| Title | : | The Marvellers (The Conjureverse #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781250831668 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Audiobook |
| Number of Pages | : | - |
| Publication | : | First published May 3, 2022 |
| Awards | : | CYBILS Award Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction (2022), Goodreads Choice Award Middle Grade & Children's (2022) |
Despite her excitement, Ella discovers that being the first isn't easy—some Marvellers mistrust her magic, which they deem "bad and unnatural." But eventually, she finds friends in elixirs teacher, Masterji Thakur, and fellow misfits Brigit, a girl who hates magic, and Jason, a boy with a fondness for magical creatures.
When a dangerous criminal known as the Ace of Anarchy escapes prison, supposedly with a Conjuror's aid, tensions grow in the Marvellian world and Ella becomes the target of suspicion. Worse, Masterji Thakur mysteriously disappears while away on a research trip. With the help of her friends and her own growing powers, Ella must find a way to clear her family's name and track down her mentor before it's too late.
The Marvellers (The Conjureverse #1) Reviews
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3.75
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This world is phenomenal. I desperately want to be a Marveller, even if I'm biased.
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Highly recommend if you loved Nevermoor and Amari and the Night Brothers, this is such a whimsical story, and I loved the magic school setting!
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DNF at 27%
This is too slow moving and not holding my interest so I am waving my wand and removing this from the currently reading list. -
Bardzo przyjemna i taka ciepła historia. Czekam z niecierpliwością na 2 tom
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Mixed feelings on this one, but it pulled out to more positive than not in the second half of the book. The Marvellers is the first book in a new middle grade fantasy series, featuring a young Black girl who will be the first Conjurer to attend a school for Marvellers.
Thematically it is doing some great things in terms of tackling microagressions, prejudice, finding your place in the world, and who gets to tell history. The second half of the book is a pretty fun ride and twisty, if occasionally a bit dark. I read this to my kids (5 1/2 and 8yrs) at night and sometimes skipped over more disturbing or gruesome descriptions, but they are more sensitive than some kids might be. Other than that, they seemed to like it pretty well and I enjoyed some of the whimsical elements. That said, if you're looking for another Amari and the Night Brothers, this isn't quite as good and I do have some criticisms.
In terms of pacing, the first third to half of the book really drags. Not much happens and most of the time is spent on info-dumpy world-building and excessive description. When the plot finally picks up it's a lot more enjoyable, but it took awhile to get there. Middle grade fantasy books are often accused of ripping off the world of She Who Must Not Be Named, but in this case (especially early on) it really does read like Hogwarts but make it multicultural and in the sky. While I am all for having more inclusive magical school fantasy books, this was not my favorite version of it.
The parts that didn't feel the same also didn't tend to be that creative. We get "star" / "stella" ad nauseum. The cities, magic system, decor, energy system, etc. are all based on stars using the aforementioned root words, but most of it is never well-explained and feels more like window dressing. Now, kids might not notice this or care, but reading it aloud for two months it got to be a bit tiresome. I could go on, but suffice to say this is not my favorite of the recent Black girl magic middle grade books we have been getting. And I'm not opposed to there being middle of the road books like this- we get tons of middle of the road fantasy books by white authors and not every book by an author of color should need to be incredible. This was fine and I will probably get book 2 for my kids when it comes out. But reading it alongside Amari, Alston's book is far and away the better of the two. -
13 out of 10, highly recommend to *everyone*.
Welcome to the future of magical schools. The Marvellers takes on difficult topics with ease. Clayton’s writing is accessible but also packs a punch when necessary. I particularly love that Ella has a lot of adults in her life who care! And are alive! I also love Ella herself for being earnest and smart and relatable. The kids are going to loooove this book. There’s magical talking animals! The school and cities in the SKY! Different houses that you don’t get sorted into until the end of your first year (I am looking forward to seeing more of them in book two)! Academy secrets everywhere! It is a fact in this world that different kinds of magic are still important and all valid and I adore it. Truly and sincerely cannot wait to read the rest of this series. Will be promoting this one quite a lot to the kids at work.
Thank you to NetGalley for a preview copy of the ebook in exchange for an honest review. I ended up purchasing the audiobook via
www.libro.fm as well.
If you enjoy my reviews or would like book/anime recommendations, please consider leaving me a tip on my ko-fi.
https://ko-fi.com/hannahhbic
Readalikes:
Amari and the Night Brothers,
The Last Fallen Star,
Race to the Sun,
The Trials of Morrigan Crow -
3,5/5!
Pierwsze od czego muszę zacząć i na co z resztą każdy z nas zwróci uwagę, zanim zacznie czytać jakąś książkę to jej wydanie, a tu wydawnictwo odwaliło kawał dobrej roboty, bo gdy tylko wzięłam Cudmistrzów do ręki, moje oczy musiały się rozszerzyć przynajmniej dwa razy bardziej, bo nie mogłam się na nie napatrzeć ✨. A co bardziej może zachęcić młode (ale i nie tylko!) osoby do sięgnięcia po książkę, niż przepiękna okładka i intrygujące ilustracje w środku?
