literally take off and becomes a classic race between good and evil. So that is where I must leave you to discover for yourselves what happens to our heroine and her companions.
So, what did we think?
Brilliant! Willow's adventures keep on getting better and better. This is the best story to date, and the first two were excellent, as I am sure you recall me saying. It really had Mrs H, and me hooked. I even got Mrs H up early to light the fires and make breakfast so she could come back to bed and read the closing chapters to me this morning.
It really ROCKS in more ways than one. And dear Oswin, the so very much like but not a cat Kobold, has a really great adventure too, and a not so welcome but funny reunion.
The best books do have an underlying theme, and I am sure you would agree on reading that the morals of this story are nicely woven into it. It is all too easy for adults to forget that we need to learn about the rights and wrongs of things. And understand the value of friendships and the smallest of gifts or talents that might not seem much, especially when compared to others.
Add to this the interior and cover artwork by the very talented Sarah Warburton, and you have an excellent all-around sense of everything that makes this series so worthwhile.
So . . . .
Crunch time.
There is no crunch in this adventure unless you count the many trolls and fierce dragons. So, if you know someone who would like this in their stocking this year, and there is really no upper age limit to that, then do consider getting a copy. There you have it. There is nothing more to add, except that book four is due next year, so there is a lot to look forward to. We, all being well, will review this as soon as we can.
Willow is heading to school. Not just any school but one that now accepts magical children into its classes. Usually, this would all seem very inclusive. But Willow is suspicious. Up unto this point, the schools, which are controlled by the Brothers of Wol, have wanted nothing to do with magical folk. In fact, they have done everything to push magic as far out of the kingdom as possible.
But, the wizard, Silas, has managed through magic to get himself in charge of the brotherhood. Worse still, he has somehow managed to convince the magical folk of the Enchancil (the magic council) to send their kids to school. To Willow, this just doesn't seem possible, let alone credible. Her parents and the council seem to have forgotten the evil Silas and the brotherhood have done.
To find out more, Willow heads to school. She instantly is considered dangerous and scares the kids and the teacher. Just when the teacher thinks things couldn't get worse than having a witch pupil, another arrives in the form of an elf child called Twist Howling. Twist, who controls the icy Northwind, comes in a literal mini tornado and creates more havoc as the classroom is turned upside down. Once the class settles, the teacher opens the new coursework sent by the Brothers of Wol. Suddenly, and most suspiciously, he is all confident.
Placing a chalk X on the classroom door, he instructs the pupils to open their new books. This reveals the Brother's plans — to teach the magical and non-magical kids alike that magic is evil and wrong. Worse still, the X on the door is magic and will cause all the kids to go home happy and content and help dissuade them from using magic again. Effectively it is brainwashing!
Not only that, Willow and company discover that Silas is working on a way to strip the magic from all magical beings in Starfell! The kids are just the first stage in a monstrous plan which will elevate Silas to the status of a god. Well, in his eyes at least, and who would be left to oppose him if they are all subdued???
All Silas needs to complete his plan is the 'elf staff', a powerful magical staff that belonged to the queen of the vanished elf kingdom of Llandunia. The staff could give, or take away, the magic of anyone or thing. But the kingdom and staff disappeared at the end of the last magic war to save Starfell. Nobody living knows their whereabouts. That is no living human or elf. Silas has pinched an old elf manuscript that is supposed to reveal the whereabouts of the kingdom.
So, knowing this, Willow, Twist, Oswin, and Peg – the only non-magical kid in the class who's not afraid of the magic – must set off to find what is lost and really doesn't want to be found. But can they escape the classroom and the enchanted handcuffs the school teacher is intent on shackling our heroes with?!
OK, I could easily give away so much here as the adventure does literally take off and becomes a classic race between good and evil. So that is where I must leave you to discover for yourselves what happens to our heroine and her companions.
So, what did we think?
Brilliant! Willow's adventures keep on getting better and better. This is the best story to date, and the first two were excellent, as I am sure you recall me saying. It really had Mrs H, and me hooked. I even got Mrs H up early to light the fires and make breakfast so she could come back to bed and read the closing chapters to me this morning.
It really ROCKS in more ways than one. And dear Oswin, the so very much like but not a cat Kobold, has a really great adventure too, and a not so welcome but funny reunion.
The best books do have an underlying theme, and I am sure you would agree on reading that the morals of this story are nicely woven into it. It is all too easy for adults to forget that we need to learn about the rights and wrongs of things. And understand the value of friendships and the smallest of gifts or talents that might not seem much, especially when compared to others.
Add to this the interior and cover artwork by the very talented Sarah Warburton, and you have an excellent all-around sense of everything that makes this series so worthwhile.
So . . . .
Crunch time.
There is no crunch in this adventure unless you count the many trolls and fierce dragons. So, if you know someone who would like this in their stocking this year, and there is really no upper age limit to that, then do consider getting a copy. There you have it. There is nothing more to add, except that book four is due next year, so there is a lot to look forward to. We, all being well, will review this as soon as we can.
January 31, 2023
What worked:
The author offers an interesting twist to a familiar plot. A wizard named Silas manipulates others in order to accumulate all of the magic for himself. Willow can’t understand why her parents now support Silas or why the mortal school is now accepting magical folk. It turns out Silas is using illegal magic to control other people’s minds and he plans to steal the magic from young, magical children first. As a witch, Willow has encountered Silas in previous books and she’s well aware of his diabolical schemes.
Willow teams up with her best friend Oswin (the last kobold), an elf girl named Twist, and a human boy named Peg. Oswin adds humor to the events with his whining and laments and he frequently gets upset when characters mistake him for a cat. Twist is an intriguing character as she is able to “control” the winds from the North, the most difficult zephyrs to harness. She blows into the classroom atop a chilling tornado and she’s able to wield the winds like a weapon. A trip to her home among the elves is on tap where the trio will uncover new clues. Peg has no special powers other than being intelligent and an excellent problem solver. He’s not sure if he'll be able to help but sometimes a sharp mind is the most valuable kind of magic.
The plot is a fast-moving adventure as the young heroes attempt to locate a city that disappeared one thousand years ago. The kids believe an elven staff is hidden in the city and it has the potential power to draw magic from every living thing. For a book with around 200 pages, the author is still able to develop the characters and their relationships and the plot includes enough detail to keep it interesting. The story is able to maintain a swift pace by not including any lengthy twists or major roadblocks so resolving the problem always seems to be just around the corner. Obstacles still emerge to keep the story following a winding path to the eventual, dramatic showdown.
What didn’t work as well:
The lack of major setbacks or detours keeps the plot moving but it omits opportunities to develop greater suspense. The problems are sometimes solved too easily so tension isn’t given time to develop. However, the story and characters are appealing enough to keep the book entertaining.
The Final Verdict:
The book is able to combine a quick-moving plot with compelling problems and characters to result in a compelling story. It can be enjoyed without reading the previous two books but I kind of wish I’d known they existed first. Overall, I recommend this book for your reading pleasure.
The author offers an interesting twist to a familiar plot. A wizard named Silas manipulates others in order to accumulate all of the magic for himself. Willow can’t understand why her parents now support Silas or why the mortal school is now accepting magical folk. It turns out Silas is using illegal magic to control other people’s minds and he plans to steal the magic from young, magical children first. As a witch, Willow has encountered Silas in previous books and she’s well aware of his diabolical schemes.
Willow teams up with her best friend Oswin (the last kobold), an elf girl named Twist, and a human boy named Peg. Oswin adds humor to the events with his whining and laments and he frequently gets upset when characters mistake him for a cat. Twist is an intriguing character as she is able to “control” the winds from the North, the most difficult zephyrs to harness. She blows into the classroom atop a chilling tornado and she’s able to wield the winds like a weapon. A trip to her home among the elves is on tap where the trio will uncover new clues. Peg has no special powers other than being intelligent and an excellent problem solver. He’s not sure if he'll be able to help but sometimes a sharp mind is the most valuable kind of magic.
The plot is a fast-moving adventure as the young heroes attempt to locate a city that disappeared one thousand years ago. The kids believe an elven staff is hidden in the city and it has the potential power to draw magic from every living thing. For a book with around 200 pages, the author is still able to develop the characters and their relationships and the plot includes enough detail to keep it interesting. The story is able to maintain a swift pace by not including any lengthy twists or major roadblocks so resolving the problem always seems to be just around the corner. Obstacles still emerge to keep the story following a winding path to the eventual, dramatic showdown.
What didn’t work as well:
The lack of major setbacks or detours keeps the plot moving but it omits opportunities to develop greater suspense. The problems are sometimes solved too easily so tension isn’t given time to develop. However, the story and characters are appealing enough to keep the book entertaining.
The Final Verdict:
The book is able to combine a quick-moving plot with compelling problems and characters to result in a compelling story. It can be enjoyed without reading the previous two books but I kind of wish I’d known they existed first. Overall, I recommend this book for your reading pleasure.
