SPOIL-FREE SUMMARY
Natalie is a normal girl until she gets involved with a crazy group of people who believe magic is real. The only one who can help her is the son of a member, a boy named Merlin. But he seems far too afraid to do anything, so it's up to Natalie to convince him. But is the group crazy, or a real threat?
CAST OF CHARACTERS
Natalie is a young girl living in a small town. She is rather ordinary and has a stepmother and stepbrother. She is portrayed as being easily bullied.
Merlin is the young son of a powerful caster. He isn't very good at magic himself though. His only friend is his familiar, a rat and he spends most of his free time playing computer games. Because he has spent his whole life being verbally abused by his father, he isn't confident or brave. Most of the story he is portrayed negatively.
Lord Hawk is Merlin's father, named so for his familiar. He constantly abuses his son and named his as a joke. He is uncaring and cruel.
Jo is Natalie's only friend. Because of her size she isn't easily bullied, as she is rather tall. And she is more bold than her friend. She ends up being quite clever and helping develop a plan.
Tim is Natalie's stepbrother. He is rather nasty to her. He doesn't seem to like having a stepfamily and doesn't like referring to his stepfather as his dad. After an experience with magic he plays a more important role.
Mr. Merlin has a secretive past but currently spends most of his time being unemployed and drinking. He may have been close with Natalie at one time, but we don't learn about their past relationship much. He explains about the Boundary between this world and Earthhaven, so he serves that purpose as well as helps Tim figure out how the tree of Oq might be destroyed.
PACING
There are multiple stories going on at once. The main being Natalie's story, the second being Jo's and Tim's story. But their are not many cliffhanger endings that push the story, nor do the separate stories feel like puzzle pieces that must end up together.
FORESHADOWING
There aren't a lot of hints of what's to come. Not where Tim's negative feelings come from. Not as to how close Natalie was to her mother and how she used to be close to her father. Not that Merlin has potential.
Jo mentions that Natalie's dad used to sell weird stuff; Tim mentions Natalie's mother's death; Natalie is the only one who sees the sparkles on a spell.
It just doesn't feel like puzzle pieces begging to come together. Or curiosity and suspense urging the reader on.
AN IMPORTANT TOPIC-SPOILERS
There is a scene were Tim mentions that Natalie's mother died by drowning. It's done in an offhand way and feels out of the blue. I was shocked. I kept thinking, maybe they should have hinted about her mom dying dramatically. But not given the details. How can I shocked by a revelation if I don't even know there is a secret?
VICTIM COMPLEX?
In the beginning of the book, we get hints that Natalie's life is unfair. Her stepbrother is seen bullying her (and it's implied this is the norm). And her father drinks far too much, so she rarely talks to him. I was annoyed at first, but to be fair, this isn't brought back throughout the story. Tim does say something quite nasty and rather unbelievable. But later on he changes. Her father might have neglected her, but he changes. And this isn't even emphasized.
RELATIONSHIPS
The relationships between the characters don't seem that deep. And they don't all have to be. I didn't expect the relationship between Jo and Natalie to be that deep, because they spend most of the book apart.
But what I did expect was a closer relationship with her father. Maybe some recollections of how their relationship used to be. And how she felt abandoned by him since her mother died. I mean, Tim is the only one who reveals to be upset with the marriage. What about Natalie? Maybe she had some hopes it would cure her fathers alcoholism. But it didn't. Did she like her stepmom right away, or did it take time?
I know how difficult remarriages are for children, but we take almost no time plumbing this issue. And even when we do, it's just Tim blurting out his feelings in one, long paragraph.
I do like when characters share their feelings but it was all exposition (as opposed to hints throughout the story where we figure out his true feelings). And with a character he barely knew, someone he probably wouldn't confide in. Perhaps it should have been revealed that they had talked some in the past, and that Jo secretly had a crush that motivated her to try and talk to him.
