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What child (or adult for that matter) hasn’t wished they could fly?

This wonderful middle-grade book takes that delightful universal wish, and runs with it – turning out a somewhat dark and dangerous fable about a twelve year old girl, a sailor and a shipwreck, an eagle, an Icelandic island, ancient runic symbols, a 400 year old book of black magic, and yes, an inconspicous vial of volcanic-like ash which seems to confer that very remarkable power just discussed.

Olive Hanson is an endearing, funny, and somewhat precocious young girl. Upon the death of her much beloved Grandfather, Olive and her mother take up residence in his former cottage in Halifax – a move which exposes Olive to GrandDad’s long-ago mysterious past and a particularly intriguing hint of some “unifinished business”.

Without giving the plot away (no spoilers here), uncovering and resolving GrandDad’s history, aided by with her hilarious wise-cracking long-time friend and neighbor, Con (Constantine) places Olive on a path wrought with danger, mystery, and an unexpected rendezvous with what may be her cross-generational destiny.

Intelligently written and brimming with authentic young characters and their voices, (the chemistry between Olive and Con in particular is funny, charming, and terrificly engaging), the author is to be commended on a lively and entertaining read that transports and satsifies from start to finish.

Highly recommended to both children and adults, this is a fun, imaginative and captivating story, – you will likely be as charmed by it as this reader certainly was.

A great big thank you to the publisher for an ARC of this book. All thoughts expressed are my own.