Review of Julu

[Positive Thinker Book Reviewer]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Julu" by Jan Anderegg.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Julu (The Julu Series - Vol. 1) by Jan Anderegg is every bookworm's dream come true. Imagine a world where the library collects stories, and you get to live in one of them. In this exceptionally edited book, vivid description captures your imagination in the story. Muse mountains, The Great Library, evil stories, and the evil Korrigan, Kore, who has plans to destroy The Great Library and the imagination, causing The World Beyond (read the Earth) to plunge into an abyss. The evil Kore, who joins forces with Lamashtu and Sajewar, has plans to rule The World Beyond by making every person greedy. Imagine a muse mountain which grows as and when a new writer writes a tale. This enchanting book begins in the present, where the world gets destroyed. As Lulana (the Sirius star, Watcher of the World) begins to make amends by gifting an opal egg that will hatch at the right time, you get pulled into a magical journey. It is a long voyage taking you in and out of the past, present, and future. Out of the egg comes Julu, who sets about collecting children all through the timeline to protect the future Guardian of the Great Library, Jack and hence changing the story.

I loved it because the tale gets indulging and grows on you. You get drawn into the magical world where Nixies, Xanas, Naiads, Qilin, and sea dragons play their role in changing the story. Every creature plays its part; you may lose track of the characters if you are not reading it at one go or are skimming through the story. In the beginning, this tale seemed tangled, but the succeeding chapters maintained continuity. The underlying statement that comes to the surface is that love conquers all, even the evil and the wicked. This magical journey takes an unexpected turn just as you expect a catastrophe, all because of a little girl who believes that love is the most powerful force in the entire universe.

The only confusing aspect of the book is the mention of the timeline at the beginning of every chapter. Terms like long past, future, past, and present are applied to give the timeline information. It gets confusing at times. Fret not! The narrative gets alluring, and you gradually understand how the 'story was changed' by a simple visit in the past. Beautiful quotes at the beginning of each chapter make your reading more meaningful. I noticed that the inspiring lines are either connected to the chapter title or give a glimpse of what the story preaches.

I give 5 out of 5 stars for pulling me into a world unknown and making me believe that maybe in future, I will visit Jirvania, where my life is also a story written by a writer in some other realm. Indeed, reading is the most magical get-away ever.

If you love fantasy tales, this book will keep you hooked until the end, irrespective of age. It is the first book in The Julu Series and is an engaging, magical journey to begin any day, to escape the real world.

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Julu
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[Elina Tshabalala]

I will read this book for the magical aspect of it and also because I am rooting for good to triumph over evil.

[Positive Thinker Book Reviewer]

I will read this book for the magical aspect of it and also because I am rooting for good to triumph over evil.

I am sure you will love it. Yes, good always triumphs over evil. Sometimes, all that is needed is to believe that love is the most powerful force in the entire universe.