Co nieuniknione - każdy, kto przeczytał wcześniej Harry’ego Pottera, na pewno sobie o nim przypomni podczas czytania tej pozycji. Moja głowa już od pierwszych stron podsunęła mi takie porównanie, o czym z resztą Wam pisałam na story, ale czy to jakkolwiek przeszkodziło mi w cieszeniu się z lektury? Absolutnie nie! A wręcz przeciwnie - niesamowicie było wrócić do jakiegoś magicznego świata, tak dobrze wykreowanego (co w ogóle nie jest łatwym zadaniem), ze świetnymi bohaterami, pokolorowanego, mam wrażenie wszystkimi możliwymi kredkami, bo był tak barwny i złożony, pełen akcji… że gdyby ktoś zadał mi pytanie „słuchaj Oliwia, szukam dobrej fantastyki, pełnej kolorów, wartości, akcji i supi bohaterów dla siostry/brata w wieku dziewięciu lat, ale też takiej, z której jako dorosła osoba, sama bym się cieszyła… czy The Marvellers Cudmistrzowie - będą w porządku?”
W porządku? To idealny wybór! ❤️ Książka jest naprawdę oryginalna, pełna magii i wszystkiego co wyżej wymieniłam.
I przede wszystkim nie ma tu nudy i nie zabraknie akcji. A wraz z 11letnią Ellą, której właśnie spełnia się największe marzenie - trafimy pierwszy raz jako jedyni Zaklinacze w progi Arcanum - Instytutu Edukacyjnego Przedsięwzięć Cudownych i Niezwykłych. Z tego powodu, nie będzie łatwo, wśród samych Cudmistrzów, którzy nie są przekonani do Zaklinaczy, a wręcz najprościej mówiąc - nie chcą ich w Instytucie. W dodatku dzieją się dziwne i tajemnicze rzeczy, a kto inny jak nie jedyna Zaklinaczka może być w to zamieszany? Więc oczy wszystkich kierują się na nas…
Zaintrygowani? ✨
Współpraca reklamowa z @wydawnictwo_wilga -
I'm obviously in the minority here, but this book is just not a success
This is such a Harry Potter wanna-be (and I say this as a mild fan of HP like 10 years ago) without any of the successes of the books.
- There's division into 5 houses based on talent, or "marvels," but people can have more than 1 of that talent and can even steal each other's (not explained). I'm over this very old and now outdated trend to separate people into different categories based on some random trait/talent that is never exclusive to any given group of people
- There are small creatures like house elves that serve you/watch over you. Not explained
- The "star" theme is overused: star folk, star mail, Stariary (the worst), Stardust Pier, star-lanterns, "star's teeth!," "star ink".... it's repeptitive and uncreative.
- Plot is... not well-paced and there's a lot of random off-shoots that mean nothing later.
- Writing is not good. I was lost from one sentence to another more than a few times. And this is a children's book.
My random complaint that will not bother other people is that there are professors and other characters named after children's book authors, straight-up first and last name. Some characters that appear are Dr. Kwame Mbalia, Dr. Anne Ursu, and Jason with long locs (Reynolds?) It's cute if it's first names, and I love the multiculturalism throughout the entire book, but referencing the full names is cringy.
All that said, the story picks up a lot at the end and despite the lack of explanation and weird timelines, it's kind of interesting when the characters are puzzle-solving to find their missing professor. But still there's so much left unexplained, and I was way too frustrated and not having fun to care to read the second book.
For the wonderful premise of a super-diverse mutliculutral school of magic with interesting concepts and explorations of discrimination, this book falls so short that it becomes a waste of the interesting concept.
And I will end on the thing that enrages me... the strict and domineering dean of discipline is Russian, with an incorrectly gendered name of Nabokov instead of Nabokova for women. Comlpetely zero redeeming characteristics and obvious lack of even the most bare minimum of research. That's a real slap in the face for this so lovingly constructed world of diversity and the story of a girl seeking acceptance. Real nice.
I couldn't be more disappointed in this book, and I'm a little hurt by it. I hope this gets redone and republished after a few more months of workshopping with actual sensitivity readers and extensive editing. -
This is the first instalment in the Marvellerverse series.
Ella Durand is just eleven years old when she makes history as the first Conjuror to attend the Arcanum Training Institute. The academy is located in the clouds where Marvellers, and now one Conjuror, from around the world train in the magical arts. Progress is being made with Ella joining their ranks but not everyone is happy about it and she must battle seclusion, gossip, and hateful acts if she is to continue in her education.
This read like a new, more inclusive, Harry Potter and I was not mad about it! Any magical school can't help but be likened to Hogwarts but this retained enough of its own magical inclusions and unique designs to feel different and none of the characters or crazy adventures they went on had any spirit of the former in them, either.
Ella was an incredible protagonist in which to experience this magical world with. She was spirited and feisty, despite all the prejudice she had to face, and I admired her pluck as much as I liked her personality. I could have spent an endless number of pages with her - learning about her abilities, how they differed from others, and witnessing her magical training - but this was not to be the case as events soon turned sinister as evil arrived at her door.
