Review Detail

What worked:
Sharoo’s relationship with Eedoo is at the crux of the story where most of the citizens don’t believe in familiars. Eedoo speaks to Sharoo in her mind so no one else knows for sure he even exists. However, his ability to foresee the future enables Sharoo to avoid small and large challenges and slowly convinces others to have faith. The first incident finds her the target of teasing for carrying an umbrella on a sunny day. Later, Eedoo tells Sharoo about the Law of Boomerang when she engages mean-spirited people and this allows her to avoid negative thoughts. Eedoo’s advice helps her make hard decisions and brings her comfort each day. Their relationship presents a spiritual angle to the story.
While difficult to read, the author is able to evoke strong emotions in readers through the cruelty of Sharoo’s teacher, Mr. Sade. The reason isn’t clear, but the man seems to enjoy torturing his students. He has a box inside his desk that gives students a shock whenever he deems it necessary. Is incorrectly answering a question in class a good reason? Mr. Sade is able to increase the intensity of the machine whenever he wants and the electrical jolt can leave students shaking and in pain for hours. The teacher’s actions make him a clear antagonist and readers will await the moment he receives justice for his evil deeds.
The book is a quick read as the pace of the plot moves fairly quickly. The early chapters share the bond between Eedoo and Sharoo mostly as she deals with issues at school. Also, Sharoo was born under the sign of the Silver Dragon, a rare occurrence in this land, and it adds to her mystique. Every person is born under one of a hundred different signs and many of them are shared in the story. Sharoo’s parents decide she needs to visit a seer who confirms some suspicions about her. All of this builds up to the king and queen seeking Sharoo’s help when a neighboring army prepares to invade.
What didn’t work as well:
The narrative doesn’t leave much to the imagination. Everything is explained for readers which doesn’t allow for much inferencing. Requiring less thinking from readers can cause them to be less mentally and emotionally invested in the characters and story.
The final verdict:
The premise of the story is sound but the literal writing style may not appeal to all readers. Descriptions can be woven better into the story to make it smoother and more seamless. Overall, the story is entertaining and can be enjoyed by young readers.