Nevertell Review

Title: Nevertell

Author: Katherine Orton

Publisher:Walker Books Ltd.

Publication Date: 07 November 2019

Source: Pan Macmillan South Africa

Format: Paperback

Pages: 384

Rating: 3.75 Stars

Goodreads Synopsis:

A snowy adventure, set in the wilds of Siberia, full of magic and wonder. 

Born in a Soviet prison camp, Lina has never seen the world outside until the night she escapes with her best friend, Bogdan. As the pair journey across a snowy wilderness, they are pursued by a vengeful sorceress and her pack of shadow wolves. The children will need every ounce of courage – and a whisper of magic – if they are to survive…

Book Review:

Pre-reading Thoughts:

I have been seeing this book everywhere especially since it was featured in a lot of #polarathon (a readathon hosted by Jade and Gavin) tbrs. This book is so gorgeous and I can't wait to dive straight into this!

Thank you so much to Pan Macmillan South Africa for providing me with a copy of this book! Just a quick disclaimer for those reading this review, I have received this book for free. Please note that this does not affect my opinions in any way. All thoughts are my own. 

Writing Thoughts:

The writing was atmospheric and well-paced. The dialogue helped to move the heavier pieces of writing along. The author created a rich wintery setting that had me pulling my blankets tighter around my shoulders and pushed me to read more. 

Plot Thoughts:

The plot unfolded slowly but it was driven by a few key action points that had me reading faster to see what happened next. I did feel as though we lingered too long in certain places and wished for those moments to end quicker. However, I really enjoyed the adventure that Lina took us on. 

Character Thoughts:

Lina was a rich character with doubts and dreams. She is a young heroine that young children can look up to. She faces a lot of challenges but can find help from her friends, new and old. The other characters were well rounded but were clearly side characters there to assist Lina in achieving her goal.  

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I really enjoyed this middle-grade. The writing was atmospheric, the plot was exciting; although it did slow down in some places, and the characters were diverse and entertaining. I did feel as though this book was a little older than the books typically found in the 9-12 section, especially since the book deals with people in a prison during Stalin's regime. However, I do think that the friendships and the overall whimsicalness of the book overpower the heavy topic. I was glued to the pages of this book, unable to stop reading. The book did have some didactic moments but it didn't overshadow the book as a story. Thank you so much to Pan Macmillan South Africa for providing me with a copy of this book!

Yours in Reading,

Melleny