Angel and Bavar by Amy Wilson (review)

Bavar's family is in charge of killing the monsters that sometimes escape their realm into the human world, and one of their failures resulted in the death of Angel's mother and father a year ago. Now Angel, who has no idea about her connection to Bavar, is new at Bavar's school, and she immediately latches on to Bavar, barreling into his home and his life. Bavar isn't receptive at first—he's spending most of his time trying to convince his grandfather that there must be a different way to deal with the monsters rather than killing them, as he is desperate to avoid becoming the cold, ruthless killers his parents grew into before they abandoned him. Angel may hold the key to that, however, and as Bavar slowly lets her into his life, the two grow closer to sealing the portal to the monsters' realm for good. The narration in this UK import alternates between Bavar and Angel, revealing their brokenness and their longing to find someone to relate to through their loneliness, and the comfort they find in each other is deeply moving; while their dialogue sounds old for the twelve-year-olds they are, their experiences give authenticity to their voices. Bavar's mansion home is a character in its own right, filled with talking portraits, endless hallways, and a very bossy bust of Bavar's grandfather, and Bavar and Angel's search through mysterious doors and changing rooms gives the story a solid focus and quick pace. Readers who enjoyed the oddness of Ormsbee's The House in Poplar Wood (BCCB 7/18) will find satisfaction in this tale of friendship forged in the strangest of circumstances. KQG