The Dark Hills Divide FROM OUR EDITORS
A 12-year-old girl learns of her magical destiny in Patrick Carman's first absorbing episode of the Land of Elyon trilogy. Originally self-published to local acclaim and now available on a national scale, Carman's The Dark Hills Divide introduces readers to Alexa Daley, who annually visits the town of Bridewell. Alexa is curious about what lies beyond the massive ramparts that surround the city and the walled roads that link Bridewell to nearby towns; soon after town leader Thomas Warvold passes away, Alexa's finds herself outside the walls, acquires a stone with remarkable powers, and discovers that she's meant to stop a potential war from occurring. Fortunately, Alexa has a number of allies, including a fierce wolf named Darius, and after she uses her smarts to prevent a ruthless convict from gaining power, the storm facing Bridewell is calmed, with a hint of what's to come in Book 2. Fantasy buffs looking for more in the vein of Cornelia Funke and Flavia Bujour's The Prophecy of the Stones will find Alexa Daley to be a stellar new heroine. Told from Alexa's matter-of-fact point of view, Carman's first book is one to savor, sewing together an involved yet non-intimidating plotline, fascinating characters, and strong cliff-hangers to deliver a series debut that will surely entertain boys and girls, young and old.
ANNOTATION
When she finds the key to a secret passageway leading out of the walled city of Bridewell, twelve-year-old Alexa realizes her lifelong wish to explore the mysterious forests and mountains that lie beyond the wall.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Twelve-year-old Alexa Daley is spending another summer in Bridewell with her father. She looks forward to exploring the old lodge where she stays each year, with its cozy library and maze of passages and rooms. She's also eager to finally solve the mystery of what lies beyond the immense walls that were built to keep out an unnamed evil that lurks in the forests and The Dark Hills - an evil the townspeople are still afraid of.
As Alexa begins to unravel the truth about what lies outside the protective barrier she's lived behind all her life, she discovers a strange and ancient enchantment. Armed with an unexpected new power, Alexa exposes a danger that could destroy everything she holds dear - and change The Land of Elyon forever.
FROM THE CRITICS
Publishers Weekly
In his debut fantasy, the launch of the Land of Elyon series, Carman crafts an intriguingly insular world, and introduces a plucky, convincingly curious heroine who yearns to see what lies outside of it. Alexa Daley, 12 years old, lives within the walled kingdom of Elyon with her father, the mayor of Lathbury, and his influential friends. As the story opens, readers learn through a flashback that Alexa was taking a walk with Warvold, the kingdom's architect, when he inexplicably died; she takes a key from the locket he wears, and returns home. While the adults grapple with the population problem within this confined space, Alexa follows her passion-to find "a way outside the wall"-and escapes, thanks to Warvold's key. Once outside, a two-foot-high man greets her and leads her on a quest through a seemingly enchanted land with talking animals. From them she learns that Warvold had selected her as "the chosen one," to complete a task he left unfinshed. The author slowly reveals how Warvold's internallized fears prompted him to build the wall, with all sorts of unforeseen ramifications. ("The monster is the wall itself," one animal tells her.) Carman dabbles in social commentary with his intimations of the perils of isolationism, but even more effectively plumbs the psychological reverberations of playing out one's fears. Readers of all ages will gain much from this tale and eagerly anticipate the next two planned volumes. Ages 8-13. (Feb.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
Children's Literature - Janet Crane Barley
Alexa, who is short and skinny with knobby knees, is well-endowed with intelligence and bravery. Those qualities, combined with her infinite curiosity, lead her into danger, but may not be enough to keep her safe. She lives in a walled world. Not only do the towns have high walls that obscure views of the world beyond, even the roadways connecting towns are walled. Walls make many residents feel safe and content, but Alexa is driven to discover what is beyond. She faces seemingly insurmountable challenges as she follows clues to explore outside the boundaries. Her perilous quest leads her through dark passages where she meets unusual allies and learns to talk to the animals who guide her. Then she uncovers an imminent danger that threatens her whole world. She learns a traitor lurks within her close community, so does not know who she can trust to help her save her homeland. This first book in the "Land of Elyon" series has a satisfying conclusion with enough threads remaining loose that the reader will look forward to future installments. 2005, Orchard Books, Ages 8 to 13.
KLIATT - Claire Rosser
First released as a self-published book, written by a father for his daughters, this fantasy, the first in a trilogy, has enjoyed popularity in the Northwest and has now been picked up by a major publisher for national distribution. It will have wide appeal to younger YAs who enjoy strong heroines who are courageous and highly intelligent. Alexa lives in a society carefully explained by Carman, who includes a map that helps the reader. The major features of her land are high walls around the cities and even along the roads that connect cities—and the claustrophobic nature of these walls. Alexa's curiosity drives her outside the walls, where she encounters a strange pulsating stone that enables her to speak to animals, who tell her of the threat to her people. She must return home, try to determine the spy in her community, and somehow save her culture from catastrophe. The most endearing parts of the story are the relationships Alexa forms with animals who help her: Murphy the squirrel, Darius the wolf, Ander the grizzly. The vocabulary is challenging, the puzzles intriguing, and Alexa is an admirable character. (The Land of Elyon, Book 1). KLIATT Codes: J—Recommended for junior high school students. 2005, Scholastic, Orchard, 251p. map., Ages 12 to 15.
School Library Journal
Gr 4-6-This entertaining, accessible fantasy is the first in a planned trilogy. Alexa, 12, longs to venture outside the high stone walls surrounding the towns and roads of her kingdom. When the elderly founder dies unexpectedly, she uses his secret key to unlock a hidden passage leading outside the barriers. There, the local animals tell her of the devastation wreaked by the walls, dividing some of them from their food supplies, homes, and families. They offer to help her prevent an impending invasion that would turn the barriers into permanent military strongholds, in return for her help in bringing them down. There's nothing very original about the novel's preindustrial setting or appealing characters, and Alexa's voice varies occasionally from precocious fantasy heroine ("I-was immediately captivated by the audacious subject matter") to anachronistically modern preteen ("a wimpy meow"). However, the story moves along at a fine clip, with plenty of suspense and action to hold readers' interest. Double identities, mysterious codes, and Alexa's magical gift of speaking with animals all enliven the plot, and the highly cinematic writing style will allow readers to visualize her adventures clearly.-Beth Wright, Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, VT Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
Thomas Warvold, founder of the land of Elyon, constructed walls around its four towns, ensuring, so he thought, his people's safety from the dangers in the surrounding countryside. Even before his sudden, mysterious death, Warvold chose 12-year-old Alexa Daley to succeed him. Driven by her curiosity about the world outside, Alexa finds a tunnel that leads her to the woodlands. There, with the help of the forest-dwellers, she passes three trials and garners information and allies to save her country. After a slow introduction, the plot takes off, and the book becomes a real page-turner. Alexa, with her brains, courage and grit, proves to be an appealingly strong female hero and the story, enriched by folkloric traditions and a solid mystery, is sure to engage reader interest. The resolution provides a satisfactory ending, but there are plenty of loose ends to be tied up in the second and third volumes of the trilogy. Here's a good high fantasy for the girls. Bravo! (Fiction. 10-12)
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