Fablehaven #1 by Brandon Mull
A visit to one’s grandparents in Connecticut may not seem to be the most auspicious plot for a hit young adult fantasy, but therein lies the mastery of Brandon Mull’s Fablehaven.
When their parents head off on a cruise, Seth and Kendra head off to spend time with the Grandparents they hardly know. They soon find themselves spending time not just with their Grandpa but with Fablehaven’s other inhabitants—naiads, trolls, ogres, fairies, witches, imps, satyrs, golems, and the like.
In Fablehaven, drinking milk is not solely for the purpose of attaining a specific daily calcium intake. Rather, Seth and Kendra must drink milk from a magical cow in order to attain sight of magical beings. Fablehaven operates according to ancient laws that preserve a tenuous order between the human caretakers and the magical creatures inside the haven. Their Grandfather hopes that by being able to see the haven’s creatures, the children will be wise enough to abide by the ancient laws and to leave the creatures alone.
Warnings can only do so much, however, and despite Grandfather’s warnings, Seth wanders into the forest (leading to a close escape from a witch), captures a fairy (leading to a retributive fairy attack after which he looks suspiciously like a walrus), and opens his window on Midsummer’s Eve (leading to the kidnapping of his grandfather, the unleashing of an evil creature, and the impending demise of Fablehaven).
Seth’s repeated disobedience advances the plot, but also makes him a somewhat disagreeable character whose intelligence readers will repeatedly question. Seth unfortunately does not heed the advice of Dale, one of Fablehaven’s caretaker’s, when Dale tells him, “Smart people learn from their mistakes. But the real smart ones learn from the mistakes of others”. Seth does not learn from the mistakes of others, nor does he seem to learn from his own firsthand mistakes.
Despite Seth’s difficult-to-identify-with character, Kendra’s behavior is more palatable as she strives to right the imbalances brought to Fablehaven by Seth’s actions. Overall, Fablehaven moves at a fast pace and includes enough exotic creatures and suspenseful episodes that it will likely acquire a cadre of loyal readers, particularly as the series progresses with the sequel Rise of the Evening Star (May 2007) and beyond.
posted in series, middle grades, fantasy, book review, youth services | 0 Comments
