Skip to main content

"The Wizard of Dark Street" by Shawn Thomas Odyssey

I liked The Wizard of Dark Street by Shawn Thomas Odyssey, and I hope Odyssey plans to make it the first in a series (it already has a cool website). Unfortunately, it could have used another edit.

The problem lies with the uneven tone of the novel. At times the story is serious -- and some horrible things have happened (spoilers later). But the novel also has some quirks that seem to be attempts at humor, but miss.

The heroine of the book is Oona Crate, a Natural Magician. She was born to do magic (other magicians must learn it), but after her father (The Wizard of Dark Street) was killed by the evil Red Martin and after she herself killed her mother and baby sister(!) with some uncontrolled magic, Oona wants to give up the family business and not be apprentice to her uncle (the new Wizard of Dark Street). Instead, she’d like to become a detective.

In some ways, the book calls to mind the wonderful Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clark. Dark Street is the last of the 13 “Faerie roads, connecting the World of Man to the fabled Land of Faerie.” It’s 13 miles long and at one end are the glass gates to the Land of Faerie. These gates were closed years ago after a battle with the Faerie Queen. As in Jonathan Strange, the Faeries are malevolent. At the other end, the Iron Gates separate the road from New York City. Once a night, at the stroke of midnight, the Iron Gates open to allow passage between the two worlds for a minute. Like the inhabitants of New York in Bill Willingham’s Fables graphic novels who don’t know that there are real-life fairy tale characters living in both the city and upstate New York, the denizens near the Iron Gates never notice Dark Street or venture past its gates. This is a rather nice setup that can lead to worlds of narratives (no pun intended). Also quite novel are lawyers of the Magicians Legal Alliance, who receive facial tattoos “upon the completion of every new course of study.” And Oona’s magical raven Deacon, who was imbued with all the knowledge of the Encyclopedia Arcanna, The Complete Oxford English Dictionary, and the Dark Street Who’s Who: 36 B.C. to Present.

But then there are odd things, like a bumbling police chief; the idea that everyone has English or Irish accents (or so we’re told, they’re not evident in the dialog); conniving witches who live under a hill; the too-cartoonish cover; and the stereotypical prissy Isadora as a foil to the more practical Oona.

Children (8 years old and up) will like this book and I intend to recommend it. It’s not Harry Potter, but it has charms. If Odyssey can make the narrative a bit tighter and paint the characters with less broader strokes in any sequels, it’ll be a great series.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Harry vs. Septimus

Sometimes, I like the Septimus Heap series more than the Harry Potter series. There I said it. It’s a secret I’ve kept from all but my kids for a long time. Don’t get me wrong: I’m wild about Harry. I’ve knitted Harry Potter bookmarks (in Gryffindor colors, naturally). I’ve thrown at least two Harry Potter-themed birthday parties, complete with a sorting hat I made. I’ve stood at line overnight at Barnes and Noble waiting for the next book to come out three times. I read Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire  in one day. But, often, I like Angie Sage’s Septimus Heap books ( Magyk , Flyte , Physik , Queste , Syren , and the just published Darke ) more. And I’m not entirely sure why. My current theory is that the Septimus Heap books are better written and, while also highly derivative, much more charming. The characters are human (muggles, even) and fraught with faults. Also, the Harry Potter books are, rightly so, about Harry. Everything is from Harry’s perspective. Sadly, we don...
1 comment
Read more

"Beartown" by Fredrik Backman

I’m about to be overly effusive: I loved Beartown by Fredrik Backman and I think it is one of the best books I’ve ever read. (See Tangent 1.) I even love the cover. Backman lured us into his Swedish world of curmudgeons and the neighbors who love them with A Man Called Ove and his other novellas. But this isn’t A Man Called Ove . This book has a much larger scope. This feels like the book Backman has always wanted to write but had to wait to give to us until he developed an audience. You got it, bro. I will read whatever else you write in the future. This book more deeply develops his ideas about communities. It is also about parenthood and all the responsibilities that go along with it. It’s about family and best friends who are like family. It’s about belonging. It’s about sorrow and happiness. And there’s some hockey. (Tangent 2.) You will hate some of the parents (Kevin’s, William’s). You will love some of the teens (Amat, Maya, Ana, Benji, Bobo, Leo...). Be prepared ...
Post a Comment
Read more

"Eighth Grade Is Killing Me," by Jennifer Holm and

Remember the old J.K. Rowling web site? The one me and hundreds (thousands?) of teens and kids (other adults?) used to pore over as we waited for the next book to come out? It opened with a picture of her desktop, and you could click on gum wrappers, paperclips, her date book and then cool things would happen. It was neat. Eighth Grade Is Making Me Sick , a new book by Jennifer Holm and illustrated by Elicia Castaldi, reminds me a lot of that site (which no longer exists, by the way). Each two-page spread is a snapshot of what’s going on in Ginny Davis’s life. The story is told entirely through photos, notes, Ginny’s poetry assignments, comic strips, and other odds and ends. It’s an interesting format and a very quick read. At first I had wished there was more to Ginny’s story--she’s a likable character—but then I realized that the form fit the function. Tweens will appreciate every last detail of Ginny’s life as they pore over each page. The story has a good arc, there's ...
Post a Comment
Read more