Official Review: The Gallery of Wonders by Marc Remus
- stoppoppingtheP
- Previous Member of the Month
- Posts: 902
- Joined: 14 May 2014, 09:59
- Favorite Book: The Hand of Fatima
- Currently Reading: High Low In-Between
- Bookshelf Size: 162
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-stoppoppingthep.html
- Latest Review: If I Only Knew by Kim Simmons
Official Review: The Gallery of Wonders by Marc Remus

4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
The Gallery of Wonders is the first book in the series titled Magora. The author, Marc Remus, paints a delightful story of an orphan girl and her friends discovering a fantasy land and going on wonderful adventures. This fictional book belongs to the Children’s genre. Some of the themes that the book explores are friendship, adventure and magic.
Holly lives with her mean foster family who make her life miserable. This all changes one day when a series of strange events unfold in Holly’s life. Her grandfather dies in a fire under mysterious circumstances, she sees a hooded figure that is looking for her, she receives a box with some strange stuff and finally she finds a chest hidden in the attic with one of her grandpa’s paintings. It is through this painting that Holly and her friends are whirled into the Land of Magora.
Magora is a place where there are many different creatures with astonishing magical powers. Cliffony is a school for artists in the Land of Magora. Holly and her friends are accepted into it and they begin to learn how to create art with magic. There are different level of artists; Tracers who can skilfully copy, Legumers who can create objects and finally the Gindars, the highest and most special type of artist. Holly is chosen to be a Gindar, although she has no faith in herself and thinks it must be a mistake.
There is also the dark side of Magora. There is the palace where Cuspidor the Duke lives. He is an evil character who wants to destroy the Gallery of Wonders, and it is up to Holly and her friends to save the day.
This book was really enjoyable. I found it to be easy to read, imaginative, descriptive and captivating. The book is mainly targeted towards middle school children. One of the main features that the book uses is that of painting. The author himself is a world renowned artist, so he has tried to capture his love for his work in this book. The main character, Holly, has always loved painting, even though she was never very good at it. In the book the author tries to show that one should paint by getting themselves immersed into their work.
However, one thing that concerned me about this book was the stark parallels that this story had with the series of Harry Potter. For example: an orphaned kid living with mean foster parents who is whisked away to a magic land. In this magic land the kid attends a school that teaches magical abilities, the kid is obviously special and has to save the day. There were also several other similarities which I picked up. For this reason, I was considering giving this book a three stars, due to its questionable originality. However, I finally decided to give the book a four out of four stars simply because I really enjoyed it, and I thought it was excellently written. I definitely think that kids of all ages will enjoy this book, but especially those who have a love for creativity and art.
******
The Gallery of Wonders
View: on Bookshelves
Like stoppoppingtheP's review? Post a comment saying so!
“there have been so many times
i have seen a man wanting to weep
but
instead
beat his heart until it was unconscious.
-masculine”
― Nayyirah Waheed
- remus28
- Posts: 10
- Joined: 26 Jan 2016, 13:01
- Bookshelf Size: 0

- bookowlie
- Special Discussion Leader
- Posts: 9073
- Joined: 25 Oct 2014, 09:52
- Favorite Book: The Lost Continent
- Currently Reading: Up to No Gouda
- Bookshelf Size: 464
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-bookowlie.html
- Latest Review: To Paint A Murder by E. J. Gandolfo
- gali
- Previous Member of the Month
- Posts: 53656
- Joined: 22 Oct 2013, 07:12
- Currently Reading: The Man Next Door
- Bookshelf Size: 2302
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-gali.html
- Reading Device: B00I15SB16
- Publishing Contest Votes: 0
- stoppoppingtheP
- Previous Member of the Month
- Posts: 902
- Joined: 14 May 2014, 09:59
- Favorite Book: The Hand of Fatima
- Currently Reading: High Low In-Between
- Bookshelf Size: 162
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-stoppoppingthep.html
- Latest Review: If I Only Knew by Kim Simmons
The book was really enjoyable to read, and I'm sure many kids will enjoy it as much as I did. ( I'm still a kid at heartremus28 wrote:Thank you so much for the review and for taking the time to write so much. I am glad you enjoyed the book and that you have decided to give it four stars. Since the Harry Potter similarities keep coming up, I would like to let you know that the MAGORA series will take a complete different turn than Harry Potter in the coming books. I have completed all six books already and that's why I can assure you that the series will lose all similarties to Harry Potter along the way. Already the end of the second book, THE GOLDEN MAPLE TREE ( which is out now for free with Kindle Unlimited) will let you take a glimpse into the metaphysical realm of this series. Please keep reading and I am sure you won't get disappointed. Best regards, Marc Remus

