July 1, 2005
Rage Winnoway steps through an enchanted gate into a world where her beloved dogs (and a neighbor's goat) become almost human. She embarks on a quest to deliver a mysterious object to a wizard, hoping this deed will restore her comatose mother's health. The narrative is frequently confusing, and the many references to other fantasy stories are distracting.
(Copyright 2005 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
January 1, 2005
Gr. 5-8. "A girl, four dogs, and a goat walk through an enchanted gateway" may sound like the beginning of a joke, but in the case of Carmody's latest fantasy, the first book in the Gateway Trilogy, it's simply descriptive. Rage, a girl of perhaps 12, is forbidden by thoughtless guardians to visit her comatose mother in the hospital. She disobeys, but en route she and five animal companions stumble through a portal to another world. The gate's magic changes the beasts into talking, thinking almost-humans, who help Rage to complete a deal brokered by an elusive messenger: restore magic to the withering world of Valley and receive healing for Mother in return. The plot may be conventional, but Carmody's writing is satisfyingly brocaded (light in a forest is "like cables of radiance anchored to the ground"), and her elaborate world building will impress genre fans. But it's the real-world issues informing Rage's choices, and the varying degrees to which the animals embrace or reject their human natures, that seam their journey with rich psychological relevance.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)
January 1, 2005
Gr 5-8 -Rage Winnoway's mother is in a coma and Rage has not seen her since her near-fatal car accident. The girl doesn't have many friends except for her four dogs, so when she decides to disobey the neighbors who are watching her and travel to the hospital, she takes her canine companions with her. On the way, she finds a strange gate in the forest. A mysterious voice promises the magic necessary to help Mam awaken if Rage will step through the entrance and deliver an object to a wizard. Thinking it all an elaborate hoax, Rage does so, only to find that she is in a magical land where her dogs, and a goat that has tagged along, are transformed into humanlike creatures that are now capable of reasoning and speaking. Together, they undertake a quest that will save this world from destruction and give Rage the ability to help her mother. Readers will find numerous parallels and references to classic children's fantasy like "The Wizard of Oz" and "The Lord of the Rings," but this book is far from derivative. Carmody manages to take familiar elements and turn them into something magical and unique. Rage is a strong heroine surrounded by a vivid land and a host of well-drawn characters. This is a good, solid choice." -Tasha Saecker, Caestecker Public Library, Green Lake, WI"
Copyright 2005 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.