Fledgling by Lucy Hope

A dark, gothic adventure set in the Bavarian forest, with angels and owls and magic and a boy who isn’t all that he seems to be…

A cherub is blown into Cassie Engel’s bedroom during a thunderstorm, triggering a series of terrifying events. Cassie must discover if its arrival was an accident or part of something more sinister.

With a self-obsessed opera singer for a mother, a strange taxidermist father, and a best friend who isn’t quite what he seems, Cassie is forced to unearth the secrets of her family’s past. As the dark forces gather around them, can Cassie protect all that she holds dear?

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This is a tricky review! I absolutely loved the language and the idea, and there are some fantastic twists near the end. However, I thought the story itself was a little disorganized and odd. Although the fact that I felt a growing sense of tension as I read has to be a point in its favour, right?

Lucy clearly loves the old Grimm fairytales, as she has not only done her best to evoke them, she has set her story in the region they originated from. The random German here and there was odd at first, but I got used to it quickly and it added a lovely folktale feel. The imagination displayed here is breathtaking. I would absolutely love to see this realised onscreen somehow...perhaps animation would work best for it!

I did think the story dragged a little in the middle. There wasn't much point in a large diversion; it revealed something about Raphael, but we didn't need two trips to cover it. Other parts of the story also seemed to be paced oddly. The ending is amazing, though, full of action and terror.

Overall I enjoyed this a lot, but some children may find parts of it difficult to get through.

Fledgling publishes on the 4th of November, 2021. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.