#MMGM: Map of Flames by Lisa McMann
ABOUT THE BOOK
X-Men meets Oceans Eleven in the new middle-grade series from the New York Times bestselling author, Lisa McMann (The Unwanteds).
Thirteen years ago, eight supernatural criminals fled the city of Estero to make a new life in an isolated tropical hideout. Off the grid, the missing criminals were presumed dead--but that wasn't really the case. Until recently, when the last one died.
Left behind alone on the island are their children:
There's Birdie, who can communicate with animals.
Brix has athletic and healing abilities.
Cabot is super-smart, but there's no sign yet of her special ability.
Seven's skin camouflages to match whatever is around him.
Tenner can swim like a fish and has heightened senses, including the ability to see in the dark.
When Birdie finds a map with a set of instructions directing her to a stash of treasure that's secret from everyone--including their missing parents--she knows it holds the power to change everything, for better or worse.
REVIEW
Lisa McMann really knows how to tell an exciting, intriguing story. The fantasy concepts behind this one feel fresh and new and very appealing. Birdie, Brix, Cabot, Seven, and Tenner make great characters, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. And being left alone in the only home they've every known throws them for a loop. But at least they know how to take care of themselves. But when Birdie finds a note from her father asking her to go the city of Estero to find her mother and give her a map to the 'stash' they stole years earlier, it throws everything out of whack. None of the children have every been to the city, they only know what Louis Golden taught them. Not to mention the fact that the other parents left in two groups years earlier and never returned. After convincing Tenner to go with her, Birdie sets off to attempt to fulfill her father's wishes, but things turn out to be more difficult and confusing then she could have imagined. And Cabot, Seven, and Brix find some information that could be useful for Birdie and Tenner, but how to get it to them?
I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know each of the five children. It was interesting the way the 'narrator' slipped in and out of the thoughts and feelings of each character. It was a bit disconcerting at first, but once I got used to it, it helped to understand where each character was coming from during various events. The different 'supernatural' abilities each child has make for an interesting conglomeration of skills and abilities, especially combined with the other things they've been taught by Birdie and Brix's father, Louis Golden. These skills give them a chance to survive in the city. One of the most interesting parts though is seeing Birdie and Tenner make there way in the city. While Louis Golden taught them a few things, it quickly becomes apparent that he didn't teach them enough, and the children must adapt quickly in order to avoid being noticed in a world where supernaturals are rejected and mistreated.
As a librarian, I quickly grew to like The Librarian who steps forward to help the children when they need it. She's a rather mysterious character, and I'm intrigued by her. And Lada, the young supernatural, who's grown up in the city without knowing any other supernaturals. I look forward to getting to know all the different characters in future volumes. There is much to be pondered and enjoyed here regarding both the story itself and the circumstances in which the children find themselves.
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