BLURB: Dylan McFinn is an ordinary twelve-year-old. Ordinary, that is, if you ignore the fact that he lives deep under the Pacific Ocean with his family The McFinn’s.
As he battles monsters and maelstroms on his first day as a teenager, Dylan discovers that he can be an awful lot more than he imagines and a nostalgic trip to the past was more than just a rite of passage. It was a passage to his destiny.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BOOK REVIEW
You will like this if you like:
~ mythology
~ sea creatures
~ mermaids
~ adventure
To Note: There is a prequel available.
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
Writing Style: 3/5
Personal Enjoyment: 3.5/5
Overall Rating: 12.5/20
This was a charming book, full of adventure and magic, humour and fun. While the characters are having their adventures though, it also emphasises the importance of looking after our environment. Especially keeping the oceans clear of all the plastic.
The message is cleverly interwoven into the fabric of the story, making it easier for younger minds to absorb.
The story unfurls as an old man recounts the happenings from a long time ago, this was an engaging way of letting the story develop, as it gets you curious from the get go. And I can see young readers being intrigued. We begin with a sea captain named Culbert McFinn in a tavern called the Neptune's Tower, having an ordinary night with his friend, but once he leaves the building disappears and we are told it pops up in different locations every day. I loved how this was mentioned so casually. The magical realism was done particularly well. It was nonsensical in a fun way. From that point on it becomes more surreal, with mermaids and underwater cities and stories about giant sea monsters. Dylan is Culbert's oldest son and when he turns 13 and his father decides to take him and his little brother Axneus to his home Island, thats when the real adventures begin. However saying too much more will lead to spoilers.
I enjoyed the plot, the story was fast paced and though a lot of things happen to our trio, it did not feel out of place. The story has whole array of characters that either help or hinder our trio. I found it interesting how the author used personality traits of the two brothers to convey consequences of certain behaviour and actions. And it feels like the author is planting little seeds that will come into fruition, further along the series. The story feels full of references of myths from different cultures, but woven in such away as to make unique amalgamation, full of different magical creatures. Overall this was a fun quick middle grade read, it is a good introduction for kids who love adventure, myths and magical creatures, in their stories.