When it’s done well, I love a speculative fiction book that blends fantasy elements with sci fi, magic with hard science.
I could go on and on, so let me just focus on the three areas that bothered me the most regarding Keeper of the Lost Cities: the blase treatment/combo of science and magic, Sophie’s super specialness (and unconvincing nature as a character), and the unabashed Harry Potter ripoffs. Oh yeah, and it turns out that Sophie Foster, our protagonist, is not only superduper desirable (a humble twelve year old, but already commanding the attentions of fifteen year olds) but possesses unparalleled power and is The One who can Save them All. It then morphs into Harry Potter knock-off land, complete with a prestigious, secret and ultra selective academy for young prodigious elves, with classes in specialized areas like alchemy and telepathy. Right? What Keeper of the Lost Cities delivers instead is a story about ultra-beautiful, ultra-intelligent, ultra-magical elves (yes, elves), whose existence is secret from disgusting humans. A poor man’s Harry Potter, featuring a super special snowflake of a heroine, Keeper of the Lost Cities is a sadly disappointing – and frequently laughable – dud.īut let’s start at the beginning, shall we? From the synopsis, this novel seems like it would be about a telepathic twelve year old girl that discovers secrets about her family, her true birthright, and her abilities. Unfortunately, Keeper of the Lost Cities falls deep on the Shark Tale end of the MG/YA spectrum. Granted, many kids like all of these films and there is some entertainment value to find in each of them – but there’s a huge difference in storytelling skill and in quality. On the other, there are the lamentable films like Fly Me to the Moon, or Robots, or Shark Tale.
On the one side, there are gems like Wall-E and Up and Toy Story. There are two ends of the CG animated movie spectrum. Original review posted on The Book Smugglers In this page-turning debut, Shannon Messenger creates a riveting story where one girl must figure out why she is the key to her brand-new world, before the wrong person finds the answer first. There are secrets buried deep in Sophie’s memory-secrets about who she really is and why she was hidden among humans-that other people desperately want. Sophie has new rules to learn and new skills to master, and not everyone is thrilled that she has come “home.” In the blink of an eye, Sophie is forced to leave behind everything and start a new life in a place that is vastly different from anything she has ever known. She discovers there’s a place she does belong, and that staying with her family will place her in grave danger. It’s a talent she’s never known how to explain.Įverything changes the day she meets Fitz, a mysterious boy who appears out of nowhere and also reads minds. She’s a Telepath-someone who hears the thoughts of everyone around her. Twelve-year-old Sophie Foster has a secret.
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