Review of The Promise

[Mindi]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Promise" by Hank Ellis.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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It is a common childhood dream to hold special “magical” powers, such as teleportation and invisibility. Peter and David Wilson are two brothers who are living that dream. If you have followed Hank Ellis’s The Promise series, you are journeying with these unique brothers as they experience what most children only dream about. Mr. Ellis has written his fourth book of The Promise, and I have enjoyed being on this journey since the beginning.

In this fourth installment, Peter and David are continuing their experiences as “caretakers.” Caretakers are special individuals who can transport to various countries of the world in order to help fulfill certain duties. These duties usually involve protecting someone or helping someone in need. A higher power, referred to as “The Maker,” is credited for allowing the caretakers to possess certain abilities. Peter, David, and another friend named Catia are the youngest caretakers, as they have only recently discovered their calling and abilities. They are now put in a position to help a young Russian couple on a dangerous mission. Alexey and Sasha are a young married couple that the caretakers met on a past mission. They cross paths again at the beginning of this book, and the caretakers end up on a journey to help Sasha locate her father, who is in danger. This journey takes them from the Wilsons’ house in Rhode Island to Canada and beyond. Through the help of the older, experienced caretakers, they navigate many dangerous situations.

As in the other books, I stayed intrigued by the many adventures of these young boys and their acquaintances. Each time I read one of the books, it is like coming back to a group of friends that I have been away from. I am always excited to see what their next adventure will be. I enjoy seeing the bond that is formed between the characters. There is a special friendship that these characters hold. With each book, new characters are introduced, and new friendships are made. I enjoyed seeing the interaction with Alexey and Sasha in this book, as their characters were brought to the front of the storyline that was unfolding.

The magical realism aspect is always enjoyable in these books. The fantasy and reality blend together to make a great story for both young people and adults. In the past, I have compared the storyline to Narnia, and I continue to see that connection. The references to The Maker bring about biblical references that are subtle, yet they possess a similar quality to C.S. Lewis. Later in the book, there are also references to a type of enemy, which shows the good-vs-evil theme.

Overall, I enjoyed this heartwarming tale of friendship and adventure. I don’t have anything negative to say about it. As far as the age group that it would appeal to, I do think that it may appeal to young adults and adults more than middle grade children. I only say this because some of the details may be hard for those under age 13 or 14 to follow. There are a lot of details involving codes and numbers that Peter and David are trying to figure out to solve a mystery, as well as many historical and geographical details. Some of these things may be hard for younger children to grasp. I definitely recommend it to teens and adults, though, and possibly some older pre-teens. Because of the many positive aspects of this book, I am rating it 4 out of 4 stars. I hope many others will start this series from the beginning and go on the journey with Peter, David, and their friends.

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The Promise
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[FunkyFlowerLady]

Such a well-structured and nice review. Perfect!

[Diana Aguilar]

I enjoy how you describe the essence of the book. Great job.

[Sarah tianna]

This story is really intriguing and captivating. I know it's difficult times being a young adult, this is the phase where your strength is tested. I look forward to reading this book. Nice review.

[R_becca]

You've written a well-organized review. I agree with your observations. Thank you for taking the time to review the book!