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The Prince of Nowhere
Roda isn't afraid of the monsters that roam the wilds of the Aerlands. She's safe in her small town, surrounded by a wall of freezing, enchanted mist that keeps the beasts away. So when Roda rescues an injured crow on the instruction of her secret pen pal, Anonymous – whose letters arrive without warning and correctly predict the future – she's surprised to learn she's brought one of the so-called monsters home. Because her crow is really a shape-shifting boy named Ignis.
Ignis doesn't remember where he was going before he crashed. But Anonymous brought him and Roda together for a reason – and the only way to find out what Anonymous wants is to follow the trail of baffling clues in Roda's letters. Their perilous journey leads them into the mist and beyond, to a mysterious place called Nowhere. But Ignis has secrets, and the farther they get, the more Roda doubts she can trust him.
As a nefarious force closes in, they'll have to put aside their differences and work together. For they might be each other's only defense against an enemy who threatens their past, present, and future.
Ignis doesn't remember where he was going before he crashed. But Anonymous brought him and Roda together for a reason – and the only way to find out what Anonymous wants is to follow the trail of baffling clues in Roda's letters. Their perilous journey leads them into the mist and beyond, to a mysterious place called Nowhere. But Ignis has secrets, and the farther they get, the more Roda doubts she can trust him.
As a nefarious force closes in, they'll have to put aside their differences and work together. For they might be each other's only defense against an enemy who threatens their past, present, and future.
First published May 3, 2022
About the author
Rochelle Hassan
5 books209 followersRochelle Hassan is an author of middle grade and young adult fiction, including The Prince of Nowhere, The Buried and the Bound, and Nox Winters and the Midnight Wolf. She lives in New York.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews
April 27, 2022
This was such a dark, mind boggling adventure! Loved it. I love this world the author has created with its backstory, the mist, the mage, monsters/creatures, Nowhere, etc. Very intricate, & it fascinated me from the start. The world building is amazing. I also loved the aspect of the notes left for Roda. Ignis has my heart. Everything we learn about him, including what he is, his flock, what he can do, what happened before he meets Roda-loved it all. Great discussions to be had from topics in here too. That gray area of morality in a way..if something is said to be wrong, but doing it could erase a huge tragedy….does that make you good or bad for doing it? And the question of: “What would I do in that situation?” Actually Ignis has part of my heart, & Will has the other. What a unique, incredible character. The twists had me floored, & gave me a headache lol But that goes along with the headache from the different timelines & trying to see it all in my head lol-authors that can write stories like this & not go crazy are full of pure talent! Lol I love it.(I’m joking about actually getting a headache lol Just saying this was an intricate puzzle of “time”). The way I feel about the ending depends on if there will be a sequel. If there will be, then I totally get why it ended that way & can’t wait to see what happens next. If not, while it did have a nice complete ending of sorts..it wasn’t as satisfying of an ending as I would have wanted. I was a little frustrated. But I loved the whole book so much that I still recommend this, & am so happy I read it. Darker upper MG that I love! This comes out May 3rd! STUNNING cover by Carly A-F too!💜
May 2, 2022
Bold statement time: this has to be one of the best middle-grade books I have ever read. This is a hill I will gladly sit on forever.
Big thanks to NetGalley and Harperkids for the arc.
The vibes I got from this book were: Return to Oz, Mirrormask, and just about every Miyazaki film ever made. These are all the movies I love, so in turn, I loved this book. Roda is thrust into an adventure to save her mother when her anonymous pen pal guides her to seek out a mysterious place called Nowhere. Paired up with a once injured crow-now-turned boy named Ignis, they climb onto dragons, fight automatons and navigate twists and turns all while deciding who to trust and who not to trust.
First of all, I love fantasy worlds that incorporate modern-day living, tech, etc. I'm going to have to message the author to get a better hold on what sort of world this is, but it is rooted in our world but with fantasy elements. Nevertheless, the world-building was superb. There are so many aspects of this book that took me back to watching all Jim Henson's movies like Labyrinth and Dark Crystal, as well as the aforementioned Mirrormask and Return to Oz. Being introduced to those movies was one of the best times of my childhood. The time travel element is reminiscent of Howl's Moving Castle a tad bit.
