Monday, March 24, 2008

This quartet by Julia Golding tells of a Society that protects other humans from the knowledge of the existence of mythical creatures. Each of those who are privy to the secret and members of the Society are 'bonded' with a particular species and have a 'companion' from the species. The protagonist of the story is Connie who is discovered to be a Universal, one who is companion to all mytical species. In this story, their main adversay is Kullervo, a shapeshifter with an army who uses force and violence against humans to punish them for ruining the enviroment the creatures live in. Connie battles to find acceptance while at the same time fends off attacks from Kullervo who wants to either make her an ally or to kill her. The story ends with Kullervo being defeated by Connie in a non-violent way, something very commendable for a children's book. Julia Golding weaves a story of mystic and adventure in this series. The series carries an underlying message to the younger generation about the harmful effects we have on the enviroment and how to face our inner and outer battles for acceptance among those around us. As such, the book is successful in conveying across moral stands and values to the children reders while at the same time being an enjoyable read that is bound to thrill its readers.