Snowglobe by Amy Wilson
Jago doesn't like Clementine. He knows there is something different about her and he doesn't like it. And he never lets her forget it. Clementine knows she's different too, and that the difference is magic. And as much as she tries to ignore it, Clementine's magic is getting stronger. So when Jago's bullying gets too much, it's not really surprising that Clem loses control of it and gets herself suspended from school.
| Snowglobe by Amy Wilson | |
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| Category: Confident Readers | |
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Reviewer: Jill Murphy
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| Summary: Spellbinding story about a girl coming to terms with her magic and finding her way through a world filled with snowglobes. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 288 | Date: October 2018 |
| Publisher: Macmillan | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978- | |
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Wandering about at a loose end the next day, Clementine finds herself drawn to a house she has never seen before - in fact, is sure was not even there before. Once inside, she finds thousands of snowglobes all containing trapped magicians... except the one holding a boy from her school, Dylan.
Where did the house come from? Can Clementine free Dylan? And what is her deeply felt sense that this house has a connection to the mother Clem has never known?
Snowglobe creates a wonderful magical world described with wonder and beautiful imagery - and the multitude of snowglobe prisons in Ganymede's house gives Amy Wilson free rein to bring us a truly rich tapestry. It's packed full of action too - the pace never drops and, by the end, you're almost breathless. It's easy to forget the detail when you're writing a fast-paced narrative but this is never the case in Snowglobe.
I loved Clementine. She's headstrong and determined to do the right thing no matter the cost. But she's also incredibly vulnerable and your heart hurts for her as she is ostracised at school and when she is betrayed by someone whose trust she thought she had earned. And she had earned it. The supporting characters are also well drawn and, even when in the wrong, sympathetic and engaging - the three magical sisters in Io, Ganymede and Calisto, the magic-denying Dylan, and Clementine's distracted but loving father. And I defy anyone not to fall in love with Helios the dog!
I have one nitpick about this delicious story. Autocorrect wants snowglobes to be snow globes. Yes. That's it. I have nothing else to criticise. Snowglobe is the perfect middle grade magical fantasy. It's beautifully written in flowing prose. It has more action than you can shake a stick at. The characters are well drawn and engaging. The world building is coherent and consistent. And you finish reading with a sigh of satisfaction but that tickling feeling of wanting more.
This one comes highly recommended by Bookbag.
If you enjoy stories about the awakening of magical abilities, you might also enjoy [The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill]]. Snow globes (with a space this time!) also feature in The Snow Globe by Jean Ure, a lovely story of a more kitchen sink variety and suitable for dyslexic readers.
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You can read more book reviews or buy Snowglobe by Amy Wilson at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy Snowglobe by Amy Wilson at Amazon.com.
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