Review by Booklist Review
It starts small, like a barely noticeable mistake--the letter D has gone missing. Dhikilo's friends have started calling her "Icky" instead of "Dicky," and street signs and car names have suddenly lost the letter, too, as she sees an expensive Mercees-Benz on her walk to school. Before long, though, more troubling signs about the letter's disappearance arise, as dogs vanish with no explanation. Dhikilo, a 13-year-old from Somaliland living in England, is tasked by her old professor with rescuing D, bringing along his dog, Nelly, who is really a sphinx in disguise. They set out on their quest in the frozen land of Liminus, whose inhabitants include deceitful witches, hungry dwarfs, and an ancient race of musical, catlike creatures, all ruled over by the terrible Gamp. In the tradition of great adventure fantasy from the likes of C. S. Lewis and Philip Pullman, Dhikilo and Nelly face great peril to rescue the missing letter from the Gamp, who is it to fuel his Dynamo (or Ynamo). Well-crafted and original, D is a delight.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Faber's entertaining, fantastical romp (after The Book of Strange New Things) concerns the sudden disappearance of the letter D. Dicky Bentley, 13, doesn't have memories of her early childhood before her adoption, but knows she hails from Somaliland in Africa, and no one in Dicky's orbit in Cawber-on-Sands, England, knows much about her homeland except for her history teacher, Professor Dodderfield. One morning, Dicky notices the letter D has vanished from the newspaper and from people's speech (" 'Demolish?' she ventured. 'Emolish,' her mum confirmed"). At school, she's suddenly admonished for her poor spelling, and her status as the only Black girl in Cawber is brought into greater relief. She consults Dodderfield for answers and meets Nelly, a sphinx who morphs into a dog whom the professor says will take her on a journey to find the stolen letter. Dicky and Nelly enter wintry Liminus from a Chronicles of Narnia-esque portal and see Ds carried aloft by dragonflies. A catlike Drood character helps Dicky reclaim the letter D, while they work together to restore warmth to the frozen land. Liminus is chock-full of literary references--a chapter titled "Bleak House," about a house that traps its guests; an evil ruler straight out of the Wizard of Oz who transformed Liminus into tundra after seizing power--and they come together smoothly through Faber's genuine enthusiasm for storytelling. This splendid tale will enchant readers of all ages. (Dec.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
Originally from Somaliland, Dhikilo is a high school student living in Cawber, a coastal town in England. One morning, she awakes to find that all the Ds have vanished from the English language--including the first letter of her name. More disturbingly, Dhikilo seems to be the only person who notices it! Slowly, items and even animals reliant on Ds (like dogs, for instance) are fading away owing to this bizarre letter disappearance. A dusty old professor seems to comprehend the growing problem and sends the young heroine on a surreal mission to the wintry land of Liminus to confront an enigmatic dictator known as Gamp. VERDICT Faber (The Crimson Petal and the White), an award-winning writer of short stories, fiction, and nonfiction, has created a thoroughly engaging young adult crossover fantasy that occasionally breaks the fourth wall by speaking directly to the reader midstory. Clever and enjoyable, this Narnia-like work will delight any fantasy buff.--Russell Miller, formerly with Prescott P.L., AZ
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