TIM AND JO
Tim and Jo eventually end up working together to look for Natalie. Although we learn about Tim throughout this time and his character grows, we learn next to nothing about Jo.
We still only know that Natalie was bullied awhile back, and Jo protected her. And that's how they became friends. What the two have in common is that both believe they are responsible for what happens to Natalie. I thought this confession was good, because it kind of bonded to characters, that otherwise, don't know anything about each other.
NATALIE AND MERLIN
Merlin and Natalie's relationship starts out rocky. Merlin is too scared to help her and Natalie thinks he is crazy for believing in magic. Not to mention being party to her kidnapping.
Eventually he helps her but I never really felt like he earned her respect. Even though she sometimes worries about him, Natalie still says and thinks rather mean things about him. She bullies him into coming with her and comes off as annoying. Even later on, when witnessing a death, she thinks Merlin was just being wimpy by warning her about unicorns.
Also, he almost dies and right after she jokes about it, asking what it was like to watch himself go under water (since he can see through his familiar's eyes). That was just strange.
NATALIE AND HER MOM-SPOILERS
Eventually, Natalie gets reunited with her mother. Turns out that dead Spell ladies and lords end up going back to the tree called Oq. The reunion is shocking and overwhelming for Natalie, who knew her mom to be dead.
But the problem for me was that we don't learn anything about their relationship. Like how old Natalie was when she died. Or what her mother was like. Or how her mom's relationship with her dad was. We don't even learn that Natalie's mom was blind until Mr. Marlin mentions it to Tim. It just felt like no effort was put into it. I mean, I get that her mother is barely in the story, but she was a crucial part of it. And probably a big motivating factor to Natalie.
NATALIE & HER DAD-SPOILERS
Natalie and her dad's relationship is nonexistant. So I expected to learn more about their past relationship at least. But not only don't we learn about that but we don't even see Natalie reunite with her father. At the end of the book, there is no scene with them seeing each other for the first time. Not even a conversation with them later on. Instead, the author emphasizes Natalie's relationship with a talking dog she has known for a few days.
MERLIN'S SKILLS & DEVELOPMENT
In the beginning, we learn that Merlin loves computer games. This doesn't seem important, and it's not talked about through most of the story. Until we near the climax and suddenly it is shoved in, to finally make use of Merlin. It felt kind of like a last ditch effort to make him important. Not that he didn't do anything throughout the story. He helps Natalie in two other instances. It just feels played down by Natalie, like he barely helps. Or he does but he's still a wimp.
Also, when he sees his dad again, Merlin explains he has learned about computers so he can cure Oq, because she is like a computer. But this doesn't really make sense, as he is still terrible at magic and never improved his skills throughout the story. He is suddenly just better. I get that having him defeat his father would be poetic, but it also should be believable.
NATALIE'S DEVELOPMENT
Natalie starts the story rather ordinary and kind of scared. She has only one friend and that was made from being protected from a bully. The height of her strength is her anger expressed at her captors. And her ability to make Merlin help her escape. By the end she is brave and bold, willing to do anything to protect Oq. So what's the problem, exactly?
There just doesn't seem enough moments where she struggles, or even fails, and has to try again. Or when she gives up and needs encouragement. Yes, she does show courage and stand up to the council. That is an important scene. But after that she is pretty much done with developing. She is the one who wants to escape. She is the brave one while Merlin is still the weak one.
SORRY ABOUT THAT-SPOILERS
Mr. Marlin actually leaves his stepson to have his memory erased. It was so sudden and shocking that I couldn't believe it. I disliked the man before but now I loathed him. It didn't feel like the intent was to the reader to hate him, because there doesn't seem like any attempt to redeem him later on.
And when he and Tim get reunited later on, he makes a weak apology. And Tim seems fine with it because his stepfather looks pathetic. There. End of that problem.
K'TANAQUI
K'tanaqui is a magehound that has human intelligence. She communicates telepathically with Natalie. I assume this is because of the relationship that she had with Natalie's mother. And the dog is helpful, serving as a guide. She is also brave.
