Review: A Plague of Unicorns by Jane Yolen

 

Release Date: December 23, 2014

Publisher:  ZonderKidz
Pages: 192
Source: copy from publisher via Book Look Bloggers in exchange for honest review (Thanks!)

ISBN-10:    0310746485

Rating: 3 Hearts

Book Description

"Young James, an earl s son, is a bit bothersome and always asking the oddest questions. In despair the last of James tutors having quit his mother sends him off to be educated at Cranford Abbey. She feels the strict regimen will do him a world of good. But Cranford Abbey has its own problems. It has been falling into disrepair. The newly appointed Abbot Aelian takes it upon himself to save the abbey with the use of his secret weapon: a recipe for golden apple cider passed down in his family for many generations. He believes that by making and selling the cider, the monks will raise necessary funds to restore the abbey to its former glory. Abbot Aelian has everything he needs almost. One obstacle stands in his way, unicorns that happen to feast specifically on the golden apples. Abbot Aelian and his men must fight off the unicorns to make the cider. He and the monks try to form a battalion to fight off the beasts; next they import heroes to fight for them. But the heroes run off, monks are injured, and a herd of ravenous unicorns continue munching. After no success, the abbot finally calls upon the most unlikely of heroes, one suggested by no other than young James. That hero is small and unprepossessing but possesses the skill to tame the beasts. Though wildly skeptical, Abbot Aelian must risk everything and believe in this recommended stranger or risk the fall of Cranford Abbey."

Review

Short and Sweet:

I really loved the world of this story, but the action fell kind of flat by the end.  

To Elaborate... 

The monks and unicorns have an ongoing battle over the special golden apples. After countless causalities, they are at a standoff, with the monks trying to find heroes to battle the unicorns. When young future duke, James, is sent to the abbey, he thinks he may just have a solution. 

For the first part of this book, I was slowly falling in love. I loved the unique premise, the fairy-tale esque writing, and the way the world sucked you in. Plus, the illustrations are incredibly pretty. However, the story had moments where it kind of dragged. James doesn't actually come in until a good way into the story. Then after he does and he gets sent to the abbey, it felt like the action kept building to something awesome, and then it just fizzled out. It made it feel kind of flat when it started out so well. 

I think what I wanted most from this book was more details about the characters. James's sister was really awesome, but we didn't learn much about her. Even with the unicorns, there were hints of an interesting history there, but most of the history with them was focused on their past with the monks. 

Overall, I still really enjoyed reading this. I've been wanting to read a Jane Yolen book for a long time, and I will definitely be reading more of her. This one just wasn't a favorite.       

3 Hearts!