Review of Julu

[Aarya Gondkar]

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

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5 out of 5 stars

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“Children see magic because they look for it."-Christopher Moore

In the birthplace of imagination called ‘Jirvania’ grow ‘story-pearls’ that inspire writers, poets and musicians on Earth. The magic of this enchanting land is brimming with love, faith and belief until one day one of the story-pearls predicts the terrible upcoming fate of Jirvania. The prologue opens with this creative world already destroyed in the future and proceeds to provide hope in the form of an opal dragon egg. The cousins, Jack and Mia, must embark on an adventure alongside the dragon to travel through time and two worlds to save Jirvania’s fate. To protect the imagination throughout the world, Jirvania’s story must first change.

Unaware of their connection to the land of imagination, young Jack and Mia are suddenly surrounded by the evil lurking over Jirvania and learn of their roles in fighting it. With the help of the dragon ‘Julu’, they understand empathy, compassion, forgiveness and kindness, which they use to solve problems throughout the story. Various life lessons are taught through different characters. Since this is the first book from the series, it pauses with a cliffhanger and continues in the second book.

346 pages long and written in third-person narrative, this book is written with simple language at a fast pace. The writing style keeps the reader avidly invested in the story from the first page. The story consists of many time jumps but the author does a good job of simplifying it by mentioning the year at the start of each chapter. Quotes are also added to each chapter’s start. The author is skilled in world-building and should be applauded for her ability to keep the reader thoroughly engaged. Famous figures from mythology and history and names of authors and books are also mentioned which makes the reader excited. The reference guides to these characters are provided at the end.

The book wins the reader’s heart through its theme of compassion and kindness. It is observed in several instances through the characters of Isabella, Zero, Oliver and Black Annis. The author won my heart with how she wrote the tale of Goren’s journey of becoming evil. It teaches the reader that monsters are not birthed but are made. Blinded by hatred, Goren seeks revenge but does not realise his fault until it is too late. His actions are partly to be blamed on his hateful father which shows us how important the role of a parent is in a child’s life. It is also observed when his friends Lily and Karyn grow up to be kind adults due to their parents’ loving bond. The importance of family values is seen.

The only hindrance in reading the otherwise perfect book is the introduction of too many new characters at the start of the story. This becomes a hurdle when a majority of the book’s audience is children. Apart from this extremely minor issue, the book is a winner of hearts. It envelops the reader in its magic like none other. To lovers of fantasy, this book is happiness in the form of pages with a magical world filled with mystical creatures like unicorns, dragons, fairies and rainbow trees.

For its beautiful writing and gripping storyline, I give Julu by Jan Anderegg 5 out of 5 stars. It is rare to come across stories that preserve the magic of childhood and engross the reader completely. It is even rarer to find one that teaches all the golden rules of life in such a simple yet beautiful manner without the unnecessary violent/mature themes. I recommend Julu to middle school and young adult readers who have a liking towards fantasy fiction. It is suitable for young readers due to its lack of profanity and mature themes. It is perfect for fans of books like ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ and ‘Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'.

This book is sure to be a reader’s favourite and is the perfect story to teach growing children the importance of love and belief.

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Julu
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[Francis Kapola]

I'm curious about how young Jack and Mia combat the darkness around them without resorting to violence. It is unbelievable. Especially in a magical world.

[Aarya Gondkar]

I'm curious about how young Jack and Mia combat the darkness around them without resorting to violence. It is unbelievable. Especially in a magical world.

I can absolutely relate to your curiosity, for I share the same! There follows a sequel to this book where I am positive our questions will receive answers. However, the first book has proved itself true on the stance of nonviolence and I hope its successor shares the same. Thank you for reading!

[Francis Kapola]

I'm curious about how young Jack and Mia combat the darkness around them without resorting to violence. It is unbelievable. Especially in a magical world.

I can absolutely relate to your curiosity, for I share the same! There follows a sequel to this book where I am positive our questions will receive answers. However, the first book has proved itself true on the stance of nonviolence and I hope its successor shares the same. Thank you for reading!

Sure, the sequel may have the answers.