Lindsey's Library

Critique

All to often with fantasy books written within the past 20 years or so, it’s just a rehashing of the exact same ideas and same fantasy tropes and mythological creatures. Child of promise has special powers that enable him or her to take on the great evil presence that has oppressed the entire world. Throw in some elves, dwarves, dragons, vampires, etc and you’ve got yourself a story.

In many respects, that was what I was expecting out of Fablehaven. Even just the name makes it seem like we’re in for the exact same sort of plot structure and fantasy world. However, even though Mull hasn’t created any sort of new fantasy or mythological creatures, his take on how the world has come to be and the rules that have been placed onto it are refreshingly new.

Also, Mull is a good enough writer that he doesn’t just rely on the typical fantasy plot or limited growth in main characters, but instead creates characters who are complex and through their personalities cause many of the issues that they then need to resolve. The story is more about discovery and personal growth, understanding boundaries and the consequences of breaking those boundaries than it is about mythical creatures.

Not quite a rival for a Rowling world, Fablehaven is still engaging, and will captivate readers in a unique way. I recommend this series to readers 10-14.

So far, the other books in the Fablehaven series are Rise of the Evening Star (book 2), Grip of the Shadow Plague (book 3), Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary (book 4), and Keys to the Demon Prison (book 5).