Review Detail

This is a great book, that brings together all the legends and gods from lots of different cultures and times. It makes this book very original, and I think that this book took a lot of thought, but it isn't one of those where the idea is overthinked (is that a word?).

This story is about two twins, Josh and Sophie Newman, who are in San Francisco for the summer and have summer jobs. Josh has his job in a bookstore owned by a very nice man and his wife, Nick and Perry Fleming.

One day, when they were both just in the wrong place at the wrong time, their ordinary lives were changed forever, and they discovered that a lot worse can happen to you than getting an F on your exam. They discovered that Nick and Perry Fleming were actually Nicholas and Perenel Flamel, two immortal people who have been living since 1330. Sophie and Josh were dragged into a world full of Dark Elders and magic and auras and the like.

During this book, I had quite a few cases of JOSH WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU YOU IDIOT! but maybe that's just me.

But even though it made me want to go into the book, find Josh and punch him, I like that Michael Scott made him jealous of Sophie. It seemed very realistic, especially the fact that Dr John Dee (the supreme evil guy) picked up on this and started twisting Josh to his own ends. This seemed very likely to happen, because who wouldn't be jealous if your twin, who had been with you your whole life, suddenly got superpowers and you didn't? Still, Josh was an idiot.

This book is really great, with a very interesting plot and idea. I recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy set in the modern world and is between the ages of 10 - 14.