Flora Segunda: Being the Magickal Mishaps of a Girl of Spirit, Her Glass-Gazing Sidekick, Two Ominous Butlers (One Blue), a House wit

Ysabeau Wilce has created a truly original imaginary world refreshingly free of the cliches of the fantasy genre. What's more, she's provided the perfect tour guide to this world: Flora Fyrdraaca, an irreverent, eager, believably adolescent narrator scheming to escape the expectations of her family and become a Ranger--a magic-using secret agent--instead of following family tradition into the army, madness, and doom. Assigned to write a speech in praise of her noble House, Flora narrowly rejects openings like "Crackpot Hall has 11,000 rooms but only one potty." Indeed, the ancestral pile has seen better days, partly for reasons bound up in the power plays of Flora's illustrious mother, a famous general who tolerates no insubordination and has disabled the magical Butler that should keep the house in order. Motivated partly by sympathy and partly by the desire to have someone else muck out the stable, Flora sets herself a quest to restore the Butler to his rightful place, but she soon discovers that the price of a little help with the housework can be, almost literally, her soul. Flora's quirky comic voice always keeps the danger of her predicament and the dysfunctionality of her family from weighing down the story, which bounces lightly along to its conclusion--or rather, temporary conclusion, because this is the first volume of a trilogy. I'm no Young Adult, and this is a Young Adult book, but I can hardly wait for Volume 2.

This a very refreshing piece which will be inevitably compared to Harry Potter. Yes, it is a fantasy aiming at younger readers and it deals with magic, it also builds a rich multifaceted world with abundance of interesting characters and fascinating history. I also could not put it down before I finished it. So if it absolutely must be compared to Harry Potter, which I am fond of, then yes, it is an equally entertaining book of the same geanre. In fact it is one of the most entertaining books of its kind I have read in last few years. Sadly many others I could not even finish because they were too boring. Which is not the case here. The story is narrated by the main character, 13-year old Flora Segunda (Segunda, because her older sister Flora was abducted and never heard of since before her birth) on the eve of her 14-th birthday and Catorcena - coming of age ceremony. Her family is in decline, her magic 11,000 room house too, due to the fact that the magic butler is banished by her mother and can not take care of the grounds anymore. Her dad suffers from occasional feats of madness as a result of torture during imprisonment by the enemies, her sister is serving in the army and so is her mom - a General who is rarely home. There is a long term war going on with some interesting foes and mystery alliances. Flora attempts to unbanish the fading butler so he can do house chores for her and more. But in the process she begins to fade herself. She needs to do something about it until it is too late with the help of her faithful friend Udo and inspiration from famous ranger Nini Mo. The writer managed to create a world full of possibilities to explore its history and mythology. Many hints and details are dropped around that make you want to learn more. The use of language is admirable, many words are changed just enough for us to recognize what they mean, but also to emphasize - this is not the world we know. But it makes it more fascinating. Eagerly waiting for a sequel!

I had the honor of being a friend of the author's when we were many years younger, and was privy to the creation of much of the backstory of this, her first book. All I can say is that it was well worth every drop of sweat, courage, frustration, and love. Congratulations, Bo. It's a rich, textured, powerful, and utterly spellbinding work. As for the rest of you lot, go read Flora Segunda. Go read right now. ;)

I loved this book! It has a terrific narrative voice; it's told by Flora Fyrdracca herself, who is about to turn 14 and, unfortunately, be sent to study war, like her mother, Buck, the Warlord's military leader. Flora would far rather become a Ranger like her hero, Nini Mo--and man, so would I. Rangers are independent scouts and spies who can do magic and have amazing adventures. Flora lives pretty much on her own (Buck is often away and her father, Poppy, is mad and/or drunk most of the time) in a rambling, crumbling magical house. Things start to liven up for poor Flora (who stays pretty lively, despite having a tough time) when she discovers Val, a Butler, a magical being who is supposed to keep the house in order. The tone of the book is wonderful, and the voice sizzles with energy. Take, for example, this exchange about Buck between Flora and the Butler: "Mamma is not afraid of anything." In her youth, my mamma killed a jaguar with a shovel. She's won the Warlord's Hammer twice. She's fought three duels, one bare-knuckled, and won them all. And, of course, she's been married to Poppy for twenty-eight years, which alone takes a lot of sand. "Pah. You can be as brave as a lion on the outside, Flora Segunda," Val answered, "and fight bears with your fingernails and stare down monsters until they melt into little puddles of goo at your feet and still be a coward inside, in your heart, where it counts." And here, part of the Butler's tour of the house: "...Slippery Stairs, where Anacreon Fyrdracca broke his nose sliding down on a tea tray...Beekeeping Room, don't bother them, Udo, ad they won't bother you...Formerly Secret Cubbyhole...Because it can't be secret if you know where it is, that's why, Madama Smartie...Luggage Mezzanine...I wonder if that salesman is still in the linen basket, I should come back and check...Eternal Atrium, look how large that tree has become, I must raise the roof in here or it's going to go right through the ceiling...The Gun room, what on earth did Buck do with my .50 caliber Gatling...The Halfway Point--" You get the idea--it's a tremendous amount of fun.

Several years ago I read a short story by this author which was so jaw-droppingly fantastic it turned me into a cyber-stalker, always on the prowl for more. Needless to say I was delighted when this novel finally popped up. Although plainly written for young teens, with prose and content adjusted accordingly, Flora Segunda provides another glimpse into the vibrant world of Califa, the product of such a singular imagination I'm at a loss for words, Grammatickal or otherwise, to describe it. Quiero mas y mas, Madama Wilce!