From this point, the focus was split between Ella's studies and the mysteries she was attempting to solve. Both remained equally interesting and I flew through these pages as I attempted to absorb every ounce of magic from it. I already can't wait for more adventures in this world and to see Ella thrive within it.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Dhonielle Clayton, and the publisher, Bonnier Books, for this opportunity. -
RTC. Honestly, I'm confused about my feelings with this one. I'm going to re-read again in the next 5-6 months to make sure that my 3 star reading is appropriate, but for the moment I'm going with my gut feeling about it.
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DIE MARVELLER - Magie aus Licht und Dunkelheit 🌙🌿
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"Wir alle sind Sternschnuppen. Jeder hier trägt die Elemente in sich, aus denen das Himmelszelt besteht. Diese blinkenden Lichtkugeln haben jedem von uns sein einzigartiges, wertvolles Marvel verliehen. Und darum ist unser zu Hause genau hier, hoch oben und weit entfernt vom Rest der Welt.
Der Himmel verbindet uns alle miteinander.
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Ella ist eine Fabuliererin und steht in der Marvellischen Welt nur am Rand. Die Fabulierer gehören nicht dazu. Sie praktizieren eine dunkle, andersartige Magie. Sie besitzen ein dunkles Licht. Sind Böse. Asse … Vorurteile.
Bis einige Politiker dieser Welt, diese Schule in den Wolken, das Institut für Marvelhaftes und Mysteriöses Streben für alle öffnen lässt. So ist Ella die erste, die Einzige ihrer Art die diesem Ruf folgt und sich Vorurteilen und Gemeinheiten stellen muss. Doch sie ist überzeugt alle von sich begeistern zu können, Freunde zu finden und den Ruf der Fabulierer aufzuhellen.
Mit ihrem ganz persönlichen, inneren Licht.
Dabei muss sie sich vielen entgegenstellen, darf den Mut nicht verlieren, den Glauben an sich selbst … und ihre Wurzeln nicht vergessen. Nur so findet sie ihren Weg und rettet zusammen mit ihrer Freundin Brigit, bei Simplen aufgewachsen und eine Abneigung gegen alles marvelische, und Jason der an einem jungen Newt Scamander erinnert, mal ganz nebenbei die Marvellische Welt und ihren Lieblingslehrer.
FAZIT : GROSSARTIG ! Ich kann es nicht anders sagen aber ich bin baff. Harry Potter gepaart mit Die Spiegelreisende und ganz eigenem Kinderbuch / Fantasy Charme.
Die Welt ist ausgefallen, neu und komplex. Perfekt durchgeplant und aufregend zu erkunden. Sogar für mich als erwachsene war es ein tolles Leseerlebnis und ich werde es mir vorsorglich an die Seite stellen bis meine Kleine soweit ist es zu lesen. Es war voller Freundschaft und Herausforderungen. Problemen, Selbstzweifeln denen sich Kinder in diesem Alter stellen und absolut dem Alter gerecht. Dazu die einzigartige Ella die eine zauberhafte und mutige Protagonistin ist, mit einer tollen Familie im Rücken. Das Magiesystem … Zucker und zauberhaft ! Anders und aufregend.
Das Buch selbst ist wunderschön gestaltet … WOW. Hier vergebe ich gerne einen Extrapunkt. Karten, Zeitungsartikel, Sternenpost, Lehrpläne und Illustrationen. I AM IN LOVE mit diesem magischen Kinderbuch !
Von mir eine absolute Leseempfehlung an alle.
Es war MARVELHAFT ! -
4.5 rounded up to 5.
This was a ton of fun! I loved the descriptions of the school and the magic. It was all very creative. My only criticism is that the climax was a bit lacking. I felt like it went too quickly and I wanted more action there. There were also a lot of big words that some middle schoolers could have problems understanding. I loved the characters, especially Jason and I wanted more of him, I felt like he didn’t get enough time. I hope he’s more prevalent in future books. Overall, a great first book to a new series that look forward to reading more from! -
*4.5 Stars*
I was provided an ARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
The Marvellers is Dhonielle Clayton's middle grade debut and what a debut it is!
Ella Durand is the first Conjuror to ever go to the Arcanum Training Institute where Marvellers go to learn everything there is to know about magic; but she receives a less than warm welcome from her classmates. Tensions keep growing as the year goes by, especially after a famous convict escapes from prison and the escape is blamed on Conjurors everywhere. At least, Ella can count on her two friends: the angry Brigit and the friendly Jason.
The Marvellers was a great middle grade boarding school book. I enjoyed its plot, its setting, its characters. The mystery elements seemed a bit predictable to me but I didn't mind one bit. The story was very well woven and appealing from beginning to end. The characters were layered and I loved seeing them grow as characters but also seeing their relationships change.
I really liked the writing, I found it easy to read yet detailed and even lush in the setting descriptions. I felt like I was there, right beside Ella and i loved every second of it!
I hope there will be more books in this series and cannot wait to read more by Dhonielle Clayton. -
Is this the new Harry Potter?
