Fun, whimsical, and just a tad nostalgic, Emerald Child is a great fantasy adventure for young readers.
Hughes has done a brilliant job crafting a story that no doubt will capture young fantasy lovers and their parents alike. Indie is a wonderful, strong, capable girl--something I’m always excited to see in books meant for young readers--her supporting cast is fun and memorable and the adventure whisks you away from start to finish.
It reminds me of all the Studio Ghibli movies I watched as a kid, which is what make me think kids today would really enjoy it. It’s clean enough to be age appropriate, yet just dangerous enough to feel like there’s real weight behind characters’ choices. It’s whimsical and fun, but clever enough to treat kids like they’re smart.
If I really had to nit-pick, I’d say my only real complaint is that type of narrative Emerald Child goes on a well-worn path. It’s one that’s been used in a ton of fantasy novels, both for children and adults, over the years, which made it a bit predictable. However, given that it’s a book for kids, odds are they haven’t been as exposed to all the tropes yet, so they’ll still enjoy it well enough. Even if they can see what’s going on, there’s enough fun stuff here for them to still enjoy the ride.
So, if you have a young one in your life that loves to read, or you want to introduce to the love of reading, Emerald Child might make a good gift. It’s fun enough to get them to pick the book up and exciting enough to convince them to never put it down.
As posted on cheapreads.wordpress.com and tabbyafae.com on Dec 10, 2016.
内容紹介
A HIDDEN ISLAND. A FORGOTTEN CHILD. A KINGDOM RULED BY FEAR.
Far away on a hidden island, smoke rises from an ancient chest buried in the sand. When Indie sees a boy’s face in the smoke, she is sure he will answer her questions. But the boy, Kai, has a more desperate motive. He helps Indie escape from the island, knowing she is the only hope for Gort and the tree-dwelling Kalika people.
Far away on a hidden island, smoke rises from an ancient chest buried in the sand. When Indie sees a boy’s face in the smoke, she is sure he will answer her questions. But the boy, Kai, has a more desperate motive. He helps Indie escape from the island, knowing she is the only hope for Gort and the tree-dwelling Kalika people.
レビュー
"Emerald Child was an absolute delight. It just flowed so effortlessly. I honestly couldn't put it down."-- Daya Madden