Review by Kirkus Book Review
Stunned to learn she's a witch, trans girl Rebecca Slugg goes questing for magical ink ingredients to free her bespelled mother. Though Becca yearns for an exciting life, her "timid little noodle" of a mother, who runs the Cape Disappointment Beach Inn, seems determined to keep things as boring as possible. Then dramatic Aunt Malatrice--previously unknown to Becca--swoops in, casting a spell that gets Mom to sign a document allowing Malatrice's Ascension to Witch-Queen. An astonished Becca learns that witches exist, they create magic with ink, and that she herself is a witch. Also, the tarantula living by the dumpsters is her mother's familiar, Natalya, and the ice troll Oddvar lives in the motel's ice machine. With her robotlike mother stripped of her free will, Becca goes in search of mermaid caviar, powdered troll tooth, and the Witch-Queen's treasure. With these items, Natalya promises, they can make ink to restore Becca's mother to normality--if they don't die in the process, that is. This fast-paced, laugh-out-loud fantasy will appeal to fans of Roald Dahl and Terry Pratchett. Overflowing with evocative sensory descriptions, the top-notch worldbuilding includes unique creatures and locations and a creative magic system. The characters are distinct, flawed, and delightful--or delightfully awful. Adding thoughtful ballast to the hijinks are environmental messages, Becca's feelings about being trans, and questions about what it might mean that she sometimes agrees with the power-hungry Malatrice. Human characters read white. Humor and heart entwine in this hilarious and wildly creative adventure.(Fantasy. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
