Roxy has recently moved in with her sister Gretel in Rexopolis and, after a close encounter in some under-ground tunnels, Greta insists Roxy stay close to their home whilst she's at work as a toilet cleaner. However, it's not long before she bumps into Jones who is searching for relics of the Cursed Kingdom. Before she knows it, Roxy is in the middle of the adventure of her life, searching for the Seventh Stone whilst dangerous witches are at large. But can they find the time and what is Roxy about to discover about her family?
Having enjoyed the Avril Crump books, I was thrilled to have been asked to read and review Angela Woolfe's new book, and I wasn't disappointed. This is a funny, fast-paced story that puts a completely different spin on fairy-tales and proves, without doubt, that fairy-tales are real!
There are a host of wonderful characters who I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know: Roxy is keen to do as her sister tells her and yet there's a rebellious streak to her as she begins the story by heading into the tunnels she finds hidden behind her sister's bath panel, and she's easily lead astray by Jones. And, speaking of Jones, she is a wonderful character: opinionated, strong-willed, determined & fiercely proud. She and Roxy contrast well together and make a great duo. I've also got to mention Frankie, Jones' fairy-godmother who has managed to transform herself into a boy (although I love the fact that she still applies the same make-up as usual)! S/he's a great character who manages to get so many things wrong but is so well-intentioned and full of heart - I'd have her as my fairy-godmother any day of the week!
The book gets to the action quickly as Roxy heads into the mysterious tunnels behind the panel in her sister's bathroom and the story maintains its pace as Roxy and Jones venture from Rexopolis to Sector Seven, to the Fabulous Forest and back to Rexopolis. It's full of quirky touches like broomstick yoga, the Soup Ministry, SMOGs and BOBIs, and I can't forget the magical touches like travel by vegetable and invisible minibuses, spells that don't quite work and some that do; ooh, and the fairy-tales ... clearly the book is about covering them up but the nods to fairy-tale characters (who definitely DO exist!) are wonderful!
As a girl, I loved reading and re-reading fairy-tales and I think it's fair to say that we most definitely need a bit of escapism at the minute; well this book certainly provides that, with wonderfully imaginative towns, witches towers hidden in deep, dark forests and an ending that made me truly smile - this story has it all! It's a feast for the brain, and full of colour and positivity in a time when we need it most.
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