Wildwood

Meloy, C. (2011). Wildwood. (Ellis, C. illus.). Balzer + Bray. 576 pages. ISBN 9780062024701

Primary genre: fantasy

Other elements: adventure, family, friendship, coming of age, politics

Intended reader age: 8 and up

Synopsis:

Prue McKeel is propelled into an adventure when her one-year-old brother is kidnapped by a murder of crows while under her care. The crows take her brother to the Impassable Wilderness a wilderness that borders her hometown and one that all the locals avoid. Prue finds an unlikely ally in her classmate, Curtis, as she heads into the woods and dangers unknown. In the woods Prue and Curtis find that there is more than going on than outsiders ever thought possible. Their simple rescue mission soon becomes a secondary goal as they become swept up in the political unrest.

Review:

The one aspect that I enjoyed the most in this story was the role that was given to Curtis. He started out as a kind of nuisance to Prue; she did not want his help in finding her brother and made that very clear. But, in Wildwood he really came into himself. He was described as an outsider both at school and at home so it was fitting that this came to pass in the story. I especially loved when he was looking in the mirror and compared himself to “Taran Wanderer” and “Harry Flashman” (p.102). The Taran reference was the greatest fit (in my eyes) because at that point in the story, Curtis had no real notion of what heroics and adventures entailed, just the ideas he formulated through reading and watching movies.

I found elements of this story to be reminiscent of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; especially Curtis’s initial interaction with Alexandra. His interactions with his peers have altered greatly in the outside world; everyone else is ‘growing up’ and moving on to appropriate interests. Curtis, on the other hand, is left behind and viewed as odd because he still watches cartoons and has an interest in superheroes (nothing wrong with that in my eyes). Then, in Wildwood, he finds himself in this magical world and this fierce, beautiful woman begins to pay him all this attention. So, I can see why he falls for her act in the beginning; but when it came down to really seeing the wrongs that she was dealing Curtis flat out told her he would not be part of it. He then spent the remained of the book trying to make up for his involvement and stop Alexandra. 

The one complaint that I have with this story was the parents. I know this is a tween title and the focus is supposed to be on the tween characters being the heroes and saving the day. I just had an issue with how Prue’s parents first didn’t know the difference between a soggy bunched-up blanket and their one-year-old son and second (and more importantly) how they handled the news when Prue told them what happened to that same son. Their basic response was, “Well, he is lost, but at least we have you. Let’s forget this ever happened and move on with our lives.” Yes, this gave Prue the resolve she needed to go back into Wildwood and finish what she started; but I just felt it could have been handled differently.
There is now a second book out, Under Wildwood, which I have not had the opportunity to read just yet. I am waiting for the paperback to be released and I have every intention of reading it. 

I love fancy covers. >