Once a Queen

November 15, 2023
A portal fantasy survivor story from an established devotional writer. Fourteen-year-old Eva's maternal grandmother lives on a grand estate in England; Eva and her academic parents live in New Haven, Connecticut. When she and Mum finally visit Carrick Hall, Eva is alternately resentful at what she's missed and overjoyed to connect with sometimes aloof Grandmother. Alongside questions of Eva's family history, the summer is permeated by a greater mystery surrounding the work of fictional children's fantasy writer A.H.W. Clifton, who wrote a Narnialike series that Eva adores. As it happens, Grandmother was one of several children who entered and ruled Ternival, the world of Clifton's books; the others perished in 1952, and Grandmother hasn't recovered. The Narnia influences are strong--Eva's grandmother is the Susan figure who's repudiated both magic and God--and the ensuing trauma has created rifts that echo through her relationships with her daughter and granddaughter. An early narrative implication that Eva will visit Ternival to set things right barely materializes in this series opener; meanwhile, the religious parable overwhelms the magic elements as the story winds on. The serviceable plot is weakened by shallow characterization. Little backstory appears other than that which immediately concerns the plot, and Eva tends to respond emotionally as the story requires--resentful when her seething silence is required, immediately trusting toward characters readers need to trust. Major characters are cued white. Evocations of Narnia are not enough to salvage this fantasy, which struggles with thin character development. (author's note, map, author Q&A) (Religious fantasy. 12-14)

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December 1, 2023
Grades 7-10 Eva is 14 when her mother finally takes her to England to meet her grandmother and stay in her grand home on her estate. With gardens famous for their topiary animals, the house is a frequent stop for tourists, but when Eva looks around, she recognizes it as the setting for her favorite children's fantasy book series, which she secretly still loves, though she knows she's too old to believe in magical portals to fairy-tale worlds. Gradually, she discovers her family's secret history, while coming to respect and love her grandmother, who appears to shuttle between her own fantasy realm and reality, aided by her devoted but secretive staff, who apparently enable her to function in both places. Sometimes endearing herself to Eva, but at other times haughty and overbearing, the grandmother is a memorable character, though the three generations of enigmatic staff members are intriguing too. As narrator, Eva provides a close-up view of the manor's mysteries. This sweeping, enticing series opener combines mystery and fantasy in a classic English setting.

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