The Gotten

by Rob Tucker

Overview

No one knew about the doorbell until the news story of the boys' mysterious disappearance.

If certain people couldn't own the doorbell or if it rejected them, they wanted to destroy it and the boys behind it, calling it a hoax.

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Ivor and Inge Borg have been tracking Astrid Sims, who has escaped from the ancient Norse myth as Skuld, the weaver of the future, fate and destiny of humankind. She's the norn of the future. Urd of the past and Verdandi of the present. Ivor and Borg need her return so they can continue to spin the threads of life and decide the fate of all human beings. Skuld was reborn and escaped into a new childhood existence. She emerged as a teenager in the 1950s and later as a wife and mother in an American heartland town.

The Borgs recruit disappointed miracle seekers. When they threaten the boys to force Astrid's / Skuld's return, much to the anguish of their parents, their sons have to disappear. Accused of being a witch and a demon, Astrid spirits the boys into the future. They don't find what they expect and they don't like what they find.

This literary YA masterpiece explores looking down at the world from a treehouse for a different perspective and examines the important underlying theme of how decisions we make today impact our future. It encourages existential reflection and discussion. This would be a wonderful edition to anyone's personal library and will undoubtedly become a book club and classroom favorite.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781952020087
Publisher:	Tell-Tale Publishing Group, LLC
Publication date:	11/13/2020
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	5.98(w) x 9.02(h) x 0.75(d)

Editorial Reviews

Urban fantasy readers are in for a treat with The Gotten, a story that embraces horror, urban fantasy, sci-fi, and a teen adventure.

The tale opens with a focus on thirteen-year-old new girl in school Astrid. Undaunted by cliques or rejection, Astrid impresses four boys who become the objects of her attention. Little do they know that they also will follow her into extraordinary dangers and encounters that will change their perception of reality.

Rob Tucker excels at depicting the unusual scenario of a powerful, unique female and how she confronts evolving relationships and new challenges. He also moves events between England and the U.S. with a deft attention to cultural and social detail that makes not only the milieu of teens but their environments and backgrounds come to life, as influencers on their perspectives and attitudes unfold.

The doorbell that can grant wishes whisks the children to another realm and also becomes its own myth in adult circles as investigators search for the now-missing kids and probe the improbable circumstances surrounding their disappearance.

While the story opens as a read for teens, it incorporates language and perspectives that places it more in the realm of mature teens than new adolescents, with its focus on adult concerns and teen adventures alike.

The underlying story is steeped in a complex proposition which is slowly absorbed. Ivor and Inge Borg are tracking Astrid Sims, who has escaped from the ancient Norse myth as Skuld, weaver of the future, fate, and destiny of humankind. They need her return so they can decide the fate of humanity. Skuld/Astrid was reborn, and escaped into a new childhood existence. The boys' realization of this truth has led to the need to make them vanish from the world. What circumstance can make them return home?

From Clement's interest in a magical house and reviews of legends which may have something to do with the missing teens to evil influences on bad humans, Tucker crafts a mercurial, changing story that embraces elements of fantasy, coming of age, alien encounters, and adult investigative results alike.

The Gotten's special blend of intrigue, fantasy, mythology, and evolving relationships between children and adults places it in a category of its own. Impossible to neatly categorize or predict, it's a riveting story that is recommended for young adult to adult audiences. (Donovan's Literary Services)

From the Publisher