February 7, 2022
WILLOW MOSS AND THE VANISHED KINGDOM is another quest for this heroine with unique (and unflashy but useful) powers. This time it's not a day or a tale that needs to be found, it's a whole kingdom before the evil Silas finds it - and uses the staff hidden there to destroy magic.
The book is as readable and amusing as the previous instalments. The pacing is snappy, but has plenty of space given to building the world so the new elements feel set up (the newspaper article at the start is a brilliant example of concise foreshadowing and world building.) The illustrations and different sizes and fonts used add to the quirky feel of the book. It's a great visual reflection of the writing's tone.
The elves, who have been in the background as offhand mentions before, get to be properly introduced. I haven't seen a take on elvish magic like this before, and it's so much fun. It's really different to the usual forest-bound elves a la Tolkien, instead focusing on rock and air magics.
Oswin the Kobold (NEVER a cat!) is back! I suspect he's a character in every book, which is good as he is my favourite character. I just love his doom-laden perspective, his constant complaints (which all disguises a fierce loyalty), and the way his speech is written. I laugh a lot at his moments in the books.
There is another book out this year and, as the paperback release is only 6 months after hardback (rather than the 12 months it's been before), I'll probably get to read it this year. It looks like it will be a more direct sequel than the previously, directly linked to the events of this book rather than being another adventure thwarting the Brothers of Wol.
The book is as readable and amusing as the previous instalments. The pacing is snappy, but has plenty of space given to building the world so the new elements feel set up (the newspaper article at the start is a brilliant example of concise foreshadowing and world building.) The illustrations and different sizes and fonts used add to the quirky feel of the book. It's a great visual reflection of the writing's tone.
The elves, who have been in the background as offhand mentions before, get to be properly introduced. I haven't seen a take on elvish magic like this before, and it's so much fun. It's really different to the usual forest-bound elves a la Tolkien, instead focusing on rock and air magics.
Oswin the Kobold (NEVER a cat!) is back! I suspect he's a character in every book, which is good as he is my favourite character. I just love his doom-laden perspective, his constant complaints (which all disguises a fierce loyalty), and the way his speech is written. I laugh a lot at his moments in the books.
There is another book out this year and, as the paperback release is only 6 months after hardback (rather than the 12 months it's been before), I'll probably get to read it this year. It looks like it will be a more direct sequel than the previously, directly linked to the events of this book rather than being another adventure thwarting the Brothers of Wol.
March 7, 2021
It's a Starfell book! There was no way I was not going to love it! Although I must first say.... Dominique WHY THAT ENDING!!!! I need the sequel now!
Unlike the previous two books, this one is a story not written into one book, but only half of the adventure, and this time there is an evil that needs stopping, or terrible things could happen to Willow and all magical beings.
The writing style felt slightly different to the first two books, but not in a bad way. It was as if Dominque had introduced you to Willow Moss in the first two books and then took you on the adventure she had been building up to. I love it! It still your loveable 'not-a-cat', a magical world and her writing style that flows through your mind, creating the full world in beautiful vivid colours around you page by page; but with more.
I cannot wait to read the sequel, and I have to say, I have set a countdown with that cliff-hanger!
Unlike the previous two books, this one is a story not written into one book, but only half of the adventure, and this time there is an evil that needs stopping, or terrible things could happen to Willow and all magical beings.
The writing style felt slightly different to the first two books, but not in a bad way. It was as if Dominque had introduced you to Willow Moss in the first two books and then took you on the adventure she had been building up to. I love it! It still your loveable 'not-a-cat', a magical world and her writing style that flows through your mind, creating the full world in beautiful vivid colours around you page by page; but with more.
I cannot wait to read the sequel, and I have to say, I have set a countdown with that cliff-hanger!
October 17, 2022
3.5/5⭐
di buku ketiga ini willow punya teman baru yaitu twist si elf dan peg si anak manusia. karena masih harus melawan silas yg mencoba ngambil tongkat peri yg hilang untuk memperkuat sihirnya, mereka bertiga berpetualang ke berbagai tempat termasuk ke negri troll yg konon merupakan tempat kerajaan llandunia yg hilang.
bukan cuma harus menemukan tongkat peri yg hilang sebelum keduluan sama silas, willow dan teman2 juga harus menemukan kerajaan llandunia yg hilang tsb.
