MIDDLE GRADE FICTION REVIEW : Monster and Apprentice by Jessica Khoury
ABOUT THE BOOK
After a life on the streets Rolan is chosen to apprentice under a feared monster hunter to slay Cryptics—deadly magical creatures born of secrets in this middle grade fantasy perfect for fans of Witcher and Demon Slayer.
Rolan Strider has never belonged—not at school, not in the city of Crisanth, and definitely not in the life of his crime-lord father. So when he’s caught vandalizing one of the city’s lanterns—a serious offense in a world where darkness breeds monsters—he expects prison. Instead, he’s claimed by the Arcanist, a legendary warrior who hunts terrifying creatures born from the secrets people hide.
Dragged beyond the safety of the city, Rolan is forced to train under Luc’s harsh guidance—learning to read, fight, and wield Arcana, the strange power drawn from slain Cryptics. And for the first time, Rolan begins to feel at home.
But the beast Luc has been hunting for years is closer than Rolan ever imagined—and tied to his own past in ways that could destroy them both.
To survive, Rolan must face the truth, wield the power of the very secrets he fears, and decide who he wants to be in this action-packed an outlaw, a hero…or something else entirely.
REVIEW
In Monster and Apprentice, readers find Rolan, a twelve-year-old boy apprenticed to a monster hunter called The Arcanist. After getting caught vandalizing a street lamp, Rolan is threatened with ten years in prison. When his criminal father never shows up to help him, Rolan has no choice but to accept the Arcanist's offer if he wants to avoid prison. Living outside the city near the forest where the biggest Cryptics hide, Rolan learns about being a cryptic hunter. With a snarky mouth that doesn't endear him to most people, Rolan starts to feel at home with Luc (the Arcanist) as he learns to read, do math, and fight. But with each Cryptic the result of a secret (the bigger the secret, the bigger the Cryptic), Rolan must choose whether he wants to be responsible for carrying a secret for each Cryptic he kills without being able to share them. Deadly secrets related to both Luc's and Rolan's pasts force both of them to chose what is most important to them. And does Rolan really want to dedicate himself to a cause and a job that is neither appreciated nor honored but rather feared and hated.
Starting off with a bang, readers find Rolan hanging from a street lamp talking to a friend. Rolan won me over immediately with his snark and his courage. But his willingness to aggravate everyone around him with his recklessness, he quickly finds himself in way over his head. Underneath the bravado lies a boy who desperately wants to be loved and wanted, first by his father and then by Luc. His efforts to prove himself worthy lead to Rolan getting in trouble over and over again. The secondary characters add depth to the story including Rolan's best friend, Anaya, who is now working as the apothecary's apprentice who still cares for Rolan despite his foolishness. Luc, the Arcanist has secrets of his own that threaten to destory his developing relationship with Rolan. Even Rolan's rotten father has more depth than one might expect. The fantasy world is very well developed and easy to imagine. Several themes shine through related to found family, friendship, and sacrifice and choice not to mention the power for good or evil of secrets. Khoury has created a masterpiece of fiction that many young readers will eagerly devour as I did. Not to mention a book cover that hits it out of the park. Highly recommended for middle grade readers who love a fantasy with depth that takes one on a compelling journey.
While no sequel has been announced, I can't but hope to meet these characters again. There are enough loose ends left to make room for one or more sequels.
Comments
Post a Comment