Review of Tzia

[MsTri]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Tzia" by Mister Sanamon.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Winds from the east, moon copper gold,
I'll tell you a story that's never been told.

- PumPum, Tzia: The Book of Galatéa

Older siblings are known for getting privileges before their younger siblings while the less mature children watch with envy, and Galatéa and Agatha are no different in the exciting book, Tzia: The Book of Galatéa, by author Mister Sanamon.

In this tale, Galatéa is told that there's a whole exciting and hidden world that she, as the eldest, is to visit on her fourteenth birthday. The youngest, Agatha, is prone to bad moods and misbehavior, so hearing about Galatéa's adventure sends her spiraling. What follows is an interesting but scary trip to another land for Galatéa while Agatha tries to find her and stop her on her quest. Does Agatha catch her? Do the siblings make up? Or do matters only get worse? You'll have to read this fun yarn to find out.

Tzia is very reminiscent of classics like Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz, and The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, yet it is definitely its own story. I was fully engaged while reading and couldn't turn the pages fast enough to see what would happen next. Even though I'm much older than the middle-grade crowd this is meant for, I also occasionally had to peek through my fingers to read! As an older adult, I appreciated the tale's underlying themes, like family, confidence, generational blessings and curses, and good versus evil as well.

My favorite thing about the land of Tzia was its magic and ability to protect itself from would-be trespassers as well as its alternate idea of time. The puzzles that Galatéa had to solve were also intriguing and set my cerebral gears turning. The characters were all interesting, and I didn't feel that any did not earn their keep. North, in particular, made me smile a lot, but I also had soft spots for PumPum, a talking and rhyming cat, and Myrto, an old lady who Theodora (who'll be the main character in Book Two) meets aboard a plane. The enemies were also well drawn, and the witches, as well as The Vicious, all had me cackling in laughter. I look forward to spending more time with Theo and the lion in the next book too.

Tzia had a smattering of beautiful illustrations by Zsófia Ötvös that I spent a good deal of time poring over as well. I would have liked pictures of other scenes and characters, but it's not a picture book, so I understood that not everything could be drawn.

Unfortunately, Tzia was tarnished by its lack of professional editing. The author had a terrible habit of hyphenating everyday words that don't call for it, like "be-sides," "de-meanor," "harsh-ly," and a host of other words, and it got to be very distracting. There were also a few issues with capitalization and incorrect word usage that may have been typos. I highly suggest Mister Sanamon hire professional editors for the rest of the series so it can really shine like the gem it is. For this reason, I am rating the book 4 out of 5 stars, but I also want to give it a grade A for content.

Since this book is meant for younger readers, there are no sexual situations or profanity, but there is some mild violence though it's not graphic. I therefore wholeheartedly recommend Tzia: The Book of Galatéa for middle-grade readers, fans of classic children's tales, adults who love stories featuring outlandish lands, and bibliophiles who cannot get enough of witches and other fanciful creatures.

The purpose of the storm, to create or destroy
Depends on its creator, their anger or joy.

- PumPum, Tzia: The Book of Galatéa

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Tzia
View: on Bookshelves

[Nut Cashew]

This is a unique book and I would love to know more about this book. This is a very interesting review and I would love to know more about it.

[Ram Uday Mahajan]

Fantastic review! Your vivid descriptions of Tzia: The Book of Galatéa captivated me. The magical world, intriguing puzzles, and well-drawn characters made it an engaging read. Can't wait for the next book!

[Odichimma Okoye]

Galatea and Agatha seem like everyday sisters to me. I can't help but be intrigued though...What do Agatha's adventures as she chases her sister hold for her? This book must certainly be an interesting one. Nice review, it was detailed and thorough.

[Seetha E]

Sibling rivalry... and the story ensues. Nice review! Sounds like an interesting read full of adventure and hopefully a very teary eyed happy ending too. Will pick a copy. Thanks:)