Reviewed by Olivia
Rating: High Four!
Who I'd Recommend to: Fans of Cornelia Funke, Rump, the Magic Thief, Magyk, and the Land of Stories.
Synopsis (from Amazon):
Serafina was living the normal life of a village girl, when she gets a mysterious letter--her first letter ever, in fact--from a great aunt she's never heard of in another village. Little does 'Fina know, her great aunt is actually a Baba Yaga, a magical witch who lives in an even more magical cottage.
Summoned to the cottage, Serafina's life takes an amazing turn as she finds herself becoming the new Baba Yaga. But leaving behind home and the boy she loves isn't easy, and as Serafina grows into her new and magical role answering the first question any stranger might ask her with the truth, she also learns about the person she's meant to be, and that telling the future doesn't always mean knowing the right answers.
Rating: High Four!
Who I'd Recommend to: Fans of Cornelia Funke, Rump, the Magic Thief, Magyk, and the Land of Stories.
Synopsis (from Amazon):
Serafina was living the normal life of a village girl, when she gets a mysterious letter--her first letter ever, in fact--from a great aunt she's never heard of in another village. Little does 'Fina know, her great aunt is actually a Baba Yaga, a magical witch who lives in an even more magical cottage.
Summoned to the cottage, Serafina's life takes an amazing turn as she finds herself becoming the new Baba Yaga. But leaving behind home and the boy she loves isn't easy, and as Serafina grows into her new and magical role answering the first question any stranger might ask her with the truth, she also learns about the person she's meant to be, and that telling the future doesn't always mean knowing the right answers.
Thoughts: This book honestly reminds me of the stories I used to read when I was younger. Fantastical, magical, exciting yet emotional stories that have you gripped until the end. Although I don't know anything about the Slavic "legend" about Baba Yaga, I still found this to be an amazing story. The writing is fun and easy to read, perfect for younger kids, and the characters have a lot depth but are just as quirky and charming as you'd hope for. I loved Serafina and how she's really a great role model and someone you'd want as a friend. The interesting array of characters that she comes across through her journeys are great, too - I especially loved the rude woman, the older man who proposes to her, the criminals, Dielle, and the Sheriff. I really enjoyed the humor involved in the book too - mainly Baba Yaga's house, which walks around on chicken legs and answers whenever Serafina calls on it. I also liked the little bit of young, innocent "romance" included, too. I read through this book in one morning, which doesn't mean at all that it's not a satisfying and thorough read. I just loved this "fairy tale" so much, I couldn't put it down!
