Skip to main content

The Castle of Tangled Magic - Sophie Anderson


Magic awaits, all you have to do is believe...

When thirteen-year-old Olia, steps through a magical doorway, she discovers another land. A land tangled by magic, where hope is lost, and a scheming wizard holds all the power.

Soon Olia learns that she is destined to save this land, but with time running out and her new friends and family in danger, she must search for the magic within herself - to save everything and everyone she loves.


The Castle of Tangled Magic is the highly-anticipated next novel from Sophie Anderson who brought us the wonders that are The House With Chicken Legs and The Girl Who Speaks Bear. It only came out at the start of the month but already the Edu Twitter world is alight with 5 star reviews and a buzz of excitement for this new release. 

The Castle of Tangled Magic revolves around our protagonist, Olia, a thirteen-year old girl, who lives in Castle Mila along with her family, including her newborn sister and wise old grandma, Babusya. The castle has been part of the family for years and passed down through generations from a home for royalty to the loving family home it has become. Olia loves exploring the castle and is desperate to unearth all of its secrets, particularly those which hide underneath the huge castle domes. 

However, Olia's exploration of the castle is put on hold, when Babusya tells of a magical storm which threatens to destroy Castle Mila unless it is stopped. And so begins our heroine's journey of magic, bravery and friendship - all in a desperate attempt to save the people and the place she loves the most. 

Magic is weaved in effortlessly by Sophie Anderson through Olia's travels as she discovers what true friendship is as well as uncovering the history of her ancestors. At many points the friendship between characters reminded me of the innocence and desperation of The Wizard of Oz and I enjoyed the way that each new character contributed something new to the friendship dynamics within the book. 

I can't review The Castle of Tangled Magic without also mentioning the richness of Sophie Anderson's description throughout the whole novel. I don't know how she sustains it but I'm ever so glad she does. From the first chapter I was hooked in by  her vivid descriptions which just add to the magic of the action and help tell the tales of the Castle and of Olia. 

The Castle of Tangled Magic does not disappoint and is yet another triumph to add to my pupils' bookshelves. Perfect for lovers of folk tales, magic, and adventure. 

A traditional tale of friendship, bravery and family. 



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Blog Tour | Mirrorland - Carole Johnstone

  Cat lives in Los Angeles,  about as far away as she can get from her estranged twin sister El and No. 36 Westeryk Road, the imposing gothic house in Edinburgh where they grew up. As girls, they invented Mirrorland, a dark, imaginary place under the pantry stairs full of pirates, witches, and clowns. These days Cat rarely thinks about their childhood home, or the fact that El now lives there with her husband Ross. But when El mysteriously disappears after going out on her sailboat, Cat is forced to return to the grand old house, which has scarcely changed in twenty years. No. 36 Westeryk Road is still full of shadowy, hidden corners, and at every turn Cat finds herself stumbling on long-held secrets and terrifying ghosts from the past. Because someone—El?—has left Cat clues all over the house: a treasure hunt that leads right back to Mirrorland, where she knows the truth lies crouched and waiting…   Mirrorland  is a thriller on paper, but very different to any I...

Things To Do Before the End of the World - Emily Barr

1. Live your best life. 2. Uncover family secrets. 3. Trust no one What would you do when you hear the news that humans have done such damage to the earth that there might only be a limited amount of safe air left - a year's worth at most? You'd work through your bucket list, heal rifts, do everything you've never been brave enough to do before? Olivia is struggling to do any of this. What it is she truly wants to do? Who do she wants to be? Then out of the blue comes contact from a long-lost cousin Olivia didn't even know existed. Natasha is everything Olivia wants to be and more. And as the girls meet up for a long, hot last summer, Olivia finds Natasha's ease and self-confidence having an effect on her. But Natasha definitely isn't everything she first appears to be. Emily Barr is no stranger to YA literature having penned many a well-received title including The One Memory of Flora Banks and The Girl Who Came Out of the Woods. Her latest offering, Things To ...

Blog Tour | What Beauty There Is - Cory Anderson

  Jack Morton has nothing left. Nothing except for his younger brother, Matty, who he'd die for.  Now Jack faces a start choice: lose his brother to foster care, or find the drug money that sent his father to prison. He chooses the money.  And so begins a race against times as Jack tries to track down the stash of money while evading the clutches of Bardem, the man who masterminded the drug deal gone wrong all those years ago and who has held a vendetta against the family ever since.  But when Jack meets Ava, things become even more complicated.  At first Jack thinks he's found someone he can lean on for once, but then it turns out that Ava might be the one person guaranteed to bring Bardem to Jack's door.  What Beauty There Is is Cory Anderson's debut novel and what a debut it is. Heart-breaking , brutal and emotional What Beauty There Is is a rollercoaster of emotions with central characters that are developed from page one and a plot which has ...