Oh, and it's masterfully written. Roda is fierce and determined while Ignis is a little crass but endearing. Ignis's past is very heartbreaking (that scene toward the end though WAHHHHHH) The family elements and Roda's love for her mother and aunt are also well done.
I want to end this review with a pleeeeeeease write a sequel! The book does have a self-contained ending, but there is so much more to explore. I had so much fun reading this book and I hope you all will enjoy it too.
Big thanks to NetGalley and Harperkids for the arc.
The vibes I got from this book were: Return to Oz, Mirrormask, and just about every Miyazaki film ever made. These are all the movies I love, so in turn, I loved this book. Roda is thrust into an adventure to save her mother when her anonymous pen pal guides her to seek out a mysterious place called Nowhere. Paired up with a once injured crow-now-turned boy named Ignis, they climb onto dragons, fight automatons and navigate twists and turns all while deciding who to trust and who not to trust.
First of all, I love fantasy worlds that incorporate modern-day living, tech, etc. I'm going to have to message the author to get a better hold on what sort of world this is, but it is rooted in our world but with fantasy elements. Nevertheless, the world-building was superb. There are so many aspects of this book that took me back to watching all Jim Henson's movies like Labyrinth and Dark Crystal, as well as the aforementioned Mirrormask and Return to Oz. Being introduced to those movies was one of the best times of my childhood. The time travel element is reminiscent of Howl's Moving Castle a tad bit.
Oh, and it's masterfully written. Roda is fierce and determined while Ignis is a little crass but endearing. Ignis's past is very heartbreaking (that scene toward the end though WAHHHHHH) The family elements and Roda's love for her mother and aunt are also well done.
I want to end this review with a pleeeeeeease write a sequel! The book does have a self-contained ending, but there is so much more to explore. I had so much fun reading this book and I hope you all will enjoy it too.
Want to read
June 29, 2020HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE-INSPIRED MG FANTASY??? I'm in!!
May 6, 2022
Thank you so much to HarperCollins Canada and Netgalley for the eARC! I haven’t read middle-grade fantasy in quite a bit, but this was such a lovely surprise! It was such a quick and easy read, and I adored it!
The worldbuilding was incredibly detailed and intricate, and I loved learning about Nowhere and everything in between. From time travel to Aethons, it was filled with such magic, and I enjoyed the whole way through.
The plot was actually quite suspenseful, and once I really got into it, I couldn’t stop reading. It was exciting and fun, and was a whole rollercoaster of emotions. Plus some of the plot twists and cliffhangers there had my jaw DROPPED. I was on the edge of my seat, and I ended up reading a bunch of it in one sitting.
At first, I was afraid I’d find reading characters younger than me to feel strange, but I ended up connecting with both Roda and Ignis. They were absolutely adorable and such a treat to read about! Roda was a little hard to figure out at first, but I loved her determination and strength, as well as her kind heart. Ignis was such a little cinnamon roll himbo that was just adorable to read about, and I felt so bad for him with all that he went through.
Overall, it was a great read! I would recommend it for those who are new to reading and are around 9-12 as its short and fun! Again, thank you so so much to HarperCollins for the early copy and the book is officially released everywhere! 4/5 stars :)
The worldbuilding was incredibly detailed and intricate, and I loved learning about Nowhere and everything in between. From time travel to Aethons, it was filled with such magic, and I enjoyed the whole way through.
The plot was actually quite suspenseful, and once I really got into it, I couldn’t stop reading. It was exciting and fun, and was a whole rollercoaster of emotions. Plus some of the plot twists and cliffhangers there had my jaw DROPPED. I was on the edge of my seat, and I ended up reading a bunch of it in one sitting.
At first, I was afraid I’d find reading characters younger than me to feel strange, but I ended up connecting with both Roda and Ignis. They were absolutely adorable and such a treat to read about! Roda was a little hard to figure out at first, but I loved her determination and strength, as well as her kind heart. Ignis was such a little cinnamon roll himbo that was just adorable to read about, and I felt so bad for him with all that he went through.
