Jepp, Who Defied the Stars by Katherine Marsh

[kymberlibros]

Here's my review of "Jepp, Who Defied the Stars" by Katherine Marsh. Let me know what you think if you have ever read this book! (p.s. this is my first book review on onlinebookclub so I apologize for its awkwardness)
I picked this book because I tend to judge books by their cover... and this cover is lovely! I just cannot say no to a night sky. However, it was not quite what I expected. I actually wasn't quite sure what to expect. It was one of the first books I have ever read without a recommendation or any prior knowledge. I struggle to put it in a single genre. It is considered YA, but I felt it was directed toward middle grade levels. While it does include elements of fantasy, it is also realistic in some ways.
Jepp is a teenage dwarf living in the sixteenth century. He is taken from his innkeeper mother to live as a court dwarf in a royal palace. This kicks off a story about finding oneself, falling in love, and changing the order of the stars and taking control on ones own fate.
The world is built very well - a beautiful setting with vivid descriptions. The plot is quick and easy to read. While there were some lulls in the action, I still found myself wanting to read and find out what would happen next. Although the characters were very different from myself, they were still very realistic and relatable. Sometimes I found myself rolling my eyes at Jepp. He tended to be a whiner, coming off more as a 13-year-old than a 16-year-old, but I could not totally blame him because he was rather naive and his situations were not always very favorable. Overall, I was rooting for him.
Although I do not typically enjoy anything outside of my contemporary & dystopian bubble, I am glad that I picked this up. It warmed my heart, leaving me inspired.