Tag: Tahereh Mafi

Review: Whichwood

“Their heavy suspicion made them appear an unwelcoming lot, but this was only partly true. The truth was that they were a lively, cultured sort of people – when you got to know them – who felt they had a great deal to be afraid of; it was this last bit – this certainty of fear – that helped substantiate the paranoia that demanded their isolation.” page 81

Whichwood by Tahereh Mafi.
Dutton Children’s, Penguin Random House, New York, 2017.
MG fantasy, 360 pages.
Lexile:  1080L  .
AR Level:  7.5 (worth 11.0 points)  .
NOTE: This is a direct sequel to Furthermore, although it focuses on a new character.

Laylee’s mother has died (but still haunts the house) and in his grief, her father left her alone as the final mordeshoor in the magical land called Whichwood.  At thirteen, she is overburdened by unceasing demands of the living and the dead, struggling to survive with the pittance given her and care for all the dead while desperately ill herself.

Whichwood cover

I definitely enjoyed this book just as much as the first, maybe even more.  Furthermore was a magical romp, a playful but also very serious journey through an ever-changing fantastical landscape.  Whichwood takes place almost entirely in one place, and while highly magical, it’s an orderly magical place similar to Ferenwood, so the reader has some time to get fir bearings and delve into the culture and peculiarities of Whichwood.

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Review: Furthermore

Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi.
Dutton Children’s Books, Penguin Random House, New York, 2016.
MG fantasy, 404 pages.
Lexile:  840L  .
AR Level:  5.5 (worth 12.0 points)  .

Alice Alexis Queensmeadow lives in the rather dull (at least by her standards) town of Ferenwood.  She doesn’t quite fit in, partly because she is nearly colorless, and partly because of her quirky, temperamental personality.

Furthermore resized

Mafi has an unusual writing style – you are likely to either love or hate it, and it’s difficult to describe, so I’d highly suggest reading an excerpt from this book to see if her method will be a good fit for you.  Much like her unique setting and eccentric protagonist, she writes with a blend of humor, sarcasm, drama, and pragmatic melancholy.  Even on the chapters that proceed the main adventure and are mostly worldbuilding, really, everything moves at a breakneck pace.

In the hands of another writer, any one of the many places and magics that Mafi describes could be its own story, but much like Alice in Wonderland, this Alice is focused on meeting her goals.  Her beloved Father is missing, former classmate Oliver is a thorn in her side, and her mother is cold and dismissive.

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