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Reviewed by:
  • The Castle in the Mist by Amy Ephron
  • April Spisak
Ephron, Amy The Castle in the Mist. Philomel, 2017 [192p]
Trade ed. ISBN 978-0-399-54698-3 $16.99
E-book ed. ISBN 978-0-399-54699-0 $10.99
Reviewed from galleys Ad Gr. 4-6

It doesn’t seem like there’s going to be much to do in Tess’ aunt’s quiet little English village, but that’s where Tess and her brother Max are planted for the summer. Of course, that’s exactly the sort of place that lends itself to magical adventures in fantasy novels, and this village doesn’t disappoint, as Tess quickly encounters a mysterious boy named William of whom nobody has heard, carnival rides that must be paid for in wishes, and other unusual elements. There are scenes, particularly on the carousel that is a key location in the novel, that are transcendent in their beautiful, ethereal descriptions; these are the spots where the talents of Ephron, an adult author trying her hand at books for kids, come through the most clearly. However, the book hits some wrong notes (the sibs’ mother’s illness is disclosed to the readers up front but never to the protagonists themselves), and the magic plot pairs uncomfortably with a non-magical mystery about who William is (and when he was actually alive) and what’s up with an old untended house. Readers who don’t mind these issues may appreciate this short, ultimately uplifting novel about family and connection. [End Page 213]

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