I'm glad that you pointed out that the similarities in the story does diverge from that of Harry Potter.
I also really liked the fact that you used your passion for art to bring this story to life. I have checked out your artwork as well, and I must say that I am impressed. Your paintings of the different places that you've been to are really brilliant and unique. - by the way guys, be sure to check out the authors artwork as well.

“there have been so many times
i have seen a man wanting to weep
but
instead
beat his heart until it was unconscious.
-masculine”
― Nayyirah Waheed
- Rachaelamb1
- Posts: 986
- Joined: 07 Mar 2015, 01:58
- Favorite Book: <a href="http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/shelve ... onwitch</a>
- Currently Reading: Falling Star
- Bookshelf Size: 128
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-rachaelamb1.html
- Latest Review: "Dragon Born" by Ela Lourenco
- remus28
- Posts: 10
- Joined: 26 Jan 2016, 13:01
- Bookshelf Size: 0
-
- Posts: 34
- Joined: 17 Feb 2016, 11:02
- Currently Reading: Battlefield of the Mind: Winning the Battle in Your Mind
- Bookshelf Size: 13
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-mothertheresa.html
- kimmyschemy06
- Posts: 2598
- Joined: 20 Oct 2015, 20:49
- Currently Reading: The Searching Three
- Bookshelf Size: 694
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-kimmyschemy06.html
- Latest Review: Kazi Boku by M. Poyhonen
- remus28
- Posts: 10
- Joined: 26 Jan 2016, 13:01
- Bookshelf Size: 0
- stoppoppingtheP
- Previous Member of the Month
- Posts: 902
- Joined: 14 May 2014, 09:59
- Favorite Book: The Hand of Fatima
- Currently Reading: High Low In-Between
- Bookshelf Size: 162
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-stoppoppingthep.html
- Latest Review: If I Only Knew by Kim Simmons
“there have been so many times
i have seen a man wanting to weep
but
instead
beat his heart until it was unconscious.
-masculine”
― Nayyirah Waheed
- anonanemone
- Posts: 562
- Joined: 07 Sep 2015, 22:30
- Favorite Book: <a href="http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/shelve ... 24">Tinder Stricken</a>
- Currently Reading: Outland Exile
- Bookshelf Size: 901
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-anonanemone.html
- Latest Review: "The Shark in the Park" by Mark Watson
- Reading Device: B00I15SB16

- remus28
- Posts: 10
- Joined: 26 Jan 2016, 13:01
- Bookshelf Size: 0
The significance of the Gallery of Wonders is that all major magical paintings of Magora are stored there. These paintings are entrances into other worlds. And the paintings have been stolen. You will understand the significance once you read the whole story ☺
And yes, seems Rowling took my last name for the Happy Potter books. So in a way she stole from me. Hahaha
- anonanemone
- Posts: 562
- Joined: 07 Sep 2015, 22:30
- Favorite Book: <a href="http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/shelve ... 24">Tinder Stricken</a>
- Currently Reading: Outland Exile
- Bookshelf Size: 901
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-anonanemone.html
- Latest Review: "The Shark in the Park" by Mark Watson
- Reading Device: B00I15SB16

- Lorirainbowbright
- Posts: 71
- Joined: 22 Jan 2016, 15:03
- Favorite Book: An Ember in the Ashes
- Currently Reading: Burning Midnight
- Bookshelf Size: 249
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-lorirainbowbright.html
- Reading Device: B00IKPYKWG