Medium – Audiobook
About the Book – Isabella Riosse is the daughter of a cartographer, trapped on an island ruled by a cruel governor. One day a young girl in her class is murdered by an unknown but terrifying beast, and Isabella’s best friend (who is also the governor’s daughter) disappears into the island’s forgotten territories. Upset, Isabella volunteers to act as a guide to search for her friend – which will not only hopefully help her friend, but will also satisfy the curiosity that Isabella has felt for all of her life about the missing parts of her island. The world beyond her village is a monster-filled wasteland, and Isabella soon discovers that an ancient fire-demon is rising from its sleep. She must try and find her friend, but also save the island itself.
My Rating – 4.5/5
My Thoughts – One of the aims that I have for the books I pick from now on is to pick books without traditional ‘white English/American’ heroes and heroines, but instead to look for books which have main characters that don’t look like me. I went to a bookshop yesterday and was really pleased to see a gamut of books with people of colour as the main characters. This book was one I picked as an audiobook from one of those Audible sales. I had heard really good things about it, and I enjoy listening to children’s books – I often find they are more imaginative than adult ones! The setting is sort of Latin American, with characters from all around the world. The island of Joya is created beautifully, and you really get the feel for this island that once freely wandered the world but is now stuck in place.
One of the reviews that I read mentioned that the story reads like a fairytale that is 1000 years old, and I really agree with that. It’s got all the elements of a good fairytale – friendship, bravery, a good monster, sadness and happiness – bound together with beautiful descriptive writing and an exciting plot. It’s a book (audiobook) that I could come back to again and again, and I think get something new every time. As with all audiobooks, the narrator does make a difference, and I really enjoyed the narrator for this – she had great voices for all the characters, both female and male. The characters were lovely, and I especially enjoyed Isa and her friend Lupe’s friendship. Overall, thoroughly recommended for both children and adults!
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