Marabel and the Book of Fate

by Tracy Barrett

Overview

Free-spirited Marabel must defy expectations to rescue her brother—and their kingdom—in this charming, action-packed, and magical story perfect for fans of Ella Enchanted and Dealing with Dragons.

In Magikos, life is dictated by the Book of Fate's ancient predictions, including the birth of a royal Chosen One who will save the realm. Princess Marabel has grown up in the shadow of her twin brother, Marco, who everyone assumes is the true Chosen One. While Marco is adored and given every opportunity, Marabel is overlooked and has to practice her sword fighting in secret.

But on the night of their thirteenth birthday, Marco is kidnapped by an evil queen, and Marabel runs to his rescue. Outside the castle walls for the first time, accompanied by her best friend and a very smug unicorn, Marabel embarks on a daring mission that brings her face-to-face with fairies, trolls, giants—and the possibility that all is not as it seems in Magikos.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316433990
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	02/06/2018
Series:	A Marabel Novel
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	988,827
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 7.70(h) x 1.30(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Tracy Barrett is the author of numerous acclaimed and award-winning books for young readers. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee.

Editorial Reviews

12/11/2017
Barrett (The Stepsister’s Tale) takes readers to the fantasy realm of Magikos in a series opener that pits fate against free will, touches on prejudice and patriarchy, and has fun with fairy tale tropes. Princess Marabel and her twin brother, Marco, are heirs to the throne, but Marco is the Chosen One described in the Book of Fate, “which told important Magikians what their futures held.” When Queen Mab, the siblings’ estranged aunt, captures Marco on the twins’ 13th birthday, Marabel becomes determined to rescue her brother, venturing into the Desolate Barrens that Mab rules, joined by her claustrophobic best friend and maid, Ellie, and a talking unicorn named Floriano. As they make unexpected friends with trolls and other creatures typically derided as “Evils,” Barrett highlights Marabel’s personal awakening, challenging beliefs she hadn’t thought to question. Heavy foreshadowing and a tidy conclusion keep the stakes modest, Barrett’s efforts to incorporate technology can feel forced (WizFi, etc.), and there’s not much character depth or development, but the story offers food for thought on an array of valuable topics. An Alloy Entertainment property. Ages 8–12. (Feb.) Correction: An earlier version of this review misstated the book's title.

Publishers Weekly

Praise for Marabel and the Book of Fate:


"This fantasy title empowers as much as it entertains...an engrossing, laugh-filled adventure."—SLJ

"As with her other endeavors, Barrett ably gives the genre a good tweak and skewers traditional expectations... Funny and exciting, Marabel and the Book of Fate is a hit."—BookPage

"...a neat addition to any fantasy-fan's library."—Booklist

"[A] series opener that pits fate against free will, touches on prejudice and patriarchy, and has fun with fairy tale tropes....offers food for thought on an array of valuable topics."—Publishers Weekly

"Young readers will enjoy the modern day references, such as a video game called Impcraft and bracelets that accept phone calls, that are mixed with common fairy tale themes."—School Library Connection

"The tongue-in-cheek reinterpretation of contemporary politics adds a fresh layer to this story of palace intrigue and adventures in an enchanted land."—Horn Book

"...[a] funny and heartfelt fantasy tale."—B&N Kids Blog

From the Publisher

09/01/2017
Gr 3–7—Remarkably timely with its exploration of feminism and social justice, this fantasy title empowers as much as it entertains. In the land of Magikos, the revered Book of Fate has foretold important events since the beginning of time. It prophesied that Marco, Marabel's twin brother, will be the Chosen One to unite the kingdoms and bring harmony throughout the land. Marabel's "Unchosen One" status has deprived her the freedom to openly practice sword fighting and other endeavors her royal family considers unprincesslike. On the eve of their 13th birthday, Marco is kidnapped by rival Queen Mab and taken to the Desolate Barrens, a country created after a giant wall was erected around Magikos to keep the so-called "evils" out. Frustrated by the inaction of her father, Marabel launches her own rescue attempt. With the help of her best friend and a snarky talking unicorn, Marabel crosses into the Desolate Barrens. The trio encounters many magical creatures that challenge their assumptions about the country and its inhabitants. Marabel's journey helps her realize she's more than an overshadowed sibling and that outsiders may not be the strangers she's always feared. By acknowledging her strengths and accepting her weaknesses, she is able to rescue her brother and unite the kingdoms through working alongside those who previously opposed her. VERDICT This subversive hero's quest champions the concepts of gender equality and embracing differences while also delivering an engrossing, laugh-filled adventure—Sophie Kenney, Vernon Area Public Library District, IL

School Library Journal

2017-10-16
Princess Marabel of Magikos goes on a quest to save her twin brother, Marco.For their 13th birthday, royal twins Princess Marabel and Prince Marco (both white) attend a grand celebration to celebrate Marco, the Chosen One as predicted by the kingdom's Book of Fate. Marabel loves her brother but feels second-rate, once again. When their aunt Mab (banished by the king to the Desolate Barrens, a separated part of Magikos) crashes the party and kidnaps Marco, Marabel, along with her white maid-cum-best friend, Ellie, and a talking unicorn named Floriano (whose plot purpose seems to be opening doors with his magical horn), nervously travels to the Desolate Barrens—a land populated by "Evils"—to rescue him. The three trudge through many derivative adventures borrowed from fairy tales and popular culture as they make their way to Mab's castle. The story considers worthy, timely themes in Marabel's realization that the creatures labeled "Evils" are only different, not wicked, and in her growing self-empowerment as she faces down danger and fear. These are unfortunately diluted by the story's slack execution. Marabel indulges in the plot contrivance of self-doubting inner questioning on a tiresomely frequent basis, and there are several plot inconsistences. Many jokes based on popular/internet culture ("WizFi," "Angry Pheonixes," and "elfie," for instance) are not well-integrated and feel gratuitous.Poor execution distracts from the story's important themes of female empowerment, tolerance, and inclusion. (Fantasy. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews