The Faerie Door

We just completed this. My throat is hoarse from reading three chapters to my children tonight. We had to get to the end. What a WONDERFUL book. We all enjoyed it and are sad it is over. I hear there is a sequel in the works. We read the prequel and cannot wait. BE Maxwell took us to such high levels of emotion, excitement and imagination throughout this book. We were regularly catching our breath between each chapter. This is a wonderful book for anyone 8 and older. Under 10 may need help with some of the words and concepts. Adults can enjoy this. There was enough gore and action for both men/boys and women/girls.

This is worth lip-service and will be most likely to be the beginning of a memorable series. Written beautifully, it contains the components of a future classic. Memorable characters and innovative magical realms and a bit of time-travel make it stand out amongst many fantasy books wherein I see the same plot and characters hashed out again and again. I definitely plan of sharing this book with my children.

The settings in this book are described beautifully. There is such care to the details that it's not overwhelming but just right. Victoria and Elliot, characters who wouldn't normally meet, but under the circumstances do, go well together. They have fun, and you have fun reading about them. I thought the story might be loosely based on a ballet which is mentioned in it, but after researching that, I believe this is the author's own creation, which leaves me liking it all the more. I find the story original even while, yes, it starts as a quest with rings. It is unlike the Lord of the rings trilogy and stands on it's own. Only thing I didn't like was there were times when I had to put the book down. For a children's book, I thought it got a little dark, but that could be me mirroring my own dark times in it. I was frustrated in a good way, because the reason I put it down was that the book would get so dark and end a chapter where I did not know how it was going to end. I worried whether I would get a nice ending or a sad ending. Overall, I would say that makes it a great book, and I think kids will love it.

Victoria Deveny and Elliott Good are two young children, living half a century apart, as well as half a world apart. Both children love faerie tales, and are brought together by a magical portal from Victoria's place/time to Elliott's place/time. Once they meet, the two children discover a magical gateway to the Land of Faeries, where, under the service of Queen Edwina, queen of the faeries, they embark on separate quests to retrieve magical orbs. They must overcome obstacles and face perilous dangers in order to retrieve the orbs, and save the faerie world, as well as their own, from the Shadow Knight, who wants to close the portal between the human and faerie worlds, as well as unleash every kind of evil upon the worlds. This novel is delightful, and only gets better as it moves along. This novel is reminiscent of the Chronicles of Narnia series, as well as several Grimms Fairy Tales. It is not only entertaining, but refreshing as well. It has just the right mix of friendship, adventure, peril, and mystery. Whether you are discovering the pleasure of fantasy adventures for the first time, or like me, you are an adult who is looking to recapture and revisit the joys of fairy tales you loved as a child, you will be captivated by the world that B. E. Maxwell has created. I heartily recommend this book for all ages, and eagerly await the sequel!

Whether 9 or 90, you will find a special place in your heart for Victoria Deveny and Elliot Good, the main characters in B. E. Maxwell's first novel for "young" readers. For us "mature" readers, be prepared to rekindle the love of those first awe-inspiring characters we hold so dear. For me it was Dorothy and Toto, Peter Pan and Wendy and, a little later, Pippi Longstocking. Victoria and Elliot take us into the magical place in our souls where the stresses and strains of today's world can melt away. Hang on as you are transported into the "fantastical" world of B.E. Maxwell's imagination. Read this for yourself, to unlock the long-forgotten part of you where magic still exists. Or maybe, more importantly, be the one to introduce the youngest of our readers to that place where magical stories and your own imagination can create those special childhood memories we all cherish to this day. Thank You B. E. Maxwell for sharing this amazing world with all of us. Victoria and Elliot are characters for forever.