Book Review: Trickster's Girl by Hilari Bell

Summary:

In the year 2098 America isn't so different from the USA of today. But, in a post-9/11 security-obssessed world, "secured" doesn't just refer to borders between countries, it also refer to borders between states. Teenagers still think they know everything, but there is no cure for cancer, as Kelsa knows first-hand from watching her father die.

The night Kelsa buries her father, a boy appears. He claims magic is responsible for the health of Earth, but human damage disrupts its flow. The planet is dying.

Kelsa has the power to reverse the damage, but first she must accept that magic exists and see beyond her own pain in order to heal the planet.

 

Release Date:  January 3, 2011
Publisher:  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Age Group:  Young Adult
Pages:  288


Review:

Trickster's Girl was unlike anything I've ever read before.  The story is set in the United States, in the future.  The futuristic setting with the accompanying electronics reminded me of Scott Westerfeld's Uglies series.  I enjoy reading stories set in the future.  The story is heavy on dialogue, which I'm not a fan of.  There is; however, a lot of descriptive narration about nature:  Kelsa and Raven are traveling across the northern US to heal the ley lines and reverse the damage a tree plague has caused around the world.  This story did not end how I predicted it would---but that was a good thing.  I love to be surprised! 


Trickster's Girl is heavy into action, nature, and magic.  Kelsa is running for her life for a lot of the book, which makes the story move quickly.  Readers looking for a typical YA love story will be disappointed.  This was a good read, but not one of my personal favorites.  Fans of the Uglies series, The Hunger Games, and the Harry Potter series will like this one.  I will definitely read more by Hilari Bell in the future.

Just One Gripe:

The ending was not in line with Kelsa's true nature, in my opinion.

The Best Thing About This Book:

I liked the way Bell does not conform to the typical YA plot.

Appropriate for a younger audience:

Yes

Score:

Characters:  3/5

Plot:  3/5

Setting/Imagery:  3/5

Originality:  4/5

Ending:  2/5

Total Score:  15/25

 

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an impartial review.