The Threads of Magic

When he acquires a silver box containing a mysterious shriveled heart, an orphan boy suddenly finds his life in peril...A fascinating, fantastical cast of characters with competing interests and motivations adds richness to this suspenseful tale of unexpected alliances...Sinister assassins, ghoulish Specters, and feisty witches make this a rousing read.

Readers will immediately settle comfortably into this deftly written high-adventure fantasy. When Pip, described as a "thieving young man with black hair, short scrawny legs and weasel eyes," pickpockets a Royal of Clarel, he finds himself with a silver box that holds a bewitched human heart. His sister El is wary of the magical object, but Pip can't seem to part with it. He becomes the target of royal assassins, witches, and specters—all of whom will stop at nothing to get the heart back. The omniscient narrator gives readers a bird's-eye view of the many-threaded plot and the multitude of players woven into it: Pip; El; the blonde Princess Georgette; Oni, a witch with curly, closely cropped hair, and her mother Amina; several kings; a few assassins, shape-shifters, and a host of others. At times, keeping the characters straight becomes cumbersome, and exactly how the magical heart will benefit those seeking it is not clear until more than three-quarters of the way through. However, the theme that power without love must be defeated drives the story. And it's a fun world to be in. The close buildings, cobblestones, and mucky streets of Clarel bring the Victorian gothic mood of Laura Amy Schlitz's Splendors and Glooms to mind, while the worldbuilding and adventure will be enjoyed by Cornelia Funke fans. VERDICT A great selection for voracious readers who aren't yet ready for YA.—Hillary Perelyubskiy, Los Angeles P.L.

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

When 12-year-old pickpocket Pipistrel, who has fair hair and pale skin, lifts an ornate silver box from a noble on the streets of Clarel, he's just hoping to support his older sister El, who is sometimes "very like a small child," and himself, orphaned as toddlers due to typhus. But inside the box is a sinister "rough black" Stone Heart, an object of great power sought by some of the most commanding people in the kingdom. The siblings' quest to understand the heart takes them to Amina, El's best friend's mother, a witch with dark skin hiding from the ruthless Office for Witchcraft Extermination. Meanwhile, 15-year-old Princess Georgette, "a slim, fair girl" with "aristocratically blue eyes," is desperate to escape an arranged marriage to the terrifying King Oswald of Awemt, and also seeks Amina, her old nurse. Their fates intertwined, these unlikely allies must keep the heart from the immortal body-stealing Specters, who crave its magical potential. Logistics issues dampen enjoyment, but Croggon (the Books of Pellinor series) subverts genre expectations and offers up multiple perspectives--both heroic and villainous--to weave a complicated tapestry of magic and sacrifice. Ages 9-12. Agent: Jenny Darling and Assoc. (Apr.)

Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

"Croggon's interesting world spans a variety of perspectives that add tension and insight at integral moments. The premise and the power-squabbling between the Specters, maneuvering with and against each other, are intriguing, but the distinct characters and a vein of humor that ensures the story never takes itself too seriously are really where this novel shines. Australian author Croggon, author of The Books of Pellinor series, delivers another great story targeted toward a younger audience in this new page turner." —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books