By Carol Matas and Perry Nodelman
The complex plot follows the adventures of Lenora, a headstrong princess with the power to make anything she imagines real, and Coren, the shy prince chosen by her parents to be her husband. Trapped in a strange land and stripped of their powers (Coren had been able to read the thoughts not only of humans, but also of animals and objects), the two must work together to overthrow the tyrannical Hevak, restore harmony to the country, and return home safely. Their triumph is particularly impressive and meaningful because it involves learning self-mastery (Lenora) and self-confidence (Coren) rather than simply overcoming an outside challenge through brute force. That the happy ending comes with no guarantees (and no imminent wedding bells) makes it even more believable and satisfying. The story moves swiftly and the writing is consistently smooth, with sophisticated vocabulary and challenging concepts. Matas and Nodelman have themselves done a heroic job of melding their two voices to create a kaleidoscope of character, cultures, and events that offers both entertainment and enrichment to young readers.
The complex plot follows the adventures of Lenora, a headstrong princess with the power to make anything she imagines real, and Coren, the shy prince chosen by her parents to be her husband. Trapped in a strange land and stripped of their powers (Coren had been able to read the thoughts not only of humans, but also of animals and objects), the two must work together to overthrow the tyrannical Hevak, restore harmony to the country, and return home safely. Their triumph is particularly impressive and meaningful because it involves learning self-mastery (Lenora) and self-confidence (Coren) rather than simply overcoming an outside challenge through brute force. That the happy ending comes with no guarantees (and no imminent wedding bells) makes it even more believable and satisfying. The story moves swiftly and the writing is consistently smooth, with sophisticated vocabulary and challenging concepts. Matas and Nodelman have themselves done a heroic job of melding their two voices to create a kaleidoscope of character, cultures, and events that offers both entertainment and enrichment to young readers.
Written in the alternating voices of Coren and Lenora, this book was rather surprising. At first I picked it up because the little teaser on the front cover interested me. (You can't escape your deepest thoughts). When I started reading it, it seemed pretty typical and I almost put it down. I'm glad I gave it a chance. Usually I'm not a fan of alternating narrators, but they did a very good job. I usually end up liking one character over another, and that was true with this novel, but even so, I looked forward to the plot developement. It was an entertaining read and had some interesting concepts. Having Coren and his people able to read each others minds was rather funny. (His mother just pops into his head whenever she thinks he needs a pick-me-up). Lenora on the other hand can imagine anything into life. She's a menace to her people because she is so powerful. A fun book when all is said and done.
No comments:
Post a Comment