I know that this book does not make the approval guidelines of the 2010 Cybils, but I am including this book in my Cybil label book review because the sequel, “Savvy”, does make the cut. I personally cannot read a book that is later in a series without reading the prior books. So, I have even more reading to do in the upcoming months as I try to catch up on some series.
I finally got around to reading this novel after a year of checking it out and never getting to it. I am so glad the Cybils have forced me to get with the times and read this book. What a lovely story. I fell in love with the storyline despite the fact that nothing grotesque or weird or anything disturbing actually happened.
For those of you that have been living in the dark like myself and don’t know what the novel is about, here is a quick summary.
My Thoughts:
The storyline really captured my interest. I loved the element of the savvy, but it was not so magical and fantasy like at all. In many ways, this felt like a real story (yes, besides the fact that her brother could conjure up storms and winds instantly or that Mibs could hear through ink faces). Their savvies were extreme to showcase the true nature of humans – that we all have savvy. One of the most emotional pieces and savvy moments *Potential Spoiler Alert* was when she told her father that his savvy was never giving up. That reflects back to the reader that we all have some savvy. Another thing that grabbed my interest is that I really cared for these characters. I felt many times myself rooting for something good to happen. The whole course of events kept me entertained and anxiously waiting for the end which is what a good story does. Despite the fact that there were conflicts (a story must have one in order to be a story), I really don’t label any particular character as being “bad”. This was unique to me because it once again displayed the idea that everyone has good and bad qualities and it is up to us to figure out how to balance our strengths and weaknesses. The ending was a great ending as closure was given to the story, but an opening to allow for a sequel. I cannot wait to get the sequel and read that to find out not only what will happen next, but to write about it as an actual Cybil book.
I would recommend this story to everyone, young and old, because it has such a great universal message. For some reason I kept thinking of Walk Two Moons even though it has been years since I have read that story. I feel some deep parallel between the two. Maybe it is the way each book grabbed a hold of me. Who knows, but this is such a fun, entertaining read that you must check it out. Alright, I am off to continue my Cybil reading. Starting in on Falling In by Frances O’Roark Dowell.
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