North! Or Be Eaten by Andrew Peterson

MG Fantasy Adventure. 352 Pages. 5 Stars

Synopsis: 

Now in hardcover for the first time, featuring all-new illustrations! First they found themselves On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness. Now they must make their way North! Or Be Eaten . . .

Janner, Tink, and Leeli Igiby thought they were normal children with normal lives and a normal past. But now they know they’re really the Lost Jewels of Anniera, heirs to a legendary kingdom across the sea, and suddenly everyone wants to kill them.

In order to survive, the Igibys must flee to the safety of the Ice Prairies, where the lizardlike Fangs of Dang cannot follow. First, however, they have to escape the monsters of Glipwood Forest, the thieving Stranders of the East Ben, and the dreaded Fork Factory.

But even more dangerous are the jealousies and bitterness that threaten to tear them apart. Janner and his siblings must learn the hard way that the love of a family is more important than anything else.

Full of characters rich in heart, smarts, and courage, North! Or Be Eaten is a tale children of all ages will cherish, families can read aloud, and readers’ groups are sure to enjoy discussing for its many layers of meaning. Extra features include new interior illustrations from Joe Sutphin, funny footnotes, a map of the fantastical world, inventive appendices, and fanciful line art in the tradition of the original Frank L. Baum Wizard of Oz storybooks.

My Review: 

I AM NOT OKAY!

Okay, so I’m almost done with the third book and thought it was about time to come back to this one and review it properly XD

I heard that the first half of this book got off to a slow start and then things would start picking up in the second half, and I found that to be true when I read it, too. It wasn’t like I didn’t enjoy the first half of the book. The pacing was just a little slower than the second half. Even more than that though, about halfway through something changed (I won’t say what to avoid spoilers), and I leaned into the story at that point. I was intrigued and definitely curious to know what Peterson was doing with the story. So, the second half is where I perked up a little and became a little more invested as a reader.

I really liked exploring life outside of Glipwood. It was cool to meet Stranders and go to Dugtown and see other parts of Scree, like the Ice Prairies and some of the islands. It was also a lot of fun to see more of the creatures in this world that Peterson has so wonderfully created. The worldbuilding and setting has got to be one of my favorite parts of these books so far. It’s so imaginative and fun! We’re carried from setting to setting and each has a distinct tone and feel, from Pete’s Castle in the forest through the Strander communities and culture and Dugtown’s shadow of Glipwood across the river and falls and into the wilderness on the other side of the Barrier and finally in the hidden Ice Prairies. Each was easy to distinguish and each filled me with a new sensation and perception of this wild world. It was a natural progression and I really enjoyed exploring the different people, cultures, subcultures, and terrains.

Either tied, or possibly second for my favorite element, are the characters. It’s hard to find stories about siblings, especially good ones with good, heartfelt family portrayals. I love that the story follows this whole family. I love seeing their bonds with one another be tested, strengthened, deepened, and even surprised sometimes! Getting to know more about Podo and Nia, watching the tension rise between Tink and Janner, and seeing Leeli’s steadfast presence and Artham’s faithfulness war with his brokenness–all of it warms my heart. This story is childhood and home and yearning and loss. It’s a story of what never was and what could have been and what should be. The relationships are really the heart of this story and I love that. The characters are fun and distinct and they each have nuance with one another that makes them leap off the page. And what Tink and Janner begin to walk through together in this just breaks my heart. It’s been building up to this point, but seeing that fracture resonates deeply with me.

The story is a fun adventure with layers and depth and some profound moments of redemption and grace. I love the character moments in this book and can’t wait to see where all of this is leading. The plot isn’t a page-turner. It isn’t a suspenseful race against time. The book moseys through the story, but I can still feel something brewing, something we’re growing closer toward. I don’t know what it is yet, but I’m here for the ride.

Also, that ending, people! I can count on one hand the number of times a book moved me to tears and this one definitely had me blinking them back! That ending was a rush and it held some powerful moments that touched an emotional depth in a few different ways. That was cool. And it was upsetting. And I immediately started book 3!

The book is middle grade, clean fantasy, no foul language, no romance, and a little mild violence here and there. There’s a lot of oppression and thematically the book explores hope and hopelessness, darkness and light. It offers a lot to start conversations around, but I’d feel fine giving it to a middle school aged kid or pre-teen.

More:

The first book in the Wingfeather Saga is On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness (4 Stars)

The third book is The Monster in the Hollows (5 Stars)

The fourth book is The Warden and the Wolf King (5 Stars)

I rated and reviewed the above on Goodreads. This series should be read in order. Click the links above for more info.

On GraceBought

If you missed it, see my thoughts on the previous book below!

On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness