Publishers Weekly
06/20/2022
Set in an unidentified region of what cues strongly as Poland, Zahler’s (Daughter of the White Rose) folklore-based fantasy is rooted in the bond between sisters Elzbieta, called Lizzie, and Minka, who are vastly different from, yet devoted to, one another. Synesthete Lizzie, extremely anxious among people, thrives on solitude, while merry Minka, a talented painter, flourishes selling the family’s bread and produce at the village market. Lizzie’s perceptions involve seeing sounds in color: leaves rustling in spring are silver, Minka’s voice is pink, and a thunderstorm is “a vortex” that makes her dizzy and nauseated. After Minka returns from the market infatuated with handsome fruit purveyor Emil and the delicious plum he gave her, Lizzie is suspicious. Her suspicions turn to fright when Minka succumbs to a delirious fever, and her golden hair turns gray and falls out. Meeting Emil and finding that no hue attends his voice, Lizzie is certain he is behind Minka’s strange illness. Fueled by love for her sibling, Lizzie becomes entangled in the world of zdusze, forest goblins of lore who entice and capture girls. As elements of horror build to an extended climax teeming with fiends, Lizzie’s evolution from “shy, strange and fearful” to strong and determined is believably wrought, even as Minka’s transformation is less credible. All characters read as white. Ages 10–14. Agent: Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary. (Aug.)
From the Publisher
★ "Zahler’s immersive folktale narrative has just the right amount of spookiness and suspense for middle grade readers. Lizzie is a heroine whom readers will root for, and her sisterly bond with Minka is refreshing. Kids will want to enjoy this in one sitting."—School Library Journal, Starred Review
"[A] folklore-based fantasy . . . rooted in the bond between sisters. . . . Elements of horror build to an extended climax teeming with fiends. . . ."—Publishers Weekly
"This broadly appealing, straightforward story reads like a folktale with its spooky, fantasy elements and uncomplicated, yet satisfying, good-overcomes-evil plot. . . . Sisterly love triumphs in this endearing, somewhat spooky tale."—Kirkus Reviews
"The well-rounded and appealing characters in this absorbing tale nicely ground the fantasy elements."—Booklist
★ "Diane Zahler (Baker's Magic) spins a terrifically timeless upper-middle-grade story of sisterly love, goblin magic and overstepped boundaries. . . . [Her] lush language describes a fully realized fairy tale world. . . . Share this book with anyone who loves their stories located in far-off lands potentially inhabited by monsters."—Shelf Awareness, Starred Review
"Zahler creates a historical-feeling world. . . . The sisters' relationship anchors the plot and resonates with emotion. . . ."—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"This warmly reassuring tale, with its nontraditional protagonist, will keep readers engrossed from beginning to end."—The Horn Book
School Library Journal
★ 01/13/2023
Gr 4–8—Despite their opposite personalities, sisters Elzbieta (Lizzie) and Minka vowed they would stay together forever. Beautiful and vibrant Mink loves going to the village market to purchase and sell food. Lizzie, the quieter of the two, prefers to be at home or in the Wood. Lizzie can see sound as color—and it can be overwhelming for her at times. One day, Minka meets a boy at the market who gives her the most perfect and refreshing fruit. Minka can't stop talking about him or the fruit. Soon after, Minka grows frail, loses her hair, and falls in and out of a deep slumber. When Minka runs off with the mysterious Emil, Lizzie and her friend Jakob rely on the power of love and their courage to save her from the zdusze's (goblin's) spell. Based on Christina Rosetti's 19th-century Victorian poem, "The Goblin Market," Zahler's immersive folktale narrative has just the right amount of spookiness and suspense for middle grade readers. Lizzie is a heroine whom readers will root for, and her sisterly bond with Minka is refreshing. Kids will want to enjoy this in one sitting. VERDICT A rich folklore setting, goblin magic, and a spooky atmosphere with a hopeful ending make this a top choice for upper middle grade and middle school collections.—Marissa Lieberman
Kirkus Reviews
2022-05-10
A young girl must face scary situations in order to save her sister from a goblin posing as a man.
Elzbieta, who goes by Lizzie, enjoys her simple farm life and close bond with her older sister, Minka, despite their differences; Minka is outgoing whereas Lizzie is overwhelmed by social situations. One day, when Minka returns from the market after a day of selling bread and vegetables, Lizzie can sense something has changed. Minka has become smitten with a handsome new fruit seller named Emil. Soon after, however, she is struck down by a mysterious illness. As Lizzie tries to help her sister, she discovers that Emil is a zdusze, or goblin, and is responsible for Minka’s state. With the assistance of neighbor boy Jakob, Lizzie enters treacherous Noc Forest to try to defeat Emil and save Minka. This broadly appealing, straightforward story reads like a folktale with its spooky, fantasy elements and uncomplicated, yet satisfying, good-overcomes-evil plot. The Polish-inspired setting is primarily noted through character names and foods, although the worldbuilding is light. Creepy imagery, like a bleeding tree and a carpet of snakes, will entice readers looking for some chills, while themes of sisterhood, love, and bravery make the story overall more likely to induce sentimentality than nightmares. Lizzie has synesthesia—sounds evoke colors for her—and is cued as neurodiverse. Characters are implied White.
Sisterly love triumphs in this endearing, somewhat spooky tale. (Fantasy. 9-13)
