Darwen Arkwright and the Peregrine Pact (review)

As a transplant from England now living in Atlanta, eleven-year-old Darwen Arkwright is having a tough time: his rough Northern English accent does nothing to impress his new schoolmates, his distracted workaholic aunt makes a terrible cup of tea, and now the mirror hanging in his bedroom closet has become a potential gateway for monstrous creatures from another realm. That last problem starts as a lark: after receiving the antique mirror as a gift from the mysterious Mr. Peregrine, Darwen discovers it leads to Silbrica, a magical place complete with fairies and woodland spirits where Darwen can forget his worries. Unfortunately, Silbrica also houses a number of other much less pleasant creatures who, under the leadership of an evil sorcerer, plan to infiltrate the human world and destroy all that is good. From the tusked, piggish beasts called scrobblers to the barrel-chested, no-headed gnashers, the frightening creatures of Silbrica are indeed impressive feats of imagination. Unfortunately, the plot lacks similar inspiration—Darwen's inevitable defeat of the creatures with the help of two similarly outcast classmates and the power of love is too predictable, and there's unnecessary complication in the revision of elements of Native American history to create the supernatural backstory. There is, however, an entertaining connection between Darwen's elite academy and Silbrica, and young readers will certainly agree with the author's supposition that some teachers are simply inhuman. The literary world can always use another orphaned boy with a knack for heroics, and Darwen fills that bill nicely.