Now a Major Motion Picture

Gr 8 Up—Iris Thorne is tired of living in the shadow of a grandmother she barely knew and tired of babysitting her eight-year-old brother Ryder. She accompanies Ryder to Ireland, where the movie adaptation of her grandmother's popular high fantasy book trilogy "Elementia" is being filmed. Iris dislikes fantasy and resents "Thornians," the Elementian fandom. That includes nerdy debut actor Eamon O'Brien and director Cate Collins, who has declared the series to be "the feminist answer to Tolkien's male-dominated world." But Iris gradually develops a crush on Eamon, a begrudging respect for Cate, and even an appreciation for fantasy. Meanwhile, Ryder's need to assert his independence from Iris's overprotection forces her to come to terms with her dysfunctional family dynamics and a recent trauma. Major side plots include Cate's challenges as a female movie director and actress Shoshanna's similar experiences with "winning the intersectional bingo," as she is neither white nor straight. This is simultaneously a whimsical teen romance (borderline saccharine at some points) and an emotionally compelling story about family, creativity, and courage. McCarthy delves into the backstories and motivations of most major characters, and Iris herself is a well-developed and complex protagonist with a believable blend of ambition, fear, and fierce loyalty.