Lindsey's Library » Leo North http://www.lindseyslibrary.com Lindsey's Library is here to delight young adult literature readers of all ages as well as act as a tool for parents that is easy to navigate with reviews that are quick and easy to read but contain all of the relevant information for prospective readers. Thu, 20 Oct 2011 23:37:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 The Eyes of a King http://www.lindseyslibrary.com/2010/02/the-eyes-of-a-king/ http://www.lindseyslibrary.com/2010/02/the-eyes-of-a-king/#comments Wed, 10 Feb 2010 17:56:58 +0000 lindsey http://www.lindseyslibrary.com/?p=1458
Overall Rating: 4.1 out of 5 stars
The Eyes of a King (The Last Descendants, Book 1)

Catherine Banner

Random House, 2008

Fantasy

ISBN: 0375838767

448 pages

Synopsis

Fifteen-year-old Leo North’s prospects in life are limited. He reluctantly attends military school because that’s what most boys do in Malonia. He grudgingly lives with his pious, fearful grandmother and looks after his young brother, Stirling. He resists his innate powers because those who demonstrate any sort of magical ability are considered enemies of the state. But when he finds a blank book in the snow, his typical indifference melts away. From the very first moment he touches the book, he senses its strange power. Passages start to appear on the pages—revealing family secrets, telling the history of Malonia, and uncovering the story of Ryan and Anna, two teens from a parallel world. When Leo’s seemingly narrow path takes an unexpected tragic turn, he finds himself on a journey from which he can never really return.

Critique

*This review contains spoilers.

First off, the given synopsis doesn’t really do justice to what this book truly is, which is a very dark journey through life under an oppressive government during the midst of war, and the psychological trauma of losing a family member who is the representation of hope and light in a family. Banner does a wonderful job of revealing the content throughout the novel, so as not to give the whole thing away immediately. However, it continues to move toward a very dark direction, and although I found myself wanting to continue reading in order to finish the story, personally, it became less enjoyable the further along I got in the book.

That’s not to say, certainly, that I don’t recommend this read, because I do, it’s just that I would definitely consider this more on the literary side of the fantasy fiction spectrum. If you’re looking for a fun, lighthearted fireside fantasy, this isn’t the book for you. However, if you’re looking for a well-written book with more of a literary bent that explores a world of magic and kingdom era war and weaponry in a more realistic way, then you will definitely enjoy this book.

Rating Rubric

Enjoyable Read: 4 out of 5 stars

Original Fantasy: 4 out of 5 stars

Original Plot: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Language: 4 out of 5 stars

Asthetics: 5 out of 5 stars

Depth In Characters: 5 out of 5 stars

Depth In Story: 5 out of 5 stars

Social Commentary: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Layers/Complexity: 5 out of 5 stars

Classroom Text: 2 out of 5 stars

Overall Rating: 4.1 out of 5 stars

For the Classroom

Since this text operates in a parallel world with separate cultures, societal issues, natural laws and histories than our own, there’s not much to use as a classroom companion.

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