jmross10's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
I was looking for something different and unexpected to break out of the eh from my last few reads so I decided to look by my favorite narrator - Joe Jameson - instead of a particular author. After reading the craziness that was this synopsis, I was too curious to walk away.
I think this book is exactly what Logan Riley promises. An homage to stories like The Wizard of Oz and The Labyrinth. Also, in my opinion, Don’t Look Under the Bed. It’s fun, creative, more than a bit out there, and very atmospheric for a middle grade read. Riley strikes a good balance between unsettling and whimsical without ever going so far you start asking how this could possibly be for kids.
There is some heavy materiel in here - implied human sacrifice and talk of addiction - but I think it’s handled in a tactful way. The purpose isn’t to exploit the pain, it’s to help the main character learn how to overcome his fear, anger, and resentment. Reminding him it’s okay to be a kid again.
The story was interesting, the world was well throughout, and the moral was impactful. Can’t lie - the epilogue almost got me. Definitely worth a read.
I think this book is exactly what Logan Riley promises. An homage to stories like The Wizard of Oz and The Labyrinth. Also, in my opinion, Don’t Look Under the Bed. It’s fun, creative, more than a bit out there, and very atmospheric for a middle grade read. Riley strikes a good balance between unsettling and whimsical without ever going so far you start asking how this could possibly be for kids.
There is some heavy materiel in here - implied human sacrifice and talk of addiction - but I think it’s handled in a tactful way. The purpose isn’t to exploit the pain, it’s to help the main character learn how to overcome his fear, anger, and resentment. Reminding him it’s okay to be a kid again.
The story was interesting, the world was well throughout, and the moral was impactful. Can’t lie - the epilogue almost got me. Definitely worth a read.
briewhale's review
4.0
While not exactly scary, the Kingdom of Fluff and Claw definitely has spooky vibes. I was a pretty big wimp as a kid, so it probably would have scared me a bit back then, but as an adult I loved it! This was the perfect read for Halloween.
This book has way more to it than a scary story. It’s also a tale of redemption and growing up to be brave, empathetic, and kind without losing that childlike wonder. Watching Regan grow and learn made this story heartwarming. While there is a lot of good stuff for kids in this book, there is plenty for us grownups as well.
I also want to say that I listened to the audiobook and the narration was fantastic! The narrator really brought the characters to life through all the different voices.
This book has way more to it than a scary story. It’s also a tale of redemption and growing up to be brave, empathetic, and kind without losing that childlike wonder. Watching Regan grow and learn made this story heartwarming. While there is a lot of good stuff for kids in this book, there is plenty for us grownups as well.
I also want to say that I listened to the audiobook and the narration was fantastic! The narrator really brought the characters to life through all the different voices.
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