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Reviewed by Ruffina Oserio for Readers' Favorite
In Dan O'Mahony’s Illumina, Ronnie Jackman is a small-for-his-age sixth grader starting at a new school after losing his parents in a devastating house fire. He grieves and struggles with recurring visions of a colossal golden dragon. He finds an unexpected champion in Mr. Griffin, an eccentric substitute teacher who urges him to stop thinking and simply write. The result is Illumina, a vivid fantasy realm where the young warrior, Rionn, and his giant wolf, Varg, battle snake men, manticores, and the sinister fire spirit Malba. Ronnie’s stories become popular with a growing fanbase, and he also wins friends and the heart of his once-upon-a-time rival, Bianca. But everything changes when characters from his stories begin to appear in the hallways, fire breaks out at school, and monsters invade his backyard. Can Ronnie become the hero that stops the evil he has unleashed from his stories?
Illumina is a work of great imagination that asks the question: Do we write our fantasies, or do we write us? This is one of the best middle-grade fantasies, celebrating creativity and a great treat for fans of Cornelia Funke’s Inkheart. Dan O'Mahony puts a unique twist on the idea of bringing characters from a fantasy story to life, and young readers will also understand that imagination has the power to bring things to life and creativity helps us heal. Ronnie instantly won my sympathy, not just as a lovable narrator but as a well-imagined and fully-drawn hero; he is genuinely flawed and likable, a young boy experiencing loss. I also enjoyed the fun Mr. Griffin brings to the book, the tension of the rivalry between Bianca and Ronnie, and how it morphs into friendship. The prose is accessible to young readers, and while the adventures provide excitement, the worldbuilding will absorb readers with its mythology, griffin guardians, dragon cosmology, and the ancient Order. This book is perfect for young readers who suspect their daydreams might be magical.
