Word Spelunking

THREE WORDS: Magic, Adventure, FriendshipMY REVIEW: Sarah Prineas’ Winterling is an enchanting tale full of fantastical characters, a magical adventure and surprising friendships.Fer has always felt as if she just didn’t belong in this world, living with her grandmother, Grand-Jane. Fer saves the life of a mysterious boy who is more than he seems and discovers a magical pool of water in the woods and she opens the Way, a portal to another world. Fer’s father and mother disappeared into the Way many years ago and left Fer in our world, so with Grand-Jane’s blessing, Fer travels into the Way seeking answers about her parents and about who she is. Ruled by the powerful Mor, the world Fer finds is mysterious, fantastical and dangerous. Fer must go up against the cruel Mor to bring spring back to this wintery place, save her new friends and save our world as well.I love being able to get swept away into a new enchanting world with characters and really enjoyed joining Fer on her exciting adventure. Falling through the Way with Fer was like stepping through the wardrobe with Lucy (from the Chronicles of Narnia) for the first time.Sarah Prineas has created a story that is brimming with imagination, fascinating characters and a riveting adventure. Winterling is a quick, but engrossing read. The voice Prineas has crafted throughout the book is pitch-perfect for its intended audience, yet, it will captivate readers of all ages.The world through the Way is vivid and full of the whimsical, the dark and unexpected new discoveries around every corner. This world is inhabited by a wonderfully wondrous assortment of beings and characters, from trolls to a mysterious Leaf Woman to Wildlings, and bursting with mesmerizing magic, from glamories to healing herbs to unbreakable oaths. It seems as if Fer, and readers, have only begun to explore and discover this other world, and I look forward to learning even more about this exciting place in the sequel.Fer is a gem of a MG character! I love her curious, and dauntless nature. She’s a believable, relatable and easy to root for heroine. I think most readers will be able to connect with Fer’s feelings of never really fitting in among her peers and wanting to believe that she has an important purpose. Rook, the mysterious boy who isn’t always a boy, is a very layered and well developed character. He isn’t a very talkative character and comes off a bit hard and distant, but like Fer, I couldn’t help but trust him; there’s something so endearing about him.Prineas has created a truly complex and devious villain with the Mor, who claims to be the one of the true Ladies of this world. I loved how manipulatively charming she can be. She’s definitely a villain that’s fun to loathe.Fer’s adventure leads her to some heartbreaking news, but she also discovers a great deal about her own strength and power, which I found really uplifting. There are quite a few really thrilling scenes that left me breathless and eager for more. Prineas ends the book on a happy, satisfying note, but leaves plenty of room for more adventures.MY FINAL THOUGHTS: Winterling took me on a fantastical journey through an enchanting and wonderfully created world, with a really awesome heroine. I’m definitely hooked on this series and can’t wait to read the sequel!Read more reviews at Word Spelunking