I don't normally review children's books, and if I do, they are usually just little blurbs. I received an ARC of this book, expecting a fun, cutesy read. But this book was so good that it deserves an official AMV review, if I do say so myself. So here it it is, it all its gorgeous glory.
CATCHALL
That is one heck of a mouthful of a title, isn't it?! I must have typed it at least ten times. (Yes, darlings, I know about copy-and-paste. I'm just forgetful.) But I don't even care, because it is totally worth it. I thought at first that the title was too long, and, well, I still kind of think that, but it definitely fits. Overall, TGWCFIASOHOM (which will be my abbreviation from now on for the obvious) was an amazing book. I loved pretty much every bit of it. One I really got into it, I couldn't bear to put it down for even a moment.
THE HEROINE
I love September. She's so determined and strong. She can be a bit polarizing, but then, we all have our faults. She was a genuine heroine whom I felt I could relate to. She had a nice dose of attitude but not so much that she distanced herself from the reader. She was cute in all the right ways. She had her weaknesses, but as melodramatic as this sounds, she truly emerged from them stronger than ever. I absolutely adored her. She was sensible and young, and very refreshing.
THE SECONDARY CHARACTERS
A-THROUGH-L
A-Through-L is a wyvery, or something like that. I can't remember exactly how to spell it, and anyway, it's not that important. The author explains him beautifully. I won't explain his name, because I would totally botch it and leave you absolutely confused. Ell, as he is called, is such a loyal, good friend. I liked him immensely. He even offered a few laughs from time to time, which was refreshing.
SATURDAY
Oh, darling, dear Saturday. He was so sweet. He kind of annoyed me at times, because he was so passive, but I came to understand him better and thought him quite delightful. He provided a steady rock for September, and hints of a future romance between them are planted. He's also a Marid. I mean, you can look that up in the dictionary if you have no clue what that is, but Valente explains it so beautifully that if you're going to read TGWCFIASOHOM it's really unnecessary.
THE MARQUESS
Major plot twist that I never saw coming. Way to go, Valente! The Marquess was a multi-dimensional character with many faces. She was intriguing and childish, but not overly difficult to understand, in the end.
THE GREEN WIND
He's a pretty minor character, but I liked him. He was sweet and fatherly. He was helpful and clever, too. Definitely a wonderful character, all things considered.
HELLO, GOODBYE, AND MANYTHANKS
Believe it or not, these are three witches. They were hilarious. To me, anyway. I'm not sure they were meant to be.
THE PLOT
Oh, man, Valente knows how to write a good story. Her plot is beautiful. I was never, not for a minute, bored. One or two things I expected, but she mostly managed to keep me on my toes. So many things I never would have seen, and yet when they happened they made the most sense in the world. It was clever and not dull. The story lit up the pages and honestly, just made me really happy. It was entertaining, fun, and cute, which is everything I look for in a children's book.
THE ROMANCE
Okay, so there's not exactly real romance in this book, considering our heroine is only twelve. But there are many hints at a future romance. One of the cutest of these hints and my absolute favorite part of the book comes at the end of the second-to-last chapter. It's absolutely adorable and so sweet. (If you're thinking of skipping ahead to read it, don't. I promise you, it will make no sense to you anyway.)
THE WRITING
I actually didn't like this writing at first. I was convinced it had given me a headache, and put this book aside for over a month. Well, apparently I just happened to have a headache that day, because this writing is amazing. Valente's narrator POV is written beautifully and is absolutely lovely. I love the way she places in her own words in at some points, something that would ordinarily annoy me but works here. It's gorgeous and descriptive, and I love, love, love. (Oh, and I also adore the chapter titles.)
THE ILLUSTRATIONS
The illustrations in TGWCFIASOHOM are absolutely marvelous. They're quite beautiful and I spent a lot of time just admiring them. They really contribute to the story and help to provide some visuals for the story that is taking place.
THE ENDING
OH. MY GOD. The ending was incredible. I could never have seen it coming. I knew part of it, of course, but the rest of it was completely unexpected. Valente surprised and satisfied me at once. It was probably the best way she could have ended it.
WRAPUP
I am eagerly awaiting The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There as we speak, and will try to read The Girl Who Ruled Fairyland - For a Little While as soon as I may. I've become a fan of Valente and this series--I am hoping for more books to come.
FINE.
