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Reviewed by Christian Sia for Readers' Favorite
The Quest for Calinore by Theresa Leyes is the first book in The Calinore Chronicles. It follows thirteen-year-old Dylan Edwards, whose ordinary birthday takes an extraordinary turn when his father brings home an antique box containing a seemingly blank journal and a glowing amulet. Dylan quickly discovers that these items are magical portals to the Calinore kingdom. His ancestor, King Paul, was killed by the deceitful advisor Mordrid. Everything points to Dylan as the “chosen one,” fated to break the sorceress Drucilla’s curse that turned the royal family into mice and trapped King Paul’s soul in the journal. So, he journeys to the dangerous realm at night, where he must face tyrants, befriend a loyal baker named Babette and a forgetful witch named Matilda, and ride a dragon. Will he be able to retrieve Drucilla’s wand and the royal scepter and free his ancestors while pursuing school and dealing with his skeptical friend Jesse back in suburban Kincardine?
Theresa Leyes delivers a spellbinding fantasy that ticks every box in the genre: plenty of magic, a dragon, a hero navigating two different worlds, a mysterious journal that holds the spirit of a king, and enchanted clues to break an ancient curse. The characters are solid and flawed, from the overwhelmed but brave Dylan to his skeptical father, the memorably nasty tenant, Mrs. Cramp, and Jesse, the friend whose love for Dylan doesn’t stop him from doubting Dylan’s mission. The dialogue crackles with authenticity, and Matilda’s clumsy spells and Dylan’s exasperated banter with Jesse were among my favorites. The descriptions ground the fantasy world of Calinore in sensory detail. Scenes involving Matilda’s magic are hilarious, and the situational humor had me doubling up with laughter. The Quest for Calinore is one of the best fantasy novels I have read, and one that entertained me more than Rick Riordan’s novels because of its clever blend of adventure, magic, and humor.
