Whichwood (Furthermore #2)
by Tahereh Mafi (Author)
★ "Unforgettable heroine." -Booklist
★ "Mafi's language choices create visually arresting moments." -Shelf Awareness Our story begins on a frosty night . . .
Laylee can barely remember the happier times before her beloved mother died. Before her father, driven by grief, lost his wits (and his way) and she was left as the sole remaining mordeshoor in the village of Whichwood, destined to spend her days scrubbing the skins and souls of the dead in preparation for the afterlife. It's become easy to forget and easier still to ignore not only her ever-increasing loneliness, but the way her overworked hands are stiffening and turning silver, just like her hair. But soon, a pair of familiar strangers appear, and Laylee's world is turned upside down as she rediscovers color, magic, and the healing power of friendship. Lush and enchanting, critically-acclaimed author Tahereh Mafi weaves together an all-new magical adventure in this dark, Persian fantasy, a companion to the New York Times bestselling Furthermore.
★ "In deliciously descriptive prose, the confiding, familiar narrator directly engages the 'dear reader' with witty asides, explanatory footnotes, and cautionary warnings as Laylee's woeful tale unfolds... Mafi uses her built world to interrogate norms and relationships in our own while never losing sight of her story. Memorable new characters experience the restorative power of friendship in this darkly fascinating, somewhat ghoulish sequel to Furthermore. -Kirkus, starred review ★ "It's Laylee's personal transformation that shines brightest, giving Mafi's singular fantasy an equally unforgettable heroine." -Booklist, starred review ★ "Whichwood, Tahereh Mafi's companion novel to Furthermore, is as absorbing as (if not more than) its predecessor.... Mafi's language choices create visually arresting moments.... Deftly explores several appealing themes, including the healing power of friendship and the resilience to overcome adversity in her whimsical, Persian-inspired fantasy world." -Shelf Awareness, starred review
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School Library Journal
Gr 5-7--Mafi expands the vibrant world she created in Furthermore with this striking companion novel. Laylee Layla Fenjoon has inherited the magical talents and responsibilities of mordeshoor at the all-too-young age of 13, when her mother's death drives her father to madness. Rather than play with other children and go to school, she washes the bodies of the dead to ease their transition into the afterlife for the ungrateful Wichwoodians. As the stress takes its toll, Alice and Oliver (characters from Furthermore) arrive to help--if only they can make it past Laylee's prickly shell. Another boy with his own bit of magic, Benyamin, joins the group and the romantic pairings are inevitable but also appreciatively complex. Drawing heavily from Persian culture and featuring a heroine of color, this fantasy novel feels both fresh and classic. The cadence may be initially difficult to get into for some readers, but the story pushes forward and those who stick with it will be rewarded with a complex and layered tale. A couple of aspects of the book seem a bit disjointed: the pacing is interrupted and flags a bit in the middle. Time also seems to rearrange itself on occasion in order to serve the plot, rather than flowing organically from the decisions of the characters. Nevertheless, fantasy fans looking for something new will find much to enjoy here. VERDICT A pleasing selection for precocious middle grade and middle school readers.--Erin Reilly-Sanders, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
★ "It's Laylee's personal transformation that shines brightest, giving Mafi's singular fantasy an equally unforgettable heroine." —Booklist, starred review
"Both fresh and classic." —School Library Journal
"This is a gorgeously told tale, thick with magic both beautiful and deadly, set in a world where colors can save a life, whales serve as transportation, and hordes of insects and walking corpses are the good guys, bringing as much hope as they do terror." —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books Praise for New York Times bestseller Furthermore ★ A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2016
★ A Shelf Awareness Best Book of 2016
★ A Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2016
★ Featured on "Late Night with Seth Meyers," NPR, TIME, and Entertainment Weekly "Brimming with color and magic... [Mafi's] prose is as fresh and fragrant as the flowers her characters eat, the descriptions so vibrant that at times one can practically smell the words on the page." —New York Times Book Review
★ "A fast-paced, funny, and richly imaginative story that embraces and celebrates individuality." —Publishers Weekly, starred review
★ "Rich, luscious, clever prose." —Kirkus, starred review
JUV039030 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Death & Dying
JUV037000 - Juvenile Fiction | Fantasy & Magic
Adventure and adventurers
Magic
Adventure stories
Friendship in children
Fantasy
Missing persons
Dead
