The Twistrose Key

by Tone Almhjell, Ian Schoenherr (Illustrator)

Overview

Something is wrong in the house that Lin's family has rented; Lin is sure of it. The clocks tick too slowly. Frost covers the flowerbed, even in a rain storm. And when a secret key marked "Twistrose" arrives for her, Lin finds a crack in the cellar, a gate to the world of Sylver.
 
This frozen realm is the home of every dead animal who ever loved a child. Lin is overjoyed to be reunited with Rufus, the pet she buried under the rosebush. But together they must find the missing Winter Prince in order to save Sylver from destruction.
 
They are not the only ones hunting for the boy this night. In the dark hides a shadow-lipped man, waiting for the last Winter Prince to be delivered into his hands.
 
Exhilarating suspense and unforgettable characters await the readers of this magical adventure, destined to become a classic.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781101592083
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	10/22/2013
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	384
Lexile:	710L (what's this?)
File size:	15 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	10 - 14 Years

About the Author

Tone Almhjell received a master’s degree in English Literature from the University of Oslo and worked as a journalist before deciding to write fiction full-time. She lives in Oslo, Norway with her two wonderfully stubborn kids, a boy and a girl. The Twistrose Key is her debut novel.

Read an Excerpt

On the desk, next to the typewriter, lay the parcel. It was still heavy, and when Lin shook it, something slid around inside. She emptied it into her palm.

Out tumbled two keys, held together by a thin metal band.

One was a little old and had an orange plastic tag that said “cellar.” The other was large, as large as the length of her hand, and blackened, as if someone had tried to burn it. Its head was fashioned as a petal, and the stem was that of a rose, with three curved, sharp thorns. Across the petal, there was a name engraved: “Twistrose.”

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“Skillfully blending facets of classic high fantasy, this debut novel will captivate readers with its rich plot and detailed worldbuilding.”—Kirkus (starred review)

Editorial Reviews

The essential premise of The Twistrose Key—that a beloved pet can be reincarnated, can be loved into a new existence—goes to the roots of myth and fairy tale. It's a theme always ripe for replenishment, as Margery Williams's classic, The Velveteen Rabbit, shows. It goes, in this case, to the roots of written literature as well: In distant Norway a nebulous image of a singular snowy kingdom was gradually loved into existence, emerging on our shores as the appealing, solid, handsomely illustrated Twistrose Key.

The New York Times Book Review - Brad Leithauser

Rave reviews for The Twistrose Key

A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year

“This jewel of a story will capture your heart and your imagination…Readers should take their time and read with care to fully grasp and decipher the fresh mythology of the land of Sylver. It’ll leave you gasping, laughing, and maybe shedding a tear or two.” —The New York Journal of Books

“Beguiling.” —New York Times Book Review

“This debut novel will captivate readers…Fantasy that evokes the classics of yore and stands proudly among them.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“This book is pure magic. I want to live in it.” —Laini Taylor, author of the Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy
 
“This debut novel has Narnian charm and troll-fire high adventure. I’ve never read anything quite like it, and I hope Tone Almhjell writes many more books for me to fall in love with.” —Erin Bow, author of Plain Kate

“Children entranced by animal tales and in love with snowy fantasy lands will delight in Lin’s magical journey and triumphant determination.” —Booklist
 
“Her story feels complete even as the world of Sylver contains enough unexplored territory to invite subsequent volumes.” —Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

★ 2013-09-15
Skillfully blending facets of classic high fantasy, this debut novel will captivate readers with its rich plot and detailed worldbuilding. Sylveros is populated by the formerly beloved pets of Earth children. After an animal's death on Earth, it passes over to a life of apparent harmony in the winter beauty of the Sylver Valley. While a winter setting inevitably invites Narnia comparisons, this layered plot holds its own. The peace in Sylver has been disturbed, and chief chronicler Teodor does not know why. Nightmares are threatening the protected border. In times like these, a Twistrose--a human child--is called from Earth to give aid. Lin Rosenquist, mourning her tamed pet vole, Rufus, who died some five weeks earlier, finds herself magically transported to Sylver and is met by Rufus himself, now as big as she is. Teodor tells Lin she is the Twistrose and charges her with finding Isvan Winterfyrst, a "glacial-kin" child who has mysteriously disappeared and whose presence is imperative to continue the magic that keeps Sylver safe. Lin's only clue is an ancient, nonsensical ballad. Deeply drawn characters with heart combine with meticulous details to convincingly bring readers into the fantasy world, while a revelatory ending makes this a satisfying read that may be enjoyed even more the second time around. Fantasy that evokes the classics of yore and stands proudly among them. (Fantasy. 9-13)

Kirkus Reviews