 The Land of Elyon Book I
The Dark Hills Divide
(Orchard Books)
by Patrick Carman
Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Scholastic is putting a lot money behind this new series. Patrick
Carman joins Michael Hoeye (The Hermux Tantamoq
Adventures) and Christopher
Paolini (Eragon) on a growing list of self-published authors
garnering large, multi-book contracts. Carman shares two other similarities
with Hoeye: they both marketed their books and live in the Pacific
Northwest and, more importantly, they are good writers.
The Dark Hills Divide introduces us to the Land of Elyon, which is
a land divided. Four walled cities dissect the land like spokes on
a wheel. Bridewell is at the hub of the wheel and three other cities
are located at the end of three walled roads radiating out from it.
Just before his death, the creator of the walled cities tells twelve-year-old
Alexa Daley, "I spent my youth building this wall to keep dangerous
things away. I sometimes wonder now if I've kept them inside." In
death, he leaves Alexa a challenge to solve the mystery of the wall
and facilitate a change that will shape Elyon's future.
Alexa is a solid, able heroine. She finds adveture in a world of dying
magic beyond the walls, and discovers that what might seem good to
some may be bad to others. Carman does not push the limits of the fantasy
elements in this story, but uses them effectively to paint a touching
picture of the repercussions caused by the construction of the walls.
I would recommend this book for its target audience of girls from 9-12.
However, a couple of factors keep it on our GOOD READ! list overall.
First, Alexa is the only child character in the whole book. Consequently,
we never see her as a child. She operates as a "small adult" in
an adult world throughout the story. Even Lyra, the transdimension-treking
heroine of the His Dark Materials trilogy acted like a child and interacted
with other children. Secondly, the well-measured pacing of the story
doesn't vary much. This means, while there are bits of danger and action
scattered throughout, there isn't a big, heart-pounding or emotional
climax. The
Dark Hills Divide is
more like reading a book in the always enjoyable Dear America series
than a Harry Potter or Gregor the Overlander tale.
— KB SHAW, Publisher, Spectrum - Member SCBWI
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