A review by jesibl
Illuminations by T. Kingfisher
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
A nice little kids book by T Kingfisher but definitely geared towards a much younger audience than her usual fare under the T Kingfisher moniker. The books "Minor Mage" and "Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking" can be read and enjoyed by late tweens/early teens, and adults alike - the themes are heavy but presented in a light enough manner than young people can still enjoy and learn from the books.
Illuminations on the other hand, is most definitely a book for grade 3/4 children. The theme is not complicated, the crisis at the core of the plot is a lot of fun and I can imagine children will get a lot of joy out of seeing things go so wrong before it is all resolved. As a children's book, this is an excellent story and I would definitely recommend for kids who are ready for chapter books or as a book that you read with your kid at bedtime.
My rating is honestly based on the fact that the T Kingfisher moniker has always been associated with adult books (the Paladin series, the horror books, the most excellent Hugo winning "Nettle and Bone") or young adult books ("Minor Mage" and Wizard's guide). She has usually used the Ursula Vernon moniker for the younger children's books so this affected my expectations of this book. As a children's book, this is definitely a 4 star book.
Illuminations on the other hand, is most definitely a book for grade 3/4 children. The theme is not complicated, the crisis at the core of the plot is a lot of fun and I can imagine children will get a lot of joy out of seeing things go so wrong before it is all resolved. As a children's book, this is an excellent story and I would definitely recommend for kids who are ready for chapter books or as a book that you read with your kid at bedtime.
My rating is honestly based on the fact that the T Kingfisher moniker has always been associated with adult books (the Paladin series, the horror books, the most excellent Hugo winning "Nettle and Bone") or young adult books ("Minor Mage" and Wizard's guide). She has usually used the Ursula Vernon moniker for the younger children's books so this affected my expectations of this book. As a children's book, this is definitely a 4 star book.