Review of Pixylations
Posted: 12 Jul 2024, 03:51
[Following is a volunteer review of "Pixylations" by Joe Laudati.]
Pixylations by Joe Laudati
This fantasy novel incorporates elements of Irish folklore and is set in a magical human world where mythical creatures exist. The author weaves a fantastic tale involving humans, pixies, and goblins in which fairies from the fairy realm visit the human world to bring balance to the land by harnessing the magic elements: earth, fire, air, and water. The story follows the adventures of Faela, a wild and rogue blue pixie known for her mischievous and naughty nature. She often breaks the rules of the fairy world just for fun. As a flower sprite, her job is to bloom flowers and tend to them. However, her wild nature leads her to create abnormal flowers, such as daisies with purple leaves and pansies with spots. When the story starts, we see Faela being admonished and ridiculed by her fellow pixies for offending the flowers by making them different from nature's design. They change the flowers back to bring back normalcy. This leaves Faela enraged and hurt, and she flies away. Scuff, a gnome who is also Faela's friend, tries to stop her, but she cannot be stopped. He watches her warily as she plays various tricks on humans. At one moment, out of fury, Faela crosses her limits and is reported to the high king by other pixies. As a result, the Horn of Auberon whisks her away, and a threat of banishment from the Fairy Realm looms above her. Pooka, a goblin fiend and a shapeshifter, is keenly watching this. Banished pixies can be forced to marry Pooka, and he is very intent on marrying Faela for some mysterious reasons. Out of sympathy, the king provides a chance for Faela to prove her noble heart and redeem herself. She is sent to McBride's house to become a house fairy with the mission of bringing joy and courage to seven-year-old Ellie, who has recently lost her mom. She develops a good friendship with Ellie, which makes her happy. While everything is going well, an unexpected turn develops. She is bitten by the love bug and falls for Devin, a handsome ex-fiancé of Ellie's elder sister Katie. She decides to do the ultimate forbidden act of pixylating, despite dangerous warnings from Scuff. What happens next? Will Faela redeem herself or get banned from the fairy realm? Will Pooka attain success in marrying Faela? Grab the book to find out the answers.
After reading the blurb, I was immediately intrigued and picked up the book. I have no regrets, as I absolutely loved and enjoyed reading it. The story is fast-paced, with no lagging. I was totally immersed in the book and drawn into the mythical world of Faela, Scuff, and Ellie. The author's writing style is engaging and comprehensive. His world-building is outstanding and sets a strong foundation for the story. He describes the fairy realm, pixies, goblins, and other fairies very well and merges the fairy world with our world seamlessly, making it feel realistic. In some places, the author speaks directly to the readers by breaking the fourth wall. The pixylating scene involving Faela, Katie, and Devin was amusing.
I was fascinated to learn that the author had also created the illustrations for the book. They were astounding and added a new dimension to the story. I only wished they were colored. I also loved the font used for the book title and the chapter titles. After reading the story, I wished I could have the gifted sight to see some of those 'wee folks'.
I hope this book will be made into a movie, as it has all the elements needed for a blockbuster. I would love to see Faela, Scuff, and Ellie on the big screen. With an engaging plot, excellent world-building, and wonderful characterization, this book exceeded my expectations. The editing is incredible. There is nothing I disliked in the book. So, I rate it 5 out of 5 stars.
******
Pixylations
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Pixylations by Joe Laudati
This fantasy novel incorporates elements of Irish folklore and is set in a magical human world where mythical creatures exist. The author weaves a fantastic tale involving humans, pixies, and goblins in which fairies from the fairy realm visit the human world to bring balance to the land by harnessing the magic elements: earth, fire, air, and water. The story follows the adventures of Faela, a wild and rogue blue pixie known for her mischievous and naughty nature. She often breaks the rules of the fairy world just for fun. As a flower sprite, her job is to bloom flowers and tend to them. However, her wild nature leads her to create abnormal flowers, such as daisies with purple leaves and pansies with spots. When the story starts, we see Faela being admonished and ridiculed by her fellow pixies for offending the flowers by making them different from nature's design. They change the flowers back to bring back normalcy. This leaves Faela enraged and hurt, and she flies away. Scuff, a gnome who is also Faela's friend, tries to stop her, but she cannot be stopped. He watches her warily as she plays various tricks on humans. At one moment, out of fury, Faela crosses her limits and is reported to the high king by other pixies. As a result, the Horn of Auberon whisks her away, and a threat of banishment from the Fairy Realm looms above her. Pooka, a goblin fiend and a shapeshifter, is keenly watching this. Banished pixies can be forced to marry Pooka, and he is very intent on marrying Faela for some mysterious reasons. Out of sympathy, the king provides a chance for Faela to prove her noble heart and redeem herself. She is sent to McBride's house to become a house fairy with the mission of bringing joy and courage to seven-year-old Ellie, who has recently lost her mom. She develops a good friendship with Ellie, which makes her happy. While everything is going well, an unexpected turn develops. She is bitten by the love bug and falls for Devin, a handsome ex-fiancé of Ellie's elder sister Katie. She decides to do the ultimate forbidden act of pixylating, despite dangerous warnings from Scuff. What happens next? Will Faela redeem herself or get banned from the fairy realm? Will Pooka attain success in marrying Faela? Grab the book to find out the answers.
After reading the blurb, I was immediately intrigued and picked up the book. I have no regrets, as I absolutely loved and enjoyed reading it. The story is fast-paced, with no lagging. I was totally immersed in the book and drawn into the mythical world of Faela, Scuff, and Ellie. The author's writing style is engaging and comprehensive. His world-building is outstanding and sets a strong foundation for the story. He describes the fairy realm, pixies, goblins, and other fairies very well and merges the fairy world with our world seamlessly, making it feel realistic. In some places, the author speaks directly to the readers by breaking the fourth wall. The pixylating scene involving Faela, Katie, and Devin was amusing.
I was fascinated to learn that the author had also created the illustrations for the book. They were astounding and added a new dimension to the story. I only wished they were colored. I also loved the font used for the book title and the chapter titles. After reading the story, I wished I could have the gifted sight to see some of those 'wee folks'.
I hope this book will be made into a movie, as it has all the elements needed for a blockbuster. I would love to see Faela, Scuff, and Ellie on the big screen. With an engaging plot, excellent world-building, and wonderful characterization, this book exceeded my expectations. The editing is incredible. There is nothing I disliked in the book. So, I rate it 5 out of 5 stars.
******
Pixylations
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
