Today I have a fantasy novel review for you! When I received the book in the mail, I was very excited! The author, D.E. Night, has a beautiful website to showcase her book, The Crowns of Croswald, with an equally intriguing story blurb. The book reminded me very much of Harry Potter, with some elements of Alice in Wonderland and Cinderella thrown in. If you are a fan of any of these stories, The Crowns of Croswald is definitely for you! Take a look at the book trailer here.
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| (c) Stories Untold Press, D.E. Night |
We begin with a character named Derwin Edgar Night (Get it? D.E. Night?), who is a scrivenist - a type of person who has magic and writes down every discovery he or she discovers. This could be something new, history in the making, sketching, etc. A scrivenist is paired with a person of royal status, as the two are the only types of humans to hold magic, whether it be internally (scrivenists) or via crown stones (royals) - sorry for you muggles out there! Derwin is about to go meet his royal counterpart, when chaos unfolds and the readers are then thrown to the beginning of the main plot and character, of Ivy Lovely. Ivy Lovely works as a scaldrony maid, a type of maid who works with scaldrons, or dragons who bake food/desserts in their mouths for humans to then eat. We learn that Ivy has only one friend, a dwarf named Rimbrick, and loves to daydream, sketch, and read. She longs to leave her life of being a maid and go with her friend Rimbrick back to his homeland that is filled with magic. Little does she know, her wish comes true when she is fired from her position, finds out that she herself has magic within her, and her friend Rimbrick is nowhere to be found! He provides her with instructions and money to start a journey out of her old life and into her new, and it is then that she is visited by a cab that brings her to a school where she can learn her full potential - a school for scrivenists! Here, she begins to become more of herself, growing, learning, and figuring out what lies ahead for herself. While she has a knack for trouble, she is even better at making good friends and finding new discoveries and adventures.
The book is recommended for ages 8 - 12, though I would go older than that and say it is more of a young adult book. The world building took a bit of time to become accustomed to, as I
quite felt like Alice in a world I knew nothing about (similar to Ivy!). The language is a bit difficult for younger readers, as there were a few words even I had to look up as they are not common language. Even so, Ms. Night has a way with words that wraps you up into a new world of fantasy adventure that captures you! I really enjoyed the story and honestly did not put the book down until I was finished! There's magic, mystery, (a little) love, friendship, dragons, libraries, and a good ending to make way for part two.
The Crowns of Croswald is a whimsical fantasy that will be sure to sweep you off your feet. I am going to go on a bookstore search this weekend and pick up myself a copy of the sequel, The Girl with the Whispering Shadow!
Until next time!
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| (c) D.E. Night |
D.E. Night is compelled to write and discover the world of Croswald, much like any scrivenist! The magic of imagination propels her to sit down at her desk and write everyday. She loves dreaming up whimsical creatures and steampunk machines, but hates outlines. Currently at work on the third book in the Crowns of Croswald Series, Night recharges by taking trips to Disney World, taking long baths, and spending time with her family and friends. Fans can connect with D.E. Night on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.
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