Ruby Coral Carnelianby Wolfen MoonsgetReviews may contain information that could be considered 'spoilers'. Readers should proceed at their own risk. Publisher
Credits Grade: 8 (Note: Mary Borsellino is a former Tart writer.)Del is an apprentice to a wizard -- not the sort meant to become a wizard himself, but rather more of a slave. Just when his master decides to sell him off to another wizard, where he'd face far worse prospects than his current situation, Del receives a letter from one of the wizard's own children, Kelsie. She asks him to come to her school; together, they rescue her twin brother, Nicholas, from his own school, then set off together -- and learn that though they grew up together, they don't know each other that well at all. Borsellino takes a risk by writing this story in the present tense, but she does it well; I love her voice! The characters are flawed in likable ways that cause just the right level of tension and misunderstanding between them; I enjoy the angst of Del trying to relate to these people that are so different from him (and vice versa), and the focus on the characters. There's also a great little mystery that slowly and deliciously unravels as we are given little clues. There's a certain level of detachment, though, with a lot of telling about things that happen off-screen. Even when things do happen, it's often stuff that's observed by Del. The detachment suits his emotionally-stunted character very well, but sometimes it can be frustrating to read. At times, it even feels more like this is Kelsie's story, despite the fact that Del has a great story of his own going on. It's also short, more of a long novella than a novel. I'm sad that this is a one-shot, because there's a lot of interesting concepts here just begging to be explored, and more adventures to be had. I feel like there's some great stuff happening just beyond my sight. But even with that frustration, I did quite enjoy the journey! The story also treads upon territory not often travelled, but I really hope more stories follow the example set here: namely, the story delves into the subject of gender-identity from the perspective of the gender-fluid, as opposed to just the slightly more commonly explored territory of those who seek to change gender in a more permanent and defined manner. It's very valuable, I feel, to have literature that acknowledges and even represents that aspect of gender identity -- especially for teens. In the end, this story is a refreshingly different approach to storytelling, so if you want something new in the young adult fantasy genre, in both style and subject, this ebook is definitely worth a look! Written: May 12, 2013
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