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What an accomplishment this story is. It subtly addresses racism and prejudice and children’s ability to overcome these negative perceptions and behaviors in a way that adults often cannot.
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I am judging the Middle Grade Speculative Fiction division of the Cybils Awards and this book is one of seven finalist. Announcement of the winners in all divisions will be made on Feb 14 after which I’ll post full reviews.
https://www.cybils.com/ -
Note: I was provided an ARC of this novel at the North Texas Teen Book Festival.
“The Marvellers” is a book with a number of strengths: it brings us fascinating, creative magical systems, a world full of life and history that feels like a natural fit for said magic system, and characters who are engaging to read about.
Unfortunately, it is also a novel with a number of weaknesses.
Let’s start with the most prevalent: the worldbuilding. Now, once the story gets going, it is incredibly easy to become lost in the magic of this world, an alternate Earth with just enough similarities to our own to seem somewhat familiar. But it is unfortunately one that is very complicated, with not just one but two magic systems: Conjuring and Marvelling.
Marvelling, at least, is described in some detail, which makes sense given the nature of the story (I mean, the title is literally “The Marvellers”, after all). But even so, there are still many questions left by the end of this book that feel like they should have been answered: what does it mean if someone steals someone else’s Marvel? How does having two Marvels even work?
Conjuring is described with even less detail, which is unfortunate since the main character, Ella Durand, is herself a Conjurer from a long line of them. Why exactly Marvellers stand at the top of society why Conjurers are looked down upon is unclear, as is the difference between the two magic systems.
In addition to how complicated the magic systems are, the rest of the worldbuilding results in what can best be described as a sluggish pace. The plot often takes a backseat as Clayton goes on to describe fine details of her world, such as food or creatures that end up having no real bearing on the story, and it results in a pacing that is uneven and awkward. When the plot does get going, boy howdy does it get going. But there are so many long pauses and breaks in between that it is easy to forget what exactly we’re supposed to be caring about.
Some of this, I feel, is due to the very forced nature of the plot’s timing: like many magic-school books, this story is set over the course of Ella’s first year at Arcanum Training Institute. Yet important parts of the plot don’t mesh with the slower nature of this kind of story: a prisoner breaks out of the Underworld (which it’s never really explained how that exists in this world), and then it takes…2-3 months for them to do anything? The heroes find out that their beloved teacher is missing in January, but don’t really do anything about it until May. A student accuses Ella of harming her in December but doesn’t bother to report it until May. Much of the story feels like it is standing in place – the characters don’t necessarily grow much during these intervening months, and yet the time has passed regardless.
In the end, “The Marvellers” is a book with a lot of promise, certainly with the ambition of setting up a stellar series, but it falls somewhat flat when it is crippled by awkward pacing, maybe-too-detailed worldbuilding, and the very nature of its own type of narrative.
Rating: 7.5/10 -
Many thanks to the author for the e-arc, I am very grateful.
Note: My english review will be at the end, just scroll down.
“Some things have to be faced. They can’t be avoided.”
Español: Estamos ante el que espero sea mi nuevo instituto de magia favorito, el Arcanum Training Institute for Marvelous and Uncanny Endeavors es la academia de magia del mundo que la autora construyo, y a diferencia de anteriores escuelas de magia que aclamaban ser abiertas para todas las personas de todas las culturas sin embargo al momento de representar dichas culturas no eran más que llenas de estereotipos, esta academia de verdad aclamaba ser abierta para todas aquellas personas que reciban su carta, no importa su religión, nacionalidad o cultura; mientras iba leyendo me maravillaba al ver distintas culturas de todo el mundo en un solo lugar, y me refiero a una buena representación, incluso ver representación latina dentro de este libro me lleno de alegría como latino.
Una vez que terminé de aclamar la excelente representación que tiene este libro me voy a centrar un poco en la historia. Tenemos a nuestro protagonista Ella quien es una Conjurer, y junto a su familia y demás conjurer son los encargados del Underworld.
A lo largo de la historia, los conjurer han sido dejados de lado por el mundo mágico al tener presunciones de que la magia de estas personas es mala, y al mismo tiempo les ha hecho ser rechazados por las personas sin magia o también conocidos como “fewels”
Pero después de muchísimos años, y muchas conversaciones entre las autoridades del mundo mágico, se produce un avance dentro de la sociedad mágica y se admite a Ella a que entre al instituto, hecho que causa opiniones divididas en el mundo mágico; nuestra protagonista Ella se encuentra muy emocionada por ir al instituto, pero al momento de irse es aconsejada por su familia de que su vida no será muy fácil por los estereotipos que se tiene hacia ella y su magia.
Como era de esperarse, dentro del instituto algunas personas eran muy malas con Ella, hecho que me enojaba bastante, pero al mismo tiempo hubo personas muy bonitas que fueron amigos de Ella.
Pero no todo puede ser color rosa, ¿verdad? Finalmente tenemos el giro donde la líder malvada de una sociedad de magos se fuga de la cárcel especial, misma que se encontraba en el Underworld, este hecho hará que la sociedad mágica enloquezca y culpe de traición a los conjurer, haciendo la vida de Ella mucho más difícil.
