Flora Nemain Fyrdraaca ov Fyrdraaca finds being (almost) fourteen a difficult age. Her birthday is in only a few days, when she'll reach her majority and be expected to follow the the family tradition of soldiering, even though it isn't what she wants to do. In fact, she has to do a lot of things she doesn't like. Her mother (the General) and her sister (another soldier) are often away leaving Flora to fend for herself and watch Poppy, her father who has been mourning for years and tends to drown his misery drinking. Ever since her mother banished the magical Butler from their house (Crackpot Hall) only a handful of the eleven thousand rooms are accessible and the house has a tendency to change unexpectedly without the Butler to keep it in line. So when a shortcut unwittingly leads Flora to the missing Butler, she embarks on a quest to free him and suddenly has more to worry about than turning fourteen.
Flora Segunda takes place in the Republic of Califa - a world steeped in bits of Aztec mythology and magic. This is a YA book, although the slight twists on the language (which add to the setting) tend to make it sound a little more childish, I think. The characters are very realistic - the General is military-esque, but also human, and the other main characters all have distinct personalities. I also really enjoyed the story - it's original and unpredictable. Overall, I thought this was an interesting, but also a fairly easy read. I definitely recommend it to fans of fantasy - particularly if you're looking for something a little out of the ordinary.
For those who are interested, the author has a website, although it seemed a little confusing.
- If this book sounds interesting, consider these: The Keys to the Kingdom, Howl's Moving Castle, Fly By Night, or Dark Lord of Derkholm
No comments:
Post a Comment