Summary:
Kincaid Riley worked hard to get the schools desegregated, so those with and without magic could learn more about each other. Many agree with him, but some do not. And those who disagree have their own plans.
Additional Comments:
- I won’t go into the magic system here because that would probably lead to spoilers. At first, I was skeptical about it and thought it kinda corny. But it worked in the end, so it’s all good.
- I like how the book tackled the tensions between those who have magic and those who don’t. There’s no clear-cut, these are all the good people and these are all the bad people.
- Kid-safe book. Recommended for teens and pre-teens.
- World-building 4/5: I like that the nomers (those without magic) were broken into two categories, those that emphasized body/physical stuff and those that emphasized intellectual stuff.
- Plot 4/5: Despite a fair amount of meandering, the plot thickened nicely at the end. Some of the side conversations ended up having great meaning, so that’s a nice touch.
- Characters 4/5: Kincaid and Amity are pretty well fleshed out. Kincaid’s mother is kind of stock, but I don’t think she needs to be more here. I couldn’t pin down his sister. Sometimes, she acts young and other times she acts very, very young.
- Nit that probably won’t bother anybody else in the world. The descriptions of chem class sort of bothered me. The assignments seemed very vague and random. I tried to suspend my disbelief, but I am a chem teacher, albeit at a perfectly normal, non-magical high school.
Conclusion:
If you’re looking for a kid-friendly, book that deals with racial tensions in a fun/fantasy way, this is a great choice.
Associate links to follow…
Amazon Prime
The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family. Kid friendly.
If fantasy’s more your thing, go Redeemer Chronicles. The first, Awakening, is available as an audiobook.
Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – a kid deals with her parents’ divorce, bullies, and the wonder of discovery.
Try The Dark Side of Science – Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live.
OR
