Shrinking Forward - Two Reveiws

Enchanting, attention grabbing, even for those who have never read children's fantasy books. Definitely worthy of the "next big thing" to hit the world of literature and entertainment.

Muffy Price

     Shrinking Forward is a fantasy novel featuring two young girls who, in the exploration of a “haunted house”, are drawn into another world to embark on an adventure to save the Mystical Flyers from the captivity and enslavement to the evil wizard, Edgar.

     In their adventure the girls face overwhelming obstacles in the (now grey and colourless) land of the Mystical Flyers, but in the end they prove that no matter how small they may be, they can accomplish anything with enough determination and a bit of wits.

     The world that the girls are cast into is brought to life by Nathalie Leblanc's vivid imagery and detailed descriptions. Some of the more fantastic elements of the world are given new names to bring them a unique touch that few other authors employ.

     One of the most striking features of the narrative is the villain, the evil wizard Edgar. Near the beginning of the story the reader is given a brief glimpse into Edgar's castle, and it is revealed how terrible this man truly is – he is mean, quick to anger, and obsessed with one thing: he is searching for “the book of Faeyess”.

     Edgar is convinced that possession of this book will unlock the secret of eternal life for him, and he is also convinced that the Mystical Flyers know where it is. This is why he has taken over their kingdom and enslaved them. On the whole the character is well-developed and truly makes the reader think that he is a despicable person. Edgar adds a very “human” element that often represents the forces of evil in fantasy settings, and although he follows a number of the common features of villains in fantasy novels, he does it so well that the reader will smile every time he bellows one of his villainous one-liners.

     Overall, Shrinking Forward is an enjoyable read, and readers of all ages will find something that will make them smile in reading it. I look forward to the next instalment in Nathalie Leblanc's “the magic coat” series.

Barry Wheatley

http://www.amazon.ca/Shrinking-Forward-Nathalie-M-LeBlanc/dp/0981150454/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1280358021&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Shrinking-Forward-Nathalie-M-Leblanc/dp/0981150454/

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