Between Worlds

by Melissa Mead

For 150 years the Kankenni (Cantrips, to humans) have hidden underground in terror of the humans who once massacred them. Their ability to walk between the worlds of body and mind can't keep their children from dying, or their race from becoming extinct. Miska once had a human grandfather, and she adored him. She can't believe that humans are such an awful threat. Soon Miska finds herself in the heart of the human world. It's just as fascinating and wondrous as she imagined-and far more dangerous. Some humans are slowly, systematically poisoning the Kankenni. They're watching Miska, and she can't find her way home alone. She'll need the help of a Temple acolyte and a girl who knows more about Worldwalking than she realizes to stop the killers. Even then, the worlds will never be the same.

Nook

First published August 16, 2005

Reviews

[Christie Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun fantasy story, and its strongest point is its fascinating, well-developed world. Like many fantastical places from Narnia to Hogwarts, the Kankenni world leaps off of pages into the imagination. Their culture is different yet relatable, their appearances recognizable, and their "magic" exciting. I enjoyed the characters, especially Lindi, the human with Kankenni abilities. Even lesser characters like the little girl Lila are endearing and memorable. Child characters who act their age are a rarity in fiction-- instead of being miniature adults, prodigies, or innocent victims--and this book contains several.
I was hooked from the moment the book opens, with Miska tending an infant. Maybe it's because I was holding my baby girl while reading but I was fully invested in the fate of that baby. I couldn't put it down.