Novel: The Amulet (A Custodian Novel #1)
Author: Alison Pensy
Rating: 3 out of 5 Mulberries
To Faedra, faeries were nothing more than the figurines she collected and displayed in her curio cabinet. She was in for a surprise. Faedra had no idea that faeries controlled nature, and with a book no less. Nor did she know that her descendants had protected an ancient fae amulet for thousands of years. An amulet that if ever was reunited with the book would give the wearer power to control the weather, too. She didn't know all this because the one person to teach her died when she was just six years old. Well, now it was time for her to find out... A letter from the grave reveals her true identity the day of her eighteenth birthday. But she barely has time to digest the revelation when she is plunged into a fight for her life and that of mankind.
Debut author Alison Pensy's book "The Amulet" (the first book in the Custodian Novel series) was an interesting young adult fantasy with beautiful descriptions and lovable characters. Pensy obviously has a knack for language and an eye for architecture. That being said, I found myself skipping over entire paragraphs of description just to get to the plot.
The faeries were sweet and handsome, but their personalities seemed stiff (yes, lovable but stiff: think "G" rated). I didn't really feel attached to any of the characters, and I especially didn't care for the romance. Honestly, it was creepy that a man who was a couple of centuries old, after inhabiting the body of a dog who belonged to a little girl, should fall in love with that girl when she turns eighteen. And by love, I mean the "I want to kiss you passionately" type of love. Didn't he feel in a way like her father, having watched her grow up and whatnot? Suspended disbelief tells me that I should just relax and let their love come to fruition.
The beginning was pretty long and drawn out, and I probably would have stopped reading except for I had already decided that I wanted to review this book, but by page 50, I found myself excited to pick up where I left off reading the night before. The description of the redcaps, villainous imp-like creatures wielding battle axes, was especially haunting. I did enjoy the world that Pensy created, only I would have liked more action and plausible explanations and also for more time to have passed between events. The bulk of the story takes place within three days.
Anyway, so why did I give "The Amulet" 3 out of 5 stars? For one, Pensy is an indie author and I believe her book to be just as good if not better than a fair amount of the traditionally published stuff out there. Secondly, even though this novel wasn't for me, I believe someone out there will appreciate it. Faeries and Celtic lure are both fascinating subjects. I felt like I was a little too old to truly enjoy this book, possibly a little too rough around the edges... I needed more spice. I don't quite know how to put it... This book felt quaint, like it would be the kind of book that a home schooled young girl who likes to ride horses might enjoy. That being said, there was a nice cliff hanger at the conclusion of the book, and I'm sure the second book in the series will be better, though I doubt I'll read it. So if you're interested in faeries, a light sprinkling of magic, and a wholesome coming-of-age story, then I recommend "The Amulet" with 3 out of 5 stars!
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