Book Review: The Farwalker's Quest by Joni Sensel

*Review copy from publisher for Cybils*

The Farwalker's Quest begins when Ariel and Zeke find a mysterious dart, a relic from the past that no one knows how to read.  Then, two strangers come into town, looking for the dart and the person who found it.  When they carry off Ariel, Zeke must try to find and rescue her.  But neither of them realize that this journey will change who they are forever.

Things I Liked:
I could not put this book down.  From the first introduction to the rather unexpected conclusion, I was hanging off every word.  And what wonderful words they were - Sensel has created a gorgeous new world with touches of familiarity and beautiful sweeping landscapes.  I thought Scarl was a particularly intriguing and complex character, with emotions and reactions that felt very real.  Sensel is not afraid to give the characters tragedy, suffering, sorrow, and real obstacles that they must overcome.  A beautiful, touching, and entirely entertaining story about coming to understand and accept who you are.  I'm SO glad we got to read this for the Cybils - I think it's a hidden gem of a fantasy.

Things I Didn't Like:
Honestly, I can't think of much I didn't like.  Ariel and Scarl had an interesting relationship that sometimes was a tiny bit creepy, but honestly I don't think it was intended to be.

Read-alikes:
Reminded me of The Giver by Lois Lowry
A bit like The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->->
some frightening and also violent things happen, but they are not graphic or descriptive

Overall rating: *****

Where do you discover "hidden gem" books?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage