Review: On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

January 21, 2019January 9, 2019 Grace9 Comments

Title: On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

Author: Andrew Peterson

Summary

Janner, Tink, and Leeli Igiby have the secret of the lost legend and jewels of King Wingfeather of the Shining Isle of Anniera. The wicked Fangs of Dang have crossed the Dark Sea of Darkness and taken over Anniera, and the children, along with their dog Nugget, must escape their pursuit and brave horned hounds, the Black Carriage, Glipwood Forest, Peet the Sock Man, and the terrible toothy cows.

Review

On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness tells a well-paced story full of character and courage. It has enough character uniqueness and development to satisfy those who love character-driven stories, and an intriguing and fast-paced plot to satisfy those who read a book for the plot.

This story is filled with outlandish names, an unusual world, and funny footnotes that serve to both entertain and explain Anniera and its customs. We are thrown right into the world of Anniera, which can be disorienting, but the quirky writing style and well-used description make the world feel real and important.

I appreciated that despite the light tone and fast-paced plot, the characters’ struggles feel important and real. Janner, Tink, and Leeli all have unique personalities, strengths, and weaknesses. Their grandfather is a wise and quirky ex-pirate. Their mother is a loving, strong, and hard-working woman.

I also particularly liked the rich and authentic family relationships in this book. Often in teen and middle grade fiction, families are dysfunctional, not present, or treated as trivial and annoying. In On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness, we see how even through their struggles and perils, the Igibys love each other and lean on each other.

This story has many layers. The fear and suffering of the people in Anniera. The struggle of good versus evil. The realization that you can’t judge a person by how they look. The struggle to fight for what is right when most prefer to turn a blind eye on the injustice.

If You Like

If you liked the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling, the Eragon series by Christopher Paolini, the Narnia series by C. S. Lewis, the Hobbit series by J. R. R. Tolkien, or the Green Ember series by S. D. Smith, you will probably enjoy this book.

Let’s Chat!

Have you read On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness? What did you think? Have you noticed that lack of healthy family relationships in teen and middle grade fiction?

If You Like

December 17, 2018December 7, 2018 Grace10 Comments

If you like adventurous, action-packed stories with smells you can almost smell and characters you feel right beside, you might like:

Swipe by Evan Angler: In the future American Union, where you must be Marked with nano-ink to get a job, be a citizen, or buy things, Logan and Erin, two young people who are beginning to question if the government’s way of doing things is right,discover that the truth may be complicated… and frightening.

The Hobbit by J.R. R. Tolkien: Bilbo Baggins is a respectable, ordinary hobbit who stays faraway from adventure, until the wizard Gandalf chooses him to help a group of dwarves overcome the dragon Smaug and take back his mountain.

The Girl Who Could See by Kara Swanson: Fern Johnson can see into a world nobody else can, and has been labeled crazy for it, until it appears that danger from that world may destroy her own.

On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness by Andrew Peterson: The three Igiby siblings hold the legend and the jewels of King Wingfeather from the Shining Isle of Anniera, and the wicked Fangs of Dang pursue them relentlessly. They and their dog Nugget will need everything they have to survive the chase of the wicked Fangs.

The Green Ember by S. D. Smith: Rabbits with swords.

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart: Four children embark on a special undercover mission at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened.

Fawkes by Nadine Brandes: Everyone blames everyone else for the Stone Plague, but Thomas realizes that it is spreading and he must choose between proving himself to his father and betraying the girl he loves.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer: Cinder must uncover her past to protect her world in this exciting dystopian fairy-tale retelling.

Eragon by Christopher Paolini: An Alagaesian boy named Eragon discovers a dragon egg and becomes a Dragon Rider, putting him in the middle of a war between an evil king and those who resist him.

100 Cupboards by N. D. Wilson: After his parents disappear, Henry York moves to Kansas where he and his cousin discover hidden doors that lead to other worlds.

Let’s chat!

Have you read anything on this list? What would you add? Do you like adventure stories?

If You Like…

December 10, 2018December 7, 2018 Grace3 Comments

If you like sweet stories set in the past with spunky heroines, beautiful writing, and tastes of old-fashioned life, you might like:

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott: This classic story follows the life, joys, loves, and sadnesses of the four March sisters as they grow up in the nineteenth century.

Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery: An eleven-year-old orphan is mistakenly sent to live with an old brother and sister on a farm on Prince Edward Island and proceeds to astonish, horrify, and amuse everyone she encounters with her stunts and musings.

Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith: A light-skinned African-American girl passes for white so she can flywith the WASPs during WWII.

Cartwheeling in Thunderstorms by Katherine Rundell: “Will” Silver’s widowed father dies,and she is sent from Zimbabwe to a dreary English boarding school to learn howto be a lady. She must adjust to a new culture and new expectations.

Our Only May Amelia by Jennifer L. Holm: The mischievous May Amelia Jackson doesn’t want to act like a lady when her brothers get to have all the fun in 17^thcentury Washington.

Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson: When Hattie Brooks inherits her uncle’s claim, she travels from Iowa to make her home and prove herself in the rough country Montana. Meanwhile, she works toward her goal ofbeing a journalist and struggles to understand the prejudice of the town.

Boston Jane by Jennifer L. Holm: Jane Peck from Philadelphia is in for a shock when all her lessons in manners and etiquette are of no use to her as she makes a life for herself among the traders and Chinook Indians of 17^th century Washington Territory.