Overall, it was a great read! I would recommend it for those who are new to reading and are around 9-12 as its short and fun! Again, thank you so so much to HarperCollins for the early copy and the book is officially released everywhere! 4/5 stars :)
April 11, 2022
This middle grade fantasy is such a fun, whimsical adventure story! It follows 12yo Roda as she tries to unravel the strange notes left to her by Anonymous. They lead her to saving a crow who turns out to be a shape-shifter, and into the icy mists that surround her home town. Roda escapes monsters and mechanical giants, befriends a sentient bit of light, rides a comet, and possibly discovers a castle in the sky. There's so much magic and wonder in this story, and a fun twist! I think I read that this was inspired in part by HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE, and yes I think fans of it will enjoy this too! Out May 3rd!!
January 16, 2021
Wonderfully imaginative! The scope of this world will blow your mind - it's like if Christopher Nolan wrote a middle grade book. Turny, twisty, and unexpected. I'm ready for this to be an HBO series so I can sort out every clue I missed while reading. 10/10!!!!!!!
May 25, 2022
Random, ranty thoughts:
In theory I LOVE books about time travel, time loops, alternate selves and realities. In practice, I have rarely found one I've enjoyed. Thinking over all the books along the same vein that I've read over the last few years (including this one), I can pinpoint one, maybe two I've enjoyed.
I think what it comes down to is: authors get so excited about the timey-wimey plot twist they've constructed that they forget to inject the book with anything else: convincing worlds, 3D characters, a theme that doesn't fall back onto the trite existentialism (yes, I'm calling an existentialist theme trite, because in the context of this subgenre it is overhashed) so on, so forth. I.e. they get so wrapped up in their own "cleverness" that they forget to have heart. And another thing -- because they insert timeline shenanigans, it means you have to turn on your brain when reading them. So flaws in world/character/theme that might otherwise go unnoticed stand out in sharp relief. So with that out of the way I'm goint to nitpick this additional entry in the timey-wimey subgenre.
TLDR; while I do applaud the funky timeline twists (that's what the extra star is for) it's not great.
THE PRINCE OF NOWHERE
CHARACTER AND PLOT:
I don't want to dwell too heavily on any of the predictability of the plot or perceived plot holes, because a) it's a middle grade book and b) I believe scifi and plot are firmly meant to be tools to facilitate a narrative of character growth so I don't really care about that. Of course in order for this plot/character relationship to work, there actually HAS to be some kind of character to mould lmao
Roda, the protagonist, has nearly no personality. The only thing I learned about her was that she admired her "Aunt" Dora and her aunt's adventures, but that was only so she could be OMGWTFBBQ betrayed by the ~plot twist~ later. Like, this trait didn't inform her behaviour at all (I'm not counting when she tells herself to "be like Aunt Dora" to get herself to do things, bc those actions were all things she had to do for the plot to move forwards and didn't feel like organic actions she would have taken as a character/ the Aunt Dora motivation was tacked on so she'd have the drive to do literally anything other than sit on her bum. But I digress). She wasn't peppy or spunky or timid or thoughtful or self-determined or anxious or anything you could remotely say about a real person etc etc etc. She acted like an automaton and did things to facilitate the plot (yes, this means she essentially suffered no major setbacks for her actions) and had relatively no other thoughts or emotions other than the barest, surface level "human" emotions like, "I love my friends and family". Which is why the aforementioned timey-wimey "Aunt Dora and Roda were the same person" plot twist did nothing for me -- there wasn't any basis of Roda's character for me to draw any insights about the person she became, nor could I feel any sympathy for Roda's feelings of betrayal because the author hadn't established WHO Roda was enough for me to care about her, or her 2 week long sudden-BFF relationship with Ignis. Rinse and repeat for every other character in the book.
WORLDBUILDING
I don't really have many standards for worldbuilding for middle grade books because what child actually cares about the political/economic/religious system of the fantasy world they're reading about? But the one standard I do have is: establish, broadly, what is normal, so when the Plot Happens to the protagonist, you have a basis for which to establish how abnormal or extraordinary the events happening to them are.
