Nightbird by Alice Hoffman
In her first novel for middle-grade readers, bestselling author Alice Hoffman tells a bewitching story of love and friendship that is truly magical.
Twig lives in Sidwell, where people whisper that fairy tales are real. After all, her town is rumored to hide a monster. And two hundred years ago, a witch placed a curse on Twig’s family that was meant to last forever. But this summer, everything will change when the red moon rises. It’s time to break the spell.
This was an entertaining and well-written children's book. While older readers may well enjoy it, some may also find the plot a bit too predictable and simplistic. But seeing as how this book is geared towards children age 10 and up, a bit of simplicity is to be expected.
To that end, the story was hauntingly beautiful, the characters well defined, and the world building superb. I'm originally from Massachusetts and have visited the Berkshires of western Massachusetts on several occasions, and the small town feel of Sidwell, MA came through vividly in the writing. Twig was a easy character to like; smart and imaginative, but also devoted and determined, a great protagonist to root for. Were it not for her ingenuity, her brother James would not have found the happily ever after he was looking for. And it was indeed a fairy tale ending for all.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Random House Children's for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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