But I didn't like her. The simple reason being the way she speaks. She sounds strange, her “r” sounds being rolled. So everything is like “brrreak” and “thrrrall stone”. It was obnoxious and never absent. I would have tolerated it if it was much less frequent.
There was a part in the story where Natalie has to leave the dog behind and is upset. But I couldn't care less.
IF YOU HAVE TO SAY IT
When Jo and Natalie are reunited Jo eventually says that Natalie has changed. There is no acknowledgment from Natalie and no introspection. That might have been nice. But I don't like when a character has to point it out. I want the reader to slowly see the transformation for themselves. Having to point it out, makes it seem like it's not obvious enough. The author is making a neon sign: “look here, in case you didn't notice!”
Also when Tim and his stepfather are reunited, Tim forgives his father and is kind to him. He remembers what his mom said about crises bringing families together. Again, don't say it. Just show it.
EARTHHAVEN
The world of Earthhaven is full of details. We learn a lot through Mr. Marlin, how he used to find old spells that were still “live” (meaning working) and sell them. He was called a Thrall.
And through the council we learn about the tree called Oq, and why it is so important. Also about the fate of Spell ladies and Spell lords.
We meet unicorns, who are more than what they seem. And we learn some about the type of government they have. It's not Diana Wynne Jones level detail, but it's enough to make the world feel real.
We also learn that every caster has a familiar, and they can see through their eyes.
THE COUNCIL OF OQ
When Merlin and Natalie meet the council it is interesting to eventually learn that we cannot trust them. Their treatment of Merlin makes this obvious, as they want to torture him. Perhaps it would have been more interesting if they had been deceptively charming (like many politicians are).
On a separate issue, when a woman puts moon flowers in Natalie's hair that make her sleepy, her mom explains she probably meant well, because Natalie was so distraught. But Natalie takes it to mean she cannot trust the woman. She completely ignores her mother's words.
CHANGE OF HEART-SPOILERS
A woman who is a member of Lord Hawk's spellclave ends up turning on her master. I didn't really know her so was I was surprised. Although in the few scenes she is in, she seems hesitant to use Natalie, since she is so young. I would have liked to get to know her so her decision to help Natalie would have meant more.
NATALIE'S DAD
I don't really feel like there is enough development in Mr. Marlin. Yes, he stops drinking and goes out searching for Natalie. And then he promptly abandons his stepson.
Yes, he apologizes but he doesn't seem to change that much. There is no gradual realization on his part that he has been a horrible father and husband. No awe of his change or forgiveness of his past sins by Natalie. He should be important, as he does play a part in the plot. But not enough thought went into him.
THE IGNORANT COUNCIL
When Natalie gets to talk to her mother, she asks her daughter for help. Turns out the council is rather insulated and not realistic. Basically their a bunch of lifetime politicians who don't think they can ever be wrong about anything. And it's the job of the little people to obey them unquestioningly.
Certainly this is believable, as politicians tend to surround themselves with people who worship them. But there were a few scenes with them that were rather cartoonish. I would rather have seen how manipulative they could be, and see regular people in Earthhaven being fooled.
CLIMAX
Nat and Jo learn about what the spellcave intends to do to the tree. Merlin is requited by Oq to help protect it. A war breaks out between the council and the Spellclave when the spellclave attacks. Merlin confronts his dad and then gets a teaching job. Natalie is reunited with an old friend.
CONCLUSION
Most of the characters are likable, Mr. Marlin being the exception. Although Natalie is mean to Merlin for too long.
The world is detailed enough and the story, while not too fast paced, is still interesting and moves fast enough.
Although attempts are made at depth for some characters (such as Tim) for others not so much. And I wish I could have learned more about Natalie's past relationship with her mother and father. And perhaps even some more about Jo.
I give “Spellfall” three stars.
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