Todo quedará a manos de Ella y sus amigos de descubrir el paradero de su maestro favorito cuando este desaparece misteriosamente y las demás personas del instituto actúan de manera extraña.
Espero haber dado una buena premisa porque a lo largo del libro esta historia puede engancharte bastante, su sistema de magia es asombroso y ni hablar de los paragon, que son como las especialidades dentro del mundo mágico y donde cada alumno es ubicado al final de su primer año; yo en lo personal me siento bastante identificado con el paragon de la visión, ¡el ojo es sabio!
Pero de igual manera los demás paragon son bastante interesantes; las materias que se enseñan son algo particulares y volvieron a avivar en mi las ganas de haber recibido una carta para entrar a este instituto a los 11 años.
Este nuevo instituto va por buen camino en convertirse en mi nueva obsesión y entrar a mi top de sagas favoritas, volviéndoles a recordar que tiene una representación fascinante y solamente faltaría saber si es open mind en cuanto a la sexualidad de sus estudiantes, pero se comprende que no se trate este tema en el primer libro pues la mayoría de personajes aun son niños y se encontraban enfocados en otras cosas, espero en futuros libros se pueda ver esta clase de representación y creo que el instituto finalmente podría ser para abierto para todo el mundo, claro, si recibes tu carta.
Me encuentro halagado de haber podido leer este libro antes de su publicación y obviamente estoy ansioso por tener una copia física en mis manos cuando salga, porque algo también a agregar es que su portada es super bonita y los detalles dentro del libro prometen bastante.
Impresionante, cautivador y atrapante, el Arcanum Training Institute for Marvelous and Uncanny Endeavors tiene todo para volverse la saga favorita de muchísimas personas, sus puertas se encuentran abiertas.
Calificación Final: 5 estrellas
English: We are before what I hope will be my new favorite magic institute, the Arcanum Training Institute for Marvelous and Uncanny Endeavors is the magic academy of the world that the author built, and unlike previous magic schools that claimed to be open for all people of all cultures however when representing those cultures they were nothing more than full of stereotypes, this academy truly claimed to be open for all those people who receive her letter, no matter their religion, nationality or culture; as I was reading I was amazed to see different cultures from all over the world in one place, and I mean a good representation, even seeing Latino representation inside this book filled me with joy as a Latino.
Once I am done hailing the excellent representation this book has I am going to focus a little bit on the story. We have our main character Ella who is a Conjurer, and along with her family and other conjurers are in charge of the Underworld.
Throughout history, the conjurers have been sidelined by the magical world with the presumption that the magic of these people is bad, and at the same time has caused them to be rejected by people without magic or also known as "fewels."
But after many years, and many conversations between the authorities of the magical world, there is a breakthrough within the magical society and Ella is admitted to enter the institute, a fact that causes divided opinions in the magical world; our protagonist Ella is very excited to go to school, but at the time of leaving she is advised by her family that her life will not be very easy because of the stereotypes that are held towards her and her magic.
As expected, inside the institute some people were very mean to Ella, a fact that made me very angry, but at the same time there were very nice people who were Ella's friends.
But not everything can be rosy, right? Finally we have the twist where the evil leader of a society of wizards escapes from the special prison, same that was in the Underworld, this fact will make the magical society go crazy and blame treason to the conjurers, making Ella's life much more difficult.
It will be up to Ella and her friends to discover the whereabouts of their favorite teacher when he mysteriously disappears and the other people in the institute act strangely.
I hope I have given a good premise because throughout the book this story can hook you quite a lot, its magic system is amazing and not to mention the paragons, which are like specialties within the magical world and where each student is placed at the end of their first year; I personally feel quite identified with the paragon of vision, the eye is wise!
But in the same way the other paragons are quite interesting; the subjects that are taught are somewhat particular and rekindled in me the desire to have received a letter to enter this institute when I was 11 years old.
This new school is well on its way to become my new obsession and enter my top favorite sagas, reminding you again that it has a fascinating representation and I just need to know if it is open minded regarding the sexuality of its students, but it is understandable that this topic is not addressed in the first book because most of the characters are still children and were focused on other things, I hope in future books you can see this kind of representation and I think the school could finally be open for everyone, of course, if you get your letter.
I find myself flattered to have been able to read this book before its publication and I'm obviously anxious to get my hands on a physical copy when it comes out, because something also to add is that its cover is super nice and the details inside the book promise quite a lot.
Impressive, captivating and enthralling, the Arcanum Training Institute for Marvelous and Uncanny Endeavors has everything to become the favorite saga of many, many people, its doors are open.
Final Rating: 5 stars -
This book says it is a middle grade but I felt like it fell somewhere closer to young adult (although the main characters are middle grade age). The story moves slowly and took me a while to really get into it and be invested. I did love how diverse the characters in this book are. I feel like fantasy doesn’t get enough diversity and this book did great with that. This book was hard to read at times because of the discrimination the main character faces, but I think it’s important we tackle those tough topics even in books for younger kids. Ella is the first conjuror child to go the Marveller academy ever. She is beyond excited to go but also nervous because Marvellers and Conjurors have not always understood or liked each other. Ella is disappointed to realize not everyone wants her there or wants her to succeed but she’s determined to be Marvelous even if she does it her way.