Hossan didn't do a great job of establishing any "normal" here. Aside from the additional details we're given about mist and monsters (more on this later), we're only told vague things about Roda going to school and living in a house with her mother. So when Roda encounters a secret passageway in her town, on a scale of 1-10, how surprised am I meant to infer she feels? And monsters and fantasy races exist, and some are terribly dangerous -- so when Roda encounters a giant dragon, how fearful am I meant to be for Roda's life? How much of the magic and tech in Nowhere is meant to be fantastical to me, the reader versus to the characters living in the world? There are ancient robots protecting the railways of the world -- so when Roda finds laser-beam shooting automatons in Nowhere, is that the equivalent of me walking into a fantasy world and finding a cool robot, or just a cool iPad that can also shoot laser beams? Normally I'd say you could infer from the protagonist's reactions, but since Roda reacts to everything with the same kind of lukewarm acceptance/surprise mix, it's hard to say. You get the gist.
With all this said, since the majority of the book takes place not in Roda's city, but in secret caves and in Nowhere, what was the point of any of the worldbuilding at all? We learn, at the start of the book that the protagonist lives in a world where cities are enshrouded in a cold mist to protect the inhabitants from monsters. We infer that it is a dangerous journey and strangers aren't always welcome in town, before a stranger shows up in Roda's life, kickstarting the plot. None of the ramifications of that are explored whatsoever. It really seems like it's setting Roda and Ignis up to go beyond the mist and into the unknown, or face some kind of attitude or hostility from the people in the town, but nothing. So why waste words on what is essentially only mildy cool set dressing? And I say mildly cool only, because even though the concept is quite cool, Hossan hurries past it like it embarrasses her. We don't even get the vaguest description of what the city looks like, what the people look like, or what the characters wear or do on a daily basis? Again, I don't NEED these things, but in the absence of any other coherence or connection to the plot, I try to latch onto any detail to ground me in the setting -- and with that failing, the world falls apart utterly.
IS IT FUN FOR KIDS
"Oh," but you might say, "It's a middle grade book, you're thinking too hard about all of this!" -- to which I say, yeah I know, and therein lies my biggest problem with the book: it doesn't seem written FOR kids at all, and while no doubt some kids will enjoy it, that seems more like a coincidence than cause-and-effect.
I don't have any way of dictating what middle grade "should" be, but I will say the majority of successful middle grade books I've read do the following:
- Centre the kids of the story, showcase their tenacity and temerity in a world for adults.
- Let the kids push the plot forwards.
Like, surely this is the bare minimum?
But THE PRINCE OF NOWHERE feels a lot more like the story of Aunt Dora and the Prince than Roda and Ignis'. Putting aside the fact they are the same people (but also not), Roda is pulled into the plot by Dora on account of a fake motivation (saving her mother, who it turns out was never in danger at all), is used as a tool by her to fulfil HER motivations, and whatever decisions Roda makes are (mostly) decisions Aunt Dora has made before (though, we are told at the end things turned out differently but we sure aren't shown it). Even Ignis and Roda's relationship seems like a shallow reflection of the decades of bitterness and betrayal and fondness between Aunt Dora and the Prince. It lowkey seems like Hossan wanted to write some YA fantasy star-crossed time loop enemies to lovers between a girl and a monster prince but swerved at the last minute -- yet still couldn't resist putting it in and sapping all the energy of the plot with it lol. TLDR; Roda does nothing, triumphs uniquely over nothing and carries no responsibility unto herself, making it a boring and passive book where the kids aren't the heroes.
Lastly, I firmly believe the book could have lived up to it's potential if the writing was better, but alas it is written in the classic "debut author" style (oddly distanced voice, plods through events at a lumbering pace and suspiciously quickly at others, pushes past emotional touchpoints in the narrative without giving them room to breathe, doesn't know what elements to emphasise).
1.5 stars
In theory I LOVE books about time travel, time loops, alternate selves and realities. In practice, I have rarely found one I've enjoyed. Thinking over all the books along the same vein that I've read over the last few years (including this one), I can pinpoint one, maybe two I've enjoyed.
