Review Detail

Do you ever start a book and, after just a few pages, know how magical it’s going to be? THE LUCK UGLIES cast its spell on me early on, and I fell head over heels for the world, characters, and writing. The premise is insanely cool, mixing creepy creatures, nontraditional families, adventure, and secrets galore into an awesome package. Rye’s home, Village Drowning, comes to life as Rye and her friends navigate the mysteries behind it, and the story leaves plenty of hints of other unique towns and villages that might be explored in later novels.

Rye is a dynamic, clever, and brave protagonist, and the depth of the secondary characters takes the story to the next level. The descriptions and sly smirks from Rye’s mom, Abby, and the mysterious Harmless make me want prequel books dedicated to all of them. Rye’s friends, Folly and Quinn, also hold personalities that will draw the reader in. The dialogue between all the characters feels real, witty, and contains so much beneath the surface of what is being said.

The plot unfolds beautifully, though the story line does get a tad slow in areas. When it slows down, however, the story opens up to wonderful relationship development between the characters, and the magic of the story continues to deepen. I especially love the balance between teamwork and individual capabilities that happen while attempting to solve the main conflict.

Middle grade readers should flock to this series immediately. Those looking for magical writing brimming with complex characters and true heart will very likely find their next favorite book with this first installment in Paul Durham’s THE LUCK UGLIES series.