Donna Marie West’s The Mud Man is a masterclass in suspension of disbelief. The premise certainly intrigued me—a Neolithic man, frozen for millennia in a mud cocoon, emerges ALIVE in the 21^st century, but I was dubious that West could deliver. However, she does. Page by page, she weaves extensive research, relatable characters, precisely-paced plotting, and a detailed Vancouver backdrop into a believable narrative. The Mud Man, a balancing act of the mundane and the extraordinary, reads like near future sci fi—something I might expect to see in the next edition of The Globe and Mail. And at the centre of this imaginative storytelling is 9500 year-old Dom—an endearing, intelligent, compassionate story-teller in his own right, who strives to adapt to a world which is both foreign and frightening.

Majicked Born by Ashleigh Mattern is an imaginative Middle Grade fantasy and a modern retelling of the classic hero’s (or heroes!) journey. Blaze and her sister Nova, who have very different abilities and personalities, are forced to leave their home and are separated from their mother. Along the way to the city of New Haven—a city which welcomes the Majicked—they hook up with Oran, the prince of Cilicia and his servant/friend Umi. Blaze, Nova, and Oran soon learn that they are powerful mages who hold the destiny of the world in their hands. High stakes! In true hero’s journey fashion, they must learn to hone and harness their powers before they can hope to rid the world of the Blight. Majicked Born concludes with a tumultuous battle between good and evil, for not all who use magic use it for the right reasons. I liked the strong female characters as well as the way it held a mirror to our present society. This book, the first is a new series, has much to say about our tendency to fear those who are different from us. It seemed a little long for a middle grade read, but young fans of this genre will appreciate the excellent story-telling and diversity of characters.

I listened to The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes as an audiobook through the Libby app. I highly recommend both the app and the read! Set in eastern Kentucky in 1937, The Giver of Stars is a fictional account of five women involved with the “packhorse” library program where books and magazines were delivered to rural families in an effort to support literacy—and in many cases, ignite it. What’s not to love about a book which upholds three of my favourite phenomena: librarians, reading, and horses? Furthermore, Amy Whelan is an outstanding narrator, providing clear distinctions between a wide variety of voices, even the male ones. There were a few situations towards the end that seemed implausible, but overall, I found the book funny, informative, and not predictable. What I really liked were the unanswered questions at the end—a treat and a valuable reminder that I don’t need to explain EVERYTHING. One of the subthemes was censorship, which begs the question: whoever thought we would STILL be talking about it in the 21^st century?

Next month, I’ll be reviewing the audiobook version of Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly as well as a few other reads. In the meantime, please add any comments or book recommendations you have. Love to hear from you!