A Hero at the End of the World

Gr 9 Up—Ewan Mao was destined to save the world. Prophesied as slayer of the evil Duff Slan, he has spent most of his life reaping the benefits of being the "chosen one:" namely, skipping school and flouting the rules of magical law enforcement. But when the time comes, it isn't 16-year-old Ewan who completes his gargantuan task—it's his best friend, Oliver Abrams. Seven years later, the two are living very different lives. Oliver is working a dream job at the Serious Magical Crimes Agency and living up to his full "hero" potential, while Ewan is sulking as the barista of a rundown coffee shop and living with his parents. When Ewan (accidentally) joins an evil cult with destruction in mind, the estranged pair must reunite in order to save the universe. This hilarious twist on the magical boarding school genre is excellently done, embracing familiar tropes while simultaneously turning them on their heads. Claiborne manages to create characters who are imperfect, but not unlikable. Oliver, for instance, is a hero who knows it; he is admirably brave yet unbearably haughty, with an inflated ego matched only by wealthy quasi-villain Archibald Gardener Hobbes (who also happens to be Ewan's love interest). With equal parts action and wit, this novel will hook fans of fantasy and snark alike. Liebes's graceful illustrations perfectly complement the beauty, and the danger, lurking in this mythical Britain.—Ashleigh Williams, School Library Journal