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I wanted to like this. I really did. I held off on reviewing because I was in a bad mood last night and wanted to give it a fair shot. Unfortunately, this is just a terribly written book. Good intentions, well-meaning message, but neither of those things can make up for a poorly written story.
Let's start with the basics of writing craft. First thing a character needs? A motive. Characters should all be striving for something, even if that something is as simple as a glass of water. Anne of Green Gables wants a family and friends, Jo March wants to be a writer, Elizabeth Bennet wants to mary for love (and to punch Darcy in the face). In a series, motives should exist for both the individual book and the wider story arc. Harry Potter wants to defeat Voldemort, but first he wants to sort out the mystery of the Philosopher's Stone. Percy Jackson wants to win the war with the Titans, but first he wants to get through his various quests and live to see fifteen. Ella wants...to not get kicked out of school? I guess? Eventually, she wants to save her teacher, but that doesn't happen until at least halfway through the book. Before that, the story flounders as things happen around her with no real explanation or purpose.
Actually, that's a bit unfair. There is purpose, but that purpose is entirely outside the book. Clayton wanted to write a story about racism, segregation, and bigotry. She wanted to remake Harry Potter in a particular image. There's nothing wrong with that if you have a solid story to back it up, but Clayton very much does not. I could not actually tell you what the plot of this book is. I can tell you that it's an allegory about racism. I can tell you that it involves many references to real-world people and events. I can tell you that Conjurers are the descendants of slaves. None of those things in themselves make up a plot. A plot is not simply things happening in order to prop up a thinly veiled metaphor. A plot is a series of related events that moves characters toward a goal or endpoint. The Marveller's lacks one.
It's easy to see how this simple fact has been obscured, especially for younger readers. Clayton spends an excruciating amount of time "world-building" via vocabulary. I will admit right now that this is a peeve of mine so I was more bothered by it than most people are likely to be. Rather than create an enriching, lively world with its own culture and rules, Clayton rattles off themed names as if they have any meaning on their own. JK Rowling did a similar thing in the form of puns (spellotape rather than sellotape is a particular favourite) and ever since YA writers have been trying to mimic her without understanding that the cleverness was in the wordplay rather than the act of renaming itself. This means that readers are left dealing with "stapier sticks" and "sky ferries" every two sentences, giving an impression of a richly detailed world and masking the fact that most of the book says nothing at all.
All of this is especially unfortunate because Clayton did start off with potential in the form of Ella's Conjurer family. She has quite obviously taken the time to create a vibrant Conjurer culture and magic. The best scenes in the book are all about Ella's family and culture. If she had built her story around that rather than trying to remake Harry Potter, she could have had a great book. Instead, we've all been left with a muddled mess that cares more about political messaging than telling a good story. -
The Marvellers is a fantastical original story I am sure many will enjoy. I will be buying it for my school library. There have been lots of (negative) press compared to the HP series that, as an educator, I will now address.
The Marvellers is frequently compared to Harry Potter. Before you go down that road, it is as much akin to Harry Potter as
Rick Riordan's Camp Half-Bloods is akin to Hogwart's. There is a historical literary tradition, it evolves over time. Each new author adds to the cannon by helping to reshape it with new prose representing unique voices. Like
JK Rowling added to the YA Fantasy cannon of
Edith Nesbit, and others,
Dhonielle Clayton, has submitted a new addition and introduced us to a fantastic setting with rich and engaging characters.
What JRK did for the British schooling tradition, Clayton also created a story familiar to the American educational experience. Here thousands of kids are bussed out of their communities for hard fought educational opportunities to places that are not as welcoming. What HP started in 1997 and Percy Jackson continued for dyslexic kids; this book's Ella Durand will do for children who have rarely seen themselves in middle grade Fantasy literature.
This is a book that will get kids reading! Something that is more important than ever in our post-pandemic Era. We have new data from Harvard, that gaps in reading GREW the past 2 years. Stories that kids want to read, that they connect with, are MORE important than EVER!!
I had Harry and Hermione when I needed them and did not want to read. I loved that the kids I teach had Percy, I would have loved having him when I was struggling with my dyslexia in middle school. Millions of girls and boys will see themselves in Ella, Jason and Brigit. I wish there was a Marveller series for kind of every kid, a new universe to discover and love. One that brings them into the fantasy literarily tradition where they read characters like them written in a manner appropriate to their skill level.
This book was engaging, exciting, and intriguing. I will be eagerly and not very patiently waiting for the rest of the series. -
This was fantastic! It isn’t even officially released yet, and I already can’t wait for Book 2
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Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for providing an e-ARC of The Marvellers in exchange for an honest review.
Ella Durand is an eleven year old conjuror who is attending the Arcanum Training Institute, a magic school in the sky. She is the first conjuror to ever attend the Marvellian school and many students, teachers and parents mistrust the magic her family practices. When a dangerous criminal known as the Ace of Anarchy escapes from the Underworld prison, supposedly with the help of a conjuror, tensions rise to an all time high throughout the Marveller universe. Ella and her friends must use their growing powers to clear her people’s names before it’s too late.
The Marvellers is Black Girl Magic come to life! I absolutely adored this book! Not only is the cover beautiful, but the world building and attention to detail is so phenomenally done that I felt fully immersed in the Marveller universe. The world Ella inhabits is whimsical and unique. I could easily see this story being adapted for film.
The story was well paced and the mystery element kept me engrossed from start to finish. I loved how diverse the characters were and how many cultures were highlighted through the students and teachers at the Arcanum.
I enjoyed Ella’s journey being the first conjuror to attend the Arcanum Training Institute. Many tried to make her feel unwelcome because they believed the conjure folk practices to be too different and bad. Her strong family ties, support from her mentor Masterji Thakur and friendships with Brigit and Jason gave her the courage to stay and stand up for herself and all conjure folk.
The Marvellers is a book that I wish 12 year old me could read. When I was in middle school I desperately craved books with Black girls like me getting to go on adventures and attend magical schools. It makes my heart so happy to know that today Black girls and other girls of color are getting to see themselves in stories like this because representation matters!
The Marvellers is now tied with Kwame Mbalia’s Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky as my favorite middle grade fantasy novel. I finished the story wanting to be a Conjuror/Marveller just like Ella. While it’s not currently listed as a series, I am almost certain there will be another book and I can’t wait for it! -
The Arcanum Training Institute for Marvelous and Uncanny Endeavors claims to be open to everyone, except, until now, Conjurers. And while the administrators of this fine magical academy say all are welcome, Ella’s family and friends warned her that there would be those who cling to the stereotype that Conjurer magic is evil. There is also the threat of evil returning, as any good fantasy would have.
This story is about acceptance, good vs. evil, and overcoming stereotypes. Ella faces many challenges, including classmates who don’t like her just because she’s a Conjurer and not a Marveller. These students aren’t outright mean to Ella, but their dislike of her does get Ella moved from the room she shares with three Marvellers to a room with a new roommate raised by a Fewel (mortal) family. Ella makes friends, though. Jason, Brigit, and Masterji Thakur are great allies.
The Marvellers is a delightful magical book with a fun magical academy and a diverse cast. The world-building is wonderful and imaginative. Fans of fantastical worlds are sure to enjoy this one.
Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a review copy. -
This story is Dhonielle Clayton's Middle-Grade debut however you cannot even tell. She tells this story with the true whimsey that it deserves. This story is so incredibly fun. As someone who loves what the YA genre can bring this story does all of that. The magic is delightful.
Every middle schooler dreams of going to boarding school, or at least I did, and this book makes that desire even more real. With so many mysteries to unfold the story is unendingly engaging. The descriptions of the set are equally amazing as well.
The characters in this story are lovable if a bit one-dimensional at times but never in a way that takes away from their stories. Ella, Bridget, and Jason I love you. Little Black girls everywhere are going to love Ella as well and I cannot wait to see more of her in the future.
If you loved Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky you will love this story as well.
More Black girls and magic please and thank you. -
4,75/5⭐
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4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
RTC -
Actual rating: 3.5 stars, rounded up.
If you’re looking for something that scratches the same itch as Nevermoor, or a more diverse and inclusive Harry Potter, allow me to introduce you to The Marvellers, which launches a new middle grade fantasy series that centers around a magical school and the diverse students who attend it. I never get tired of school stories, especially when there’s magic involved. And giving kids a way to see themselves in that setting is just a beautiful thing. As much as Harry Potter shaped me as a reader, I recognize that it’s pretty lacking in the diversity department. Clayton saw that, as well, and addressed it beautifully.
This is the story of Ella, the first Conjuror to be invited to attend the Arcanum Training Institute, where Marveller children from all across the world attend to hone their craft and learn what their own Marvel will be. Marvel and Conjure are two radically different magic systems, and Conjure has always been looked down upon by the Marveller world. Conjure magic would be a bit more akin to voodoo in our own world, focussed around the Underworld and being hubbed in New Orleans. Conjure actually reminded me a good bit of Root as found in Tracy Deonn’s Legendborn Cycle. It’s a lovely system, respecting nature and utilizing song. Anytime music is tied into magic, I’m immediately on board.
But back to Ella. This eleven year-old girl is a hopeful bridge between the two worlds. She’s been invited to learn about the Marvellers and find out what her own Marvel might be. Ella is immediately enchanted by the world, and I can absolutely see why. The Institute is stunning in every way. It’s in the clouds, which immediately makes it even more magical. Everything from the dorms to the cafeteria, from the grounds to the classes, just sounds like my every childhood imagining of a magic school. There are five subsets of Marvels, revolving around the five senses, and Ella can’t wait to discovers what her Marvel will be.
But as I said earlier, Marvellers and Conjure folk don’t see eye-to-eye. Ella is judged immediately, but kids and teachers alike. It doesn’t matter who hard she works, she is always looked down upon and accused of bad behavior. This level of prejudice is infuriating, especially as Conjure parallels and is a direct part of the African American community. Marvellers come from all over the world, so the school is already a diverse place. Thus, the prejudice doesn’t feel exactly racial in nature, but it definitely targets a specific heritage. Ella battles against this prejudice and mistreatment throughout the story to the best of her ability, considering her age. And she handles it with grace.
While I really loved the setting of this book, and the diversity of the cast, I did have a few problems with the story. The pacing of the plot didn’t feel like it matched the time table being laid out by the author, in my opinion. She would mention that something had happened, and that three weeks later they were just moving onto the next step. I understand this for some things, but for others it just really didn’t ring true. I also found the villain pretty unbelievable, and there were some other reveals that either felt like anyone could have seen them coming from a mile away, or that really didn’t make sense with the information given. Finally, I didn’t feel compelled to pick this back up after putting it down. This is a book that should have taken me no time at all to read, but I found myself easily distracted from it.
The Marvellers is an interesting, unique magic school story that is both a window and a mirror for kids of every background. The setting is phenomenal, and so is the diverse representation offered within the pages. The Institute is a easy addition to my “fictional places I would love to visit” list. I love that this story exists. Whatever drawbacks I found within it, I would absolutely and without hesitation press this into the hands of any young reader, especially those who don’t often see themselves in magical settings. This is the kind of middle grade story that I think will work best for its intended age group, but I would still be interested to see what happens next for Ella and her friends at the Institute. -
Link a la reseña en mi sitio web:
Leela aquí
https://danielhsepulveda.com/resena-d...
Puntaje: 4.6 Estrellas.
Hace tiempo tenía ganas de leer alguna novela de Dhonielle Clayton y gracias a Puck he tenido la oportunidad de hacerlo. Escuché por primera vez sobre este libro por Zoraida Córdova, quien en la entrevista que le hice en mi canal de Youtube, nombró “Academia de Prodigios” como uno de esos libros que recomendaría a otros lectores. Un par de semanas después, Puck anunció su publicación para finales del 2022.
A grandes rasgos, esta historia comparte muchas similitudes con Harry Potter. Y es que es complicado no pensar en HP cuando estamos hablando de escuelas de magia. Sin embargo, Dhonielle le ha dado a este trope una esencia única que lo separa de las demás historias: Su identidad.
En los últimos años se han ido publicando historias sobre escuelas o academias mágicas, todas ellas tienen un propósito: Darle a los lectores lo que sus autores no tuvieron al momento de leer Harry Potter: Representación.
Si bien la historia de Harry es magnífica y nos ha dejado a todos encantados, es cierto que, en lo que a representacion se refiere, quedó un poco corto. Y no está mal, tal vez JK Rowling nunca imaginó que su historia llegaría a millones de lectores en todo el mundo, y ya saben que tener a todos contentos es imposible, pero esto abrió la puerta para que una nueva generación de autores nos regalen historias maravillosas en mundos mágicos impresionantes, y con personajes con los cuales nos sintamos identificados.
Otro caso que se me viene a la mente en estos momentos es Lobizona de Romina Garber, una historia en donde se tratan temáticas de leyendas argentinas y hace referencia a la inmigración y la doble identidad, con la cual no te sientes parte de ninguna cultura en específico, sino que eres una combinación de dos culturas diferentes.
En el caso de “Academia de Prodigios” me ha encantado todo. La ambientación y las descripciones fueron maravillosas. Me gustó que Ella fuera de Nueva Orleans, una ciudad conocida por su tradición mágica. Quedé fascinado con las puertas del inframundo que se ubican en esta ciudad. Sin duda quiero conocer más historias que se desarrollen en el mundo creado por Dhonielle para esta novela. Además, he disfrutado a los personajes, todos están muy bien construidos y tienen un background cultural completamente diferente.
Eso sí, debo admitir que me costó iniciar con el libro. En especial porque era tan similar a Harry Potter que no me podía sacar esta idea de la cabeza. Conforme iba avanzando, la historia iba tomando su propio rumba y adoptando su propia identidad. Por otro lado, el final me pareció demasiado apresurado, ¡me hubiera encantado tener más páginas sobre la batalla del final del libro! Es curioso porque el inicio me pareció un poco lento y el final apresurado, pero todo lo que está en medio tuvo el timing perfecto.
Por otra parte, debo confesar que la revelación que ocurre durante la batalla final no fue una sorpresa para mí. Ya lo había visto venir unas 100 páginas antes, pero no le quita méritos a la novela, pues de seguro que no me hubiera dado cuenta si hubiera leído el libro con 12 años. ¡De seguro me hubiera dejado boquiabierto!
Como han podido ver, me he gozado mucho esta historia. Creo que es una novela perfecta para lectores jóvenes, pues además de ser entretenida y llena de magia, también toca temas de crítica social y discriminación, los cuales son vitales tratar en esa edad. Creo fielmente que esta novela enamorará a cientos de jóvenes de la lectura y los motivará a descubrir nuevas historias. ¡Ya muero por leer la secuela!
