01/31/2022
Kalifa’s sorcerous debut follows the unexpected adventure of two brothers who accidentally travel to another world. Henry and Moris—just a few short months after their father mysteriously goes missing—are playing their favorite make-believe game when suddenly they are transported to a different universe and planet, leaving behind their mother and sister. When each brother is captured by warring wizarding houses, the Veneficums and the Milaculums, they stand the chance of losing each other forever. The boys have too many unanswered questions, and they don’t know who to trust, but in their attempt to find each other and return home, the brothers discover truths about themselves––and their father––they never could have imagined.
Kalifa introduces an expansive world rich with strange creatures and wizards who have clashing motives. After a brief introduction to their life on Earth, Henry and Moris quite literally fall into the middle of a fantasy, and they go through trials and tests independently to learn about themselves along the way, as Kalifa crafts an increasingly complex relationship between the two. When Moris, who is “obsessed with magic” finally finds the power he’s dreamed of, the cost of his revelation may be more than the boys are willing to pay–and after they encounter new friends and an appealing new world, their desire to go back home to those they’ve left behind is at risk.
Kalifa’s storyline is well-planned, easily paving the way for the next in the series, but at times he sacrifices character development for intense world building and plot formation. Switching between the perspectives of two brothers emphasizes an engaging family dynamic that makes the narrative relevant for middle grade and YA readers—although readers may find the somewhat traditional fantasy world of Dantus familiar. The teaser of an ending will leave fantasy fans eager to catch the next story.
Takeaway: A middle grade fantasy novel that emphasizes family bonds, perfect for readers who can’t get enough of magic, wizards, and traveling between worlds.
Great for fans of: Victoria Aveyard’s Realm Breaker, David Levithan’s The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S., Jenny McLachlan’s The Land of Roar.
Production grades Cover: A Design and typography: A Illustrations: N/A Editing: B Marketing copy: A-
