The Myth of Monsters by Katherine Marsh

 

Last week, I finished reading the first two books of The Myth of Monsters series. This fantasy series is about Ava Baldwin, a seventh grade girl who struggles control her anger and learns that she is a descendant of Medusa. In the first book, Medusa, Ava's parents send her and her brother, Jax, to the Accademia del Forte, a mysterious international boarding school in Venice, Italy, after she accident freezes her classmate, Owen, for talking over her one too many times and taking a book she wanted to check out from the library for her Greek mythology project on Athena. At the Accademia, the descendants of mythological monsters are taught to control their powers and emotions. Soon, Ava befriends Fia, Layla, and Arnold. When Fia is almost expelled for challenging a teacher, they go on an adventure to find out the secret that the school is hiding about Medusa. In the second book, The Gods' Revenge, Ava, Jax, and their friends return to the Accademia for the next school year. When Layla is accused of biting a new student, Angus, at the Carnival Ball and banished, Ava leads them on a rescue mission while learning the truth about Layla's ancestor, the original Empusa.

Although these books could be a little preachy at times, I truly enjoyed reading them because of the adventure and world-building. I've long loved Greek and Roman mythology (Hercules is one of my favorite Disney animated movies) and it was fun and interesting reading a series that focuses on the monsters of Greek myths. I feel like I learned a lot about some of the lesser known characters, especially the female ones. Ava is a wonderful protagonist, and I really liked how she, Jax, Fia, Layla, and Arnold used their strengths to work together as a team in both Medusa and The Gods' Revenge. Additionally, it was very cool how they went to different places, like Tartarus, Olympus, the Stygian Marsh, and Mount Etna. I was also surprised at how many of the islands in the Venice area I recognized from my own trip there two summers ago in July 2024. That's another reason why this book series especially piqued my interest: I felt like I could actually imagine the setting accurately, which isn't often the case, and I'm very appreciative of fantasies that are rooted in the real world, like Harry Potter and Amari and the Night Brothers. Overall, The Myth of Monsters series is engaging and vibrant, and those who love fantasy and mythology should read it. I'm certainly looking forward to the third book.

The Lost Year by Katherine Marsh

Over the weekend, I finished reading The Lost Year by Katherine Marsh. This novel that blends historical fiction and realistic fiction is about Matthew, a thirteen-year-old boy who loves playing Zelda and desperately misses his dad during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic because he took a job in Paris and can't come home. When Matthew gets in trouble for nearly hitting his great-grandmother Nadiya, or GG, with a bow and arrow, his mom makes him help GG go through her belongings. After he comes across an old black-and-white photo of two girls, he discovers a shocking secret about GG's past as he learns about her life during the Holodomor famine, which devastated Soviet Ukraine in the 1930s. Piecing together GG's story, he finds out about GG's two cousins, Helen and Mila Lomachenko, who each played a role in the mystery of how GG came to live in America. While Helen lives in Depression-era Brooklyn, New York, after her parents immigrated to America, Mila, a Young Pioneer in Kyiv, Ukraine, is doted upon by her papa and strongly supports Papa Stalin. Although the three girls never met before the famine, Mila and Helen try to help Nadiya, who is starving to death, after she reaches out to them.

This novel was absolutely breathtaking and gripped me from the very start. I deeply loved all four of the main characters, Matthew, Nadiya, Mila, and Helen, and felt a connection with each of them in different ways. I admired Matthew's persistence in finding out his great-grandmother's secret past. Regarding Nadiya, I needed to know how exactly she survived after she lost everything and made her way to Kyiv to find her cousin Mila's family. As for Mila, I could understand her life of privilege, even if she was was motherless, and could relate to her experience of finding out harsh truths about the world. Finally, Helen's family was most like my own, having both parents and a younger brother, and I feared for her family when her pop had a heart attack and her mom had to work two jobs. Despite the challenges, I knew that Nadiya's best chance at survival would be to make it to Helen and her family. This story is definitely devastating and it made me cry a few times because of the tragedy in GG's past, but I was completely blown away by the plot twist. Although a bit sad, the end is satisfying and I truly enjoyed it. All in all, anyone who enjoys stories of family, survival, and sacrifice should read The Lost Year.

Nowhere Boy by Katherine Marsh

 

Yesterday, I finished reading Nowhere Boy by Katherine Marsh. This realistic fiction novel is about two boys who find themselves in Brussels, Belgium. For Ahmed, he has recently traveled from Syria to escape the bombings and lost his father on the dangerous journey. Nobody wants anything to do with a Muslim boy and he can't find anyone to trust. The other boy, Max, is an American who doesn't want to go to a school where instruction is in French and he is harassed by a bully. When Ahmed seeks shelter in the wine cellar of Max's house, Max discovers him and they decide to befriend each other. After the horrific terror attacks in Paris, and then in Brussels itself, it becomes harder and harder to hide Ahmed. Despite the odds, Ahmed and Max learn courage from each other and work together to change Ahmed's future.

I thought this book was amazing because it was so full of friendship and hope and the plot twists added suspense. I liked how Ahmed and Max were very different, but at the same time, they were similar in their loneliness and related to each other despite their differences. Although Nowhere Boy started slow, the last part of the book was exhilarating and I had to know if Ahmed would be able to go to school and have a better life. This book is great for building compassion for those who are different because it examines the effects of racism and xenophobia, the fear of foreigners. It was also striking to see the similarities between America after 9/11 and Europe after the 2015-2016 terrorist attacks in Paris and Brussels. Additionally, the book interweaves the real life story of a Jewish boy, Ralph Mayer, and the man who helped hide him during the Holocaust, Albert Jonnart. This story of a real life hero really adds to the plot because it's what inspires Max to break the rules and help Ahmed. At the end of the book, there is an interview in which Marsh discusses her inspiration for Nowhere Boy. Anyone who has ever felt lonely or uncertain or wants a story of friendship, family, hope, and courage would enjoy this remarkable book.