I think what it comes down to is: authors get so excited about the timey-wimey plot twist they've constructed that they forget to inject the book with anything else: convincing worlds, 3D characters, a theme that doesn't fall back onto the trite existentialism (yes, I'm calling an existentialist theme trite, because in the context of this subgenre it is overhashed) so on, so forth. I.e. they get so wrapped up in their own "cleverness" that they forget to have heart. And another thing -- because they insert timeline shenanigans, it means you have to turn on your brain when reading them. So flaws in world/character/theme that might otherwise go unnoticed stand out in sharp relief. So with that out of the way I'm goint to nitpick this additional entry in the timey-wimey subgenre.
TLDR; while I do applaud the funky timeline twists (that's what the extra star is for) it's not great.
THE PRINCE OF NOWHERE
CHARACTER AND PLOT:
I don't want to dwell too heavily on any of the predictability of the plot or perceived plot holes, because a) it's a middle grade book and b) I believe scifi and plot are firmly meant to be tools to facilitate a narrative of character growth so I don't really care about that. Of course in order for this plot/character relationship to work, there actually HAS to be some kind of character to mould lmao
Roda, the protagonist, has nearly no personality. The only thing I learned about her was that she admired her "Aunt" Dora and her aunt's adventures, but that was only so she could be OMGWTFBBQ betrayed by the ~plot twist~ later. Like, this trait didn't inform her behaviour at all (I'm not counting when she tells herself to "be like Aunt Dora" to get herself to do things, bc those actions were all things she had to do for the plot to move forwards and didn't feel like organic actions she would have taken as a character/ the Aunt Dora motivation was tacked on so she'd have the drive to do literally anything other than sit on her bum. But I digress). She wasn't peppy or spunky or timid or thoughtful or self-determined or anxious or anything you could remotely say about a real person etc etc etc. She acted like an automaton and did things to facilitate the plot (yes, this means she essentially suffered no major setbacks for her actions) and had relatively no other thoughts or emotions other than the barest, surface level "human" emotions like, "I love my friends and family". Which is why the aforementioned timey-wimey "Aunt Dora and Roda were the same person" plot twist did nothing for me -- there wasn't any basis of Roda's character for me to draw any insights about the person she became, nor could I feel any sympathy for Roda's feelings of betrayal because the author hadn't established WHO Roda was enough for me to care about her, or her 2 week long sudden-BFF relationship with Ignis. Rinse and repeat for every other character in the book.
WORLDBUILDING
I don't really have many standards for worldbuilding for middle grade books because what child actually cares about the political/economic/religious system of the fantasy world they're reading about? But the one standard I do have is: establish, broadly, what is normal, so when the Plot Happens to the protagonist, you have a basis for which to establish how abnormal or extraordinary the events happening to them are.
Hossan didn't do a great job of establishing any "normal" here. Aside from the additional details we're given about mist and monsters (more on this later), we're only told vague things about Roda going to school and living in a house with her mother. So when Roda encounters a secret passageway in her town, on a scale of 1-10, how surprised am I meant to infer she feels? And monsters and fantasy races exist, and some are terribly dangerous -- so when Roda encounters a giant dragon, how fearful am I meant to be for Roda's life? How much of the magic and tech in Nowhere is meant to be fantastical to me, the reader versus to the characters living in the world? There are ancient robots protecting the railways of the world -- so when Roda finds laser-beam shooting automatons in Nowhere, is that the equivalent of me walking into a fantasy world and finding a cool robot, or just a cool iPad that can also shoot laser beams? Normally I'd say you could infer from the protagonist's reactions, but since Roda reacts to everything with the same kind of lukewarm acceptance/surprise mix, it's hard to say. You get the gist.
With all this said, since the majority of the book takes place not in Roda's city, but in secret caves and in Nowhere, what was the point of any of the worldbuilding at all? We learn, at the start of the book that the protagonist lives in a world where cities are enshrouded in a cold mist to protect the inhabitants from monsters. We infer that it is a dangerous journey and strangers aren't always welcome in town, before a stranger shows up in Roda's life, kickstarting the plot. None of the ramifications of that are explored whatsoever. It really seems like it's setting Roda and Ignis up to go beyond the mist and into the unknown, or face some kind of attitude or hostility from the people in the town, but nothing. So why waste words on what is essentially only mildy cool set dressing? And I say mildly cool only, because even though the concept is quite cool, Hossan hurries past it like it embarrasses her. We don't even get the vaguest description of what the city looks like, what the people look like, or what the characters wear or do on a daily basis? Again, I don't NEED these things, but in the absence of any other coherence or connection to the plot, I try to latch onto any detail to ground me in the setting -- and with that failing, the world falls apart utterly.
