The Flame in the Mist

Gr 6–8—Jemma lives in moldering old Agromond Castle with her nasty brother and sister, her evil parents, and her two pet rats. She doesn't share her family's inclination for wickedness and runs away from home when she learns that the Agromonds stole her from her real parents long ago in order to commandeer her innate magical power on her 13th birthday. The remainder of this turgid fantasy follows Jemma as she tries to get away from the murderous Agromonds to her real parents before she loses her magic forever. On her journey, she is thwarted by hostile mist, vile beasts, and brutal villagers. All ends well eventually and the villains get their just deserts, but not before readers must trudge through long, boring episodes interspersed with scenes full of blood and gore. The cuteness of Jemma crooning to her adorable pet rats clashes bizarrely with the revelation that the Agromonds have been murdering children to sustain their dominance. The slow-moving plot feels cobbled together and the setting is as hazy as the magical mist. For recent atmospheric fantasy with sinister characters, introduce patrons to William Alexander's Goblin Secrets or Stacy DeKeyser's Brixen Witch (both S & S, 2012).—Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library