lucunya buku ini dari yg pertama smpai yg ketiga, kasus yg dihadapi willow ini unik dan yg harus ditemukan juga bukan benda, melainkan hal2 yg ga keduga. seperti hari yg hilang yg diceritakan dibuku pertama, fairytale yg hilang di buku ke2, dan yg ke3 ini malah kerajaan yg hilang wkwk ga biasa bgt. ceritanya menghibur, ringan juga, karakternya funny dan unik. soon baca yg ke4 yg baru2 aja rilis
di buku ketiga ini willow punya teman baru yaitu twist si elf dan peg si anak manusia. karena masih harus melawan silas yg mencoba ngambil tongkat peri yg hilang untuk memperkuat sihirnya, mereka bertiga berpetualang ke berbagai tempat termasuk ke negri troll yg konon merupakan tempat kerajaan llandunia yg hilang.
bukan cuma harus menemukan tongkat peri yg hilang sebelum keduluan sama silas, willow dan teman2 juga harus menemukan kerajaan llandunia yg hilang tsb.
lucunya buku ini dari yg pertama smpai yg ketiga, kasus yg dihadapi willow ini unik dan yg harus ditemukan juga bukan benda, melainkan hal2 yg ga keduga. seperti hari yg hilang yg diceritakan dibuku pertama, fairytale yg hilang di buku ke2, dan yg ke3 ini malah kerajaan yg hilang wkwk ga biasa bgt. ceritanya menghibur, ringan juga, karakternya funny dan unik. soon baca yg ke4 yg baru2 aja rilis
May 14, 2021
This is another example of why my job is the frikkin' best. I adooooore Willow Moss and this third installment was - as usual - amazing and cute, exciting and ugh, so so so good. Character driven children's books with fast-paced plots are rare, but this series absolutely nails it every time. I love this more than I ever loved Harry Potter - the only other children's series that might come close being the Polar Bear Club (I forget its real title).
Willow's emotions and her attachment and fierce loyalty to her friends is so wholesome. It moves me every time. Everyone is so supportive of their friends, and their uniqueness, and even the villain is respected as a person with emotional baggage. YES.
Willow's emotions and her attachment and fierce loyalty to her friends is so wholesome. It moves me every time. Everyone is so supportive of their friends, and their uniqueness, and even the villain is respected as a person with emotional baggage. YES.
January 29, 2024
Une nouvelle aventure pour Violette où elle part à la recherche d'un mystérieux royaume qui pourrait être la clé pour sauver les enfants ayant des pouvoirs magiques. Des amis magiques de toutes sortes l'aideront dans son périple pour vaincre son ennemi qui gagne en puissance. Ce qui est bien avec cette série c'est la maladresse et la naïveté du personnage principale. Sans être nouille, elle est attendrissante et on aime ses détours de pensées qui lui font résoudre les problèmes de façon originale. Le monstre de dessous de lit est l'un des personnages fétiches de cette série et me fait toujours rire. Une belle série pour les 9 ans et plus sur la résilience, l'entraide et la persévérance.
March 7, 2021
I really like Willow as a character, she is earnest and kind and always tries her best no matter what. Her new friends in this one were also a delight, I love Twist and her open frankness and Peg is a delight, the acceptance of each other was one of my favourite parts of this book. I also thought it was very clever how previous things Willow had done or encountered played a part in this book. Looking forward to reading more in this delightful series.
June 13, 2021
This lacks the spark of the first two books by quite a margin. I found the plot nonexistent, Willow’s powers were hardly used or mentioned, and all the new characters made me wonder if there was a book in the series that I had missed—even though I’ve read them all!
The three different fonts being used in chapter 14 also made for some rather difficult reading. It looks pretty aesthetically but it’s not exactly reader-friendly. Good ending, though.
The three different fonts being used in chapter 14 also made for some rather difficult reading. It looks pretty aesthetically but it’s not exactly reader-friendly. Good ending, though.
July 27, 2021
Starfell is my favourite middle grade series now!!! The story is a perfect fairy tale: with dragons, wonders, wizards and witches. I was afraid the third book would be the last because there was so much more to be written about this world, but I think there is more to come. I can’t wait!
You can read my review about the series on BogiWrites: https://www.bogiwrites.com/starfell-t...
You can read my review about the series on BogiWrites: https://www.bogiwrites.com/starfell-t...
July 4, 2021
4.25
All of Willow's friends were back again and the fight against Silas and his evil plans continued. New friends were made along the way too! It's so nice to see characters from previous volumes reappear too! I'm really curious to see how the story is going to continue from here as the ending was quite dramatic!
All of Willow's friends were back again and the fight against Silas and his evil plans continued. New friends were made along the way too! It's so nice to see characters from previous volumes reappear too! I'm really curious to see how the story is going to continue from here as the ending was quite dramatic!
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