From the Publisher
Kiernan has crafted something at once familiar and delightfully surprising with this fantasy quest. Like biting into an unassuming brownie to discover it has a heart of Nutella, Mup's narrative has all the hallmarks of a traditional misadventure with the fairy folk, but the unusual deployment of the "chosen one" trope, a plot-driving interweave of magic and family tension, and ineffably Irish elements of worldbuilding and characterization deliver readers an unexpected twist of richness. It's fortunate a trilogy is planned, for readers will surely demand more of Mup.
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Kiernan deftly weaves an enchanting tale delicately grounded in real life issues. The book subtly explores themes of dictatorship, ethical choices, and the complexity of family ties. Mup is a likable underdog whose vulnerable yet brave spirit will endear her to readers. While much familiar fantasy ground is covered, this is a solid entry featuring a strong female protagonist for younger middle grade readers.
—School Library Journal
From the author of Into the Grey (2014) comes this exciting first adventure in the Wild Magic trilogy...Kiernan finds magic in music, rhyme, and freedom of speech in this brilliant adventure into another world.
—Booklist Online
Kiernan writes with a beautiful lyricism, her narrative humming along like music.
—Buffalo News
OCTOBER 2018 - AudioFile
With even pacing and an impassioned tone, narrator Kate Rudd tells the tale of young Mup as her life falls into disarray soon after her auntie passes away. Witches from her mam’s childhood attempt to capture her mam, now that she is next in line for the throne. When they fail to capture Mam, her dad is taken instead. Now Mup, her mam, and her younger brother must cross into Mam’s childhood world to rescue him. Rudd brings the magical forest creatures that Mup meets in the new land to life by creating unique voices that embrace the emotions of the suppressed subjects. Listeners will cheer as Mup tries to reunite her family and return home. M.D. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2018-07-30
As witches scheme to break her family apart, a young mixed-race Irish girl must rescue her father and risk losing her mother.
Pearl "Mup" Taylor first spies the raggedy witches the night that Aunty dies. Long ago, Aunty brought Mup's white-presenting mother across the border into the mundane world to protect her from her mother—Aunty's sister—the queen of the Glittering Land. But when Aunty dies, witches kidnap Mup's human, Nigerian-Irish father as he's on his way back from a North Sea oil rig in order to lure the queen's heir, Mup's mother, back across the border. Danger lurks everywhere as Mup, her mother, little brother, and Aunty's ghost stage a rescue mission—and as the power of magic steadily calls to her mother, Mup fears she will lose her entire family in the Glittering Land. Kiernan has crafted something at once familiar and delightfully surprising with this fantasy quest. Like biting into an unassuming brownie to discover it has a heart of Nutella, Mup's narrative has all the hallmarks of a traditional misadventure with the fairy folk, but the unusual deployment of the "chosen one" trope, a plot-driving interweave of magic and family tension, and ineffably Irish elements of worldbuilding and characterization deliver readers an unexpected twist of richness.
It's fortunate a trilogy is planned, for readers will surely demand more of Mup. (Fantasy. 8-12)
