The Land of Elyon – Book 1 – The Dark Hills Divide is, simply, an enchanting book. It’s a story about magic and talking animals but fortunately, the book’s emphasis on such fantasy elements is very light, spending more time and energy on things like puzzles, riddles, and a sense of adventure. It’s these qualities that make this a book worth reading – even if the story itself may not appeal to a broad audience. In truth, The Land of Elyon isn’t quiet at the same level as Harry Potter or The Chronicles of Narnia. However, to the credit of author Patrick Carman, the story never tries to be overly epic. It is a tale told with precision and purpose – with an economy of words that allows readers to get lost in the Land of Elyon without having to invest an inordinate amount of time in overly descriptive language or complicated plot lines.

The story is about Alexa Daley, a twelve year-old girl who has lived her whole life within the walls that connect and surround the cities of Lunenburg, Lathbury, Turlock and Bridewell. She spends her summers in Bridewell, searching for a way out of the walls and, in this story, she finally discovers one with the help of the mysterious and elderly patriarch of the cities: a man named Warvold. Once outside the walls, she discovers that there is a lot more to the history of her world than she ever imagined – and that there is a threat not only to her own community, but to the natural world that has been cut off from itself because of the man-made walls connecting the cities.

All of this unfolds as a series of riddles and puzzles that Alexa must solve – from a wonderfully atmospheric setting of a duty old library with secret passageways, to Jocastas – rare and valuable which have been carefully carved with hidden images, including maps and clues. Along the way, Alexa finds a magic stone that lets her talk to and befriend many animals who prove to be allies with their own agenda: tear down the wall so that they may be reunited with those on the other side.

Carman’s prose is consistently strong throughout the novel, moving events along at a fairly steady and rapid pace, never letting the story get bogged down or grind to a halt. If there is a criticism, it may be that Carman’s pace is a bit too quick, moving events along at the edge of implausibility. But it never quite crosses the line and the result is a fairly quick read, especially for more advanced readers. And the fact that the narrative is based on the Hero’s Journey only adds to the enjoyment of the story.

There are also plenty of memorable characters from Alexa and Warvold to Pervis, the security guard, Grayson the old librarian, and Sebastian the hidden spy and enemy, as well as Murphy the squirrel, Darius the wolf and Yipes – a diminutive man living in the wild with the animals. These colorful characters help move the story forward, keeping the book full of surprises, tension and, above all, a wonderful sense of adventure.

Overall Grade: B

Admittedly, The Dark Hills Divide is a book geared for a younger audience and, as such, its story may not connect with older readers expecting a darker or more edgy kind of tale. But if you’re willing to enjoy a fairly straightforward tale, full of adventure and excitement, riddles and clues, as well as a few cautionary lessons about the consequences of our actions, The Dark Hills Divide is certainly worth the relatively small investment of time to read.

Topics: Book Review, Fantasy
Filed under: The Land of Elyon

Related Articles:

• The Land of Elyon – Book 2 – Beyond The Valley of Thorns
• Land of Elyon – Book 5 – Stargazer – Book Review
• The Land of Elyon – Book 4 – Into The Mist – Book Review
• The Land of Elyon – Book 3 – The Tenth City – Book Review
• Septimus Heap Book 1 – Magyk – Book Review
• Transformers » Divide And Conquer
• Watership Down – Film & Book Review
• Skeleton Creek – Book 2 – Ghost In The Machine
• The Drawing of the Three – Book Review
• Atherton – Book 3 – The Dark Planet – Review