Review of Fablehaven: Book One

Fablehaven will catch you off-guard, regardless of any high praise. Brandon is an emerging artist who just gets better, but even for a first novel this one won't leave you wanting, either. Fablehaven immerses its reader into a new culture. Set as a haven for mystical creatures, the place has a caretaker who is grandfather to the main characters. The storyline puts you into a new world with rules to govern good and evil that lurks there. Following believable actions of a boy prone to getting himself in trouble and the responsible reactions of his sister, these characters are the perfect ingredients to uncover the mysteries of Fablehaven.

Character traits bring the story to life

Brandon vividly portrays the love-hate relationship of a brother and a sister. You wonder how much he lived certain aspects of that bond with his own sister. The development of quirks and traits of his characters are all too real. It really draws you into the story, as you guess how you yourself might act under different circumstances. The grandfather figure develops a little more contrived, and other characters come along with poignant examples. The indifference and vanity of fairies are exactly what you might really expect from such creatures, but a funny departure from the typical: still lending for great qualities of fairies magnified in the significance of their contribution. Muriel is a great witch of a character, especially with the wooden puppet to do her bidding. How Brandon comes up with these characters and makes them real to us is anyone's guess. If we knew, we would be writing the story. Then the characters go and act out a great story.

Plot is shrouded with great mystery

Magic and wonder guide you through the early chapters and then the action speeds up as evil threatens to take advantage of mishaps. The story is intertwined well with various actions of characters. I loved exploring and discovering what Fablehaven is. It peaked my enthusiasm for reading more young adult novels. I enjoyed the triumph of heroes. I liked how the book's story was ingratiating to its reader by enclosing a satisfying ending to one story while leaving it open for further adventures with the next story to come.

In Conclusion

Whether you are a reader of fantasy and mysticism or not, you should find this book very appealing. Harry Potter definitely gave books like this one an audience, but Fablehaven uniquely caters the delicious remedy for all of us hungry for more. If you like to read, this is the next book to enliven your life with.