Review by Booklist Review
Juniper, nicknamed June, has been having a recurring nightmare for the last month, in which she sees someone magical get run through by a cloaked figure with a sword and then another girl her age appears next to her and turns into an ivory statue. She has no idea what it means, and things get even more complicated when the girl from her dreams appears in her room early one morning. She reveals herself to be Galatea, a princess from a floating island in the sky who is trying to save her kingdom from a mysterious vanishing and has been having visions of June for the last month, too. This is a great pick for fans of cinematic fantasies, especially ones where mythology collides with modern kids, like in Rick Riordan's books, particularly the Trials of Apollo series. Varela draws some inspiration from Greek myth with allusions to Pygmalion and gives the book a modern twist with the crush Juniper nurses for Galatea. In her middle-grade debut, Varela offers an excellent heroine in a story that stands out from the middle-grade fantasy crowd.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 4--6--Juniper Harvey, 12, brown-eyed and white, has recently moved from Texas to Florida. As if the humidity and loneliness wasn't enough, she's having a strange recurring dream about a temple and girl turning into ivory. Soon, however, she discovers magic in her artwork and realizes her dream is a reality from a different world; the beautiful tawny-skinned, stormy-eyed girl she drew lands in her room one night. Galatea is from Kypros; her sky island is disappearing, she has lost the crown that allowed her the travel through worlds, and she believes the goddess of dreams is responsible. Juniper and Galatea begin to search for a solution, although it might not be the one they expect. Can sixth graders save a world? Will Juniper figure out the feelings she is having for Galatea? This story is a nod to the myth Pygmalion and Galatea. Readers will appreciate the mythology, and the final action scenes with warring gods is exciting, but the magic and worldbuilding is inconsistent, leaving the text feeling unfinished and facts unmatched. Additionally, Juniper as first-person narrator repeats that she isn't good with words, but there are long descriptive passages of place and action that do not sound like a middle schooler's voice. Ruminations on her blossoming feelings for Galatea are too mature and insightful, while Galatea's familiarity with the modern world also varies wildly from scene to scene. Much of the dialogue is stilted, and repetition within the text makes the first half drag. Some aspects--such as two instant friends and their intense willingness to help--seem too convenient. VERDICT While the mythology and fantasy in this story might be appealing, portions of the plot are incomplete and characters are inconsistent in their development and voice.--Clare A. Dombrowski
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Prophetic dreams and the power of a stolen crown bring together two girls from different worlds to save a land on the brink of destruction. Eleven-year-old White girl Juniper Harvey recently moved from Dallas to a small town in Florida. She fills her sketchbook with drawings of bugs and detailed recollections from her recurring nightmares, especially the striking face of a brown-skinned, burnt umber--haired, stormy-eyed girl whose body transforms into an ivory statue. When the magic of a wish and an ancient crown that belongs to the goddess of dreams transport Princess Galatea of the floating Isle of Kypros into June's bedroom, neither girl understands how or why they are connected. However, for the last 12 years, Princess Galatea's home has been slowly vanishing, and she needs the help of June and June's new school friends to save it before it's too late. This bright start to a Greek mythology--inspired fantasy series blazes with intense, vibrant imagery and crackles with lively, humorous character dynamics. Galatea's forthright personality combined with her complete ignorance about June's modern-day life result in entertaining antics. These moments of levity balance the suspenseful drama of a world facing impending peril and the sensitive exploration of June's sexuality, anxiety, and loneliness. The worldbuilding happens seamlessly through dialogue and as part of the unfolding conflict. Secondary and background characters reflect diversity in the world around June. The cliffhanger ending begs for more adventures. Vivid and mythical. (Fantasy. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
