A Girl Called Owl - Book Review

A Girl Called Owl

Amy Wilson

MG Fantasy

UK PUBLISHER: MacMillan Children’s Book

Released: 26th January 2017

Synopsis:

It’s bad enough having a mum dippy enough to name you Owl, but when you’ve got a dad you’ve never met, a best friend who needs you more than ever, and a new boy at school giving you weird looks, there’s not a lot of room for much else.

So when Owl starts seeing strange frost patterns on her skin, she’s tempted to just burrow down under the duvet and forget all about it. Could her strange new power be linked to her mysterious father? And what will happen when she enters the magical world of winter for the first time?

A glittering story of frost and friendship, with writing full of magic and heart. A Girl called owl is a stunning debut about family, responsibility and the beauty of the natural world. 

Review:

This was a charming read that captivated both my heart and imagination. A story of magic, myth and self-discovery, this was a truly delightful book. I can’t wait to read more from this author - and I would love to see Owl’s story continue.

Owl has always been told she is special, but only when she starts creating icicles — and freezing her science homework — does she begin to understand just how special she is. She’s never known her dad, and now evidence points Owl toward a man of myth and legend. But could such a man ever be a father?

Pulled into a world where creatures from all seasons bicker and fight over power, Owl suddenly finds herself the centre of an evil plot. A plot intended to get rid of both winter, and her father, once and for all…

I really enjoyed this book. Owl is a very relatable heroine who on top of a crazy mum, magical powers and stalking imps - still has her own real world problems. I believe she deals with everything just as any other pre-teen would. Lies. Avoidance, followed by some bad choices. The truth is shared only with one person, naturally, her best friend, Mallory.

However I really liked all the characters in this story. Especially the otherworldly creatures such as the Green Man, Queen of the May and of course, Jack frost. They were all cleverly written, showing both the good and bad sides of their natures. I also liked that every few chapters you got a glimpses of her mother’s story, which goes to explain a lot about her mothers character.

In terms of plot, a lot does happens, but in a subtle way. There isn't really that much action and I never felt the stakes were particularly high, or that Owl was ever in danger of… well anything really. Ultimately though this is a story of Owl’s journey to discover who and what she is.

Overall though this book was very sweet and I think girls of all ages would enjoy reading this during the long, cold nights of autumn and winter. Beautifully written with magic, mischief and a dusting of frost  "A Girl Called Owl" is a lovely debut novel. I look forward to seeing what Amy Wilson comes up with next.

3.5 stars!

You can check out my interview with Amy Wilson here.