IS IT FUN FOR KIDS
"Oh," but you might say, "It's a middle grade book, you're thinking too hard about all of this!" -- to which I say, yeah I know, and therein lies my biggest problem with the book: it doesn't seem written FOR kids at all, and while no doubt some kids will enjoy it, that seems more like a coincidence than cause-and-effect.
I don't have any way of dictating what middle grade "should" be, but I will say the majority of successful middle grade books I've read do the following:
- Centre the kids of the story, showcase their tenacity and temerity in a world for adults.
- Let the kids push the plot forwards.
Like, surely this is the bare minimum?
But THE PRINCE OF NOWHERE feels a lot more like the story of Aunt Dora and the Prince than Roda and Ignis'. Putting aside the fact they are the same people (but also not), Roda is pulled into the plot by Dora on account of a fake motivation (saving her mother, who it turns out was never in danger at all), is used as a tool by her to fulfil HER motivations, and whatever decisions Roda makes are (mostly) decisions Aunt Dora has made before (though, we are told at the end things turned out differently but we sure aren't shown it). Even Ignis and Roda's relationship seems like a shallow reflection of the decades of bitterness and betrayal and fondness between Aunt Dora and the Prince. It lowkey seems like Hossan wanted to write some YA fantasy star-crossed time loop enemies to lovers between a girl and a monster prince but swerved at the last minute -- yet still couldn't resist putting it in and sapping all the energy of the plot with it lol. TLDR; Roda does nothing, triumphs uniquely over nothing and carries no responsibility unto herself, making it a boring and passive book where the kids aren't the heroes.
Lastly, I firmly believe the book could have lived up to it's potential if the writing was better, but alas it is written in the classic "debut author" style (oddly distanced voice, plods through events at a lumbering pace and suspiciously quickly at others, pushes past emotional touchpoints in the narrative without giving them room to breathe, doesn't know what elements to emphasise).
1.5 stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 13, 2022
Short review:
“THE PRINCE OF NOWHERE is everything you love about Studio Ghibli in book form.”
Long review:
This book is a middle grade fantasy superstar! I LOVED it so much.
I will keep this review spoiler-free, but wow it’s going to be hard!
This book perfectly captures those Studio Ghibli feelings of magic, nostalgia, whimsy, childlike wonder, that bittersweet longing and affection with a dash of melancholy, but above all, that triumphant feeling of hope.
From chapter one, when Roda rushes an injured, nearly frozen crow back to her house to revive it, you can’t help but root for her. She is so loveable, that you just want to run alongside her cheering, “Go Roda! I believe in you!” She’s such an easy character to connect with, and through all her adventure, relationships, hardships, you feel her every emotion.
The dynamic between Roda and Ignis (the mysterious boy dropped into her life), is so fun, playful, and truly authentic. Middle school readers will easily relate to and adore these characters as they figure out not only each other, but also themselves.
The lush fantasy world that Rochelle Hassan creates intertwines with the story so well, becoming a character in itself. It’s filled with magical creatures both familiar and unique and each one finding a creative and distinct place within the plot and mystery. The Ghibli-esque world grows and becomes more and more alive with every step Roda takes. I won’t give anything away(!!!), but I cannot stress enough the uniqueness and creativity that went into this world that constantly gave me an overwhelming sense of awe.
What really puts the cherry on the top is how intricately plotted the mystery is. Even when you think you have it figured out, you don’t. With every new clue the mystery grows deeper until falling perfectly into place in an epic magical climax. Creating a unique mystery that is also so satisfying when revealed is such a make-or-break moment for me—and this book nails it.
I cannot recommend this book enough. It’s the kind of classic, timeless fantasy story that kids reading it today will cherish and eventually want to read with their own children.
“THE PRINCE OF NOWHERE is everything you love about Studio Ghibli in book form.”
Long review:
This book is a middle grade fantasy superstar! I LOVED it so much.
I will keep this review spoiler-free, but wow it’s going to be hard!
This book perfectly captures those Studio Ghibli feelings of magic, nostalgia, whimsy, childlike wonder, that bittersweet longing and affection with a dash of melancholy, but above all, that triumphant feeling of hope.
From chapter one, when Roda rushes an injured, nearly frozen crow back to her house to revive it, you can’t help but root for her. She is so loveable, that you just want to run alongside her cheering, “Go Roda! I believe in you!” She’s such an easy character to connect with, and through all her adventure, relationships, hardships, you feel her every emotion.
The dynamic between Roda and Ignis (the mysterious boy dropped into her life), is so fun, playful, and truly authentic. Middle school readers will easily relate to and adore these characters as they figure out not only each other, but also themselves.
The lush fantasy world that Rochelle Hassan creates intertwines with the story so well, becoming a character in itself. It’s filled with magical creatures both familiar and unique and each one finding a creative and distinct place within the plot and mystery. The Ghibli-esque world grows and becomes more and more alive with every step Roda takes. I won’t give anything away(!!!), but I cannot stress enough the uniqueness and creativity that went into this world that constantly gave me an overwhelming sense of awe.
What really puts the cherry on the top is how intricately plotted the mystery is. Even when you think you have it figured out, you don’t. With every new clue the mystery grows deeper until falling perfectly into place in an epic magical climax. Creating a unique mystery that is also so satisfying when revealed is such a make-or-break moment for me—and this book nails it.
I cannot recommend this book enough. It’s the kind of classic, timeless fantasy story that kids reading it today will cherish and eventually want to read with their own children.
April 1, 2022
Wow! I was swept away by this book within the first few pages and I throughly enjoyed every second of reading it!! I can’t wait for the next book in this series and more by this talented author!
Genre: MG Fantasy
Ages: 10 plus
Available: Amazon- preorder before the May 3 release date
Screening: Really clean! A brief mention of a period and some fighting.
Roda lives in Blume, where an icy mist surrounds her town to protect it from the dangers outside of it. When she receives a message from Anonymous with true foretelling, Roda is excited by the prospect of adventure. After rescuing a crow, Anonymous sends Roda on a mission, where Roda learns the affect of time travel and how small decisions can have big consequences.
The Arab name of the author and protagonist attracted me to this book, and though there is no Arab or Muslim rep, I completely enjoyed getting lost in this story that was weaved so skillfully and so enjoyable, I can def see any tween being a huge fan of this book series!
The book has lots of wisdom and important lessons for young readers woven into the action packed tale, and I loved Roda’s insight and maturing through the book. I truly can’t recommend this book enough, I seriously enjoyed it and am planning to preorder a copy for my own son!
Genre: MG Fantasy
Ages: 10 plus
Available: Amazon- preorder before the May 3 release date
Screening: Really clean! A brief mention of a period and some fighting.
Roda lives in Blume, where an icy mist surrounds her town to protect it from the dangers outside of it. When she receives a message from Anonymous with true foretelling, Roda is excited by the prospect of adventure. After rescuing a crow, Anonymous sends Roda on a mission, where Roda learns the affect of time travel and how small decisions can have big consequences.
The Arab name of the author and protagonist attracted me to this book, and though there is no Arab or Muslim rep, I completely enjoyed getting lost in this story that was weaved so skillfully and so enjoyable, I can def see any tween being a huge fan of this book series!
The book has lots of wisdom and important lessons for young readers woven into the action packed tale, and I loved Roda’s insight and maturing through the book. I truly can’t recommend this book enough, I seriously enjoyed it and am planning to preorder a copy for my own son!
September 26, 2022
Wow, this book. I don't know what I expected when I opened up that first page, but it far exceeded anything I thought I'd experience.
I loved the way that Roda and Ignis became friends. They bickered sometimes, but it felt like the way you argue with someone you feel close to and safe with. I loved their relationship. It felt really balanced, like they both had strengths and flaws.
The plot moved really quickly. I loved the quest and the strangeness of the story world. Some of the things that happened were things I'd hoped for and others surprised me.
I feel like I didn't hear any buzz about this book before stumbling across it, and it definitely deserves some buzz. I think it's a great pick for readers aging out of middle grade books. Fans of THE STORM KEEPER'S ISLAND or SKANDAR AND THE UNICORN THIEF should absolutely check this one out!
I loved the way that Roda and Ignis became friends. They bickered sometimes, but it felt like the way you argue with someone you feel close to and safe with. I loved their relationship. It felt really balanced, like they both had strengths and flaws.
The plot moved really quickly. I loved the quest and the strangeness of the story world. Some of the things that happened were things I'd hoped for and others surprised me.
I feel like I didn't hear any buzz about this book before stumbling across it, and it definitely deserves some buzz. I think it's a great pick for readers aging out of middle grade books. Fans of THE STORM KEEPER'S ISLAND or SKANDAR AND THE UNICORN THIEF should absolutely check this one out!
April 10, 2022
This book is full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing! Set in a small town surrounded by a mist that keeps monsters out, Roda lives a fairly typical life until she receives a note from a secret pen pal directing her toward an injured crow. But this is a world where everybody seems to carry secrets, and the crow is no exception. When her mother's life appears to be on the line, Roda and her "crow" set off an adventures guided by clues from Roda's pen pal. Eventually, Roda is going to have to decide who she can trust––and whose side she is on. I can't say any more for fear I'll spoil the story!
Read
November 12, 2023Książę znikąd przyciąga okładką, która skrywa w sobie zarówno artefakty jak i odpowiedzi, które mają więcej sensu po przeczytaniu. Choć sam opis nie zdradza za wiele, fabuła zaskakuje... pomysłowością.
"Marzenia to coś zupełnie innego niż działanie".
Jak dla mnie ta książka dzieli się na dwa gatunki. Pierwszy jest związany bardziej z dystopią ocierająca się o magię. Natomiast drugi z linią czasową. Magiczna dystopia wywarła na mnie bardzo pozytywne uczucia. Mgła oddzielająca miasta i chroniąca przed potworami zwierzętami, które stanowią karykaturę ale i emanują agresją. Połączona z magicznym zaklęciem obronnym i ich skutkami z którymi zmagają się bohaterowie książki. Wraz z poznawaniem świata zostajemy też wprowadzeni do świata i jest on na tyle atrakcyjny że kontynuujemy czytanie, do czasu.
"Czasami każdy wybór, którego dokonujesz, ma dobre i złe strony".
Gdzieś w połowie książki na pierwszy plan wyłania się drugi motyw związany z linią czasową. I tu zaczynają się schody. Bo jeśli jesteście fanami fizyki, matematyki i wykresów to... zrozumiecie resztę książki. Jeśli nie, no to macie problem. Bo choć historia wydaje się niezwykła to jej wykonanie już mniej. Przede wszystkim pogubiłam się w pomyśle autorki, związanej z czasem i miejscem do którego trafili bohaterowie. A im dalej tym nie mogłam zrozumieć o co chodzi, dlaczego tak się stało i czemu bohaterowie tak uparcie walczą nawet między sobą. Gdy już niektóre wątki w jakiś sposób się wyjaśniły, poczułam zmęczenie.
"Nawet czary mają sens. Mają reguły".
Książka nie jest długa, ale jest tak bardzo napakowana informacjami i akcją, że momentami możemy zgubić wątek. Zarys świata bardzo mi się spodobał, tak jak sekrety z nią związane które odkrywamy powoli ale w dość zachęcający sposób. Zakończenie stawia całą historię pod znakiem zapytania. A motyw czasu choć skomplikowany pokazuje nam, że nie warto wyobrażać sobie co by było gdyby. Książę Znikąd jest skomplikowaną książką, z warstwami trudnymi do odkrycia.
"Marzenia to coś zupełnie innego niż działanie".
Jak dla mnie ta książka dzieli się na dwa gatunki. Pierwszy jest związany bardziej z dystopią ocierająca się o magię. Natomiast drugi z linią czasową. Magiczna dystopia wywarła na mnie bardzo pozytywne uczucia. Mgła oddzielająca miasta i chroniąca przed potworami zwierzętami, które stanowią karykaturę ale i emanują agresją. Połączona z magicznym zaklęciem obronnym i ich skutkami z którymi zmagają się bohaterowie książki. Wraz z poznawaniem świata zostