A twelve year old boy, Max McDaniels, is surprised by a mysterious letter from a mysterious person informing him of his heretofore unknown magical purpose. (Hmmmm….sounds familiar).
Once Max has been confirmed, he chooses to attend the Rowan School to develop his abilities. He is magically paired with roommate David, a brilliant but strange boy. The students and faculty are drawn into the fight alongside the “Agents” to prevent the arch-villain, Astaroth, from regaining power. (He Who Must Not Be Named, anyone?)
Why bother to read another Harry Potter spinoff, you ask? Well, what it lacks in plot originality, it makes up for by including Celtic mythology and the depth of character development. Although “The Cattle Raid of Cooley” is not retold as lyrically as I would have preferred, it nonetheless steals the spotlight, and leaves you wondering exactly how Max will fit into the grand scheme of things. What middle-schooler can tell you about the Tuatha De Danann, selkies and other Irish folktale elements? Sure, we know all about leprechauns, but there’s a whole wealth of Irish stories that will entrance young readers, and this book is a great stepping stone!
No matter how great the story elements, it’s the characters which make or break a book, and Tapestry has both! Max and David develop slowly, but much is learned (or guessed), and the bond between them becomes quite strong. One gets the feeling that there is more to this pairing than is revealed in this, the first book of a series. I have my theories.
Tapestry is a juvenile fantasy book that has lots of character and some original story elements within a tried-and-true formula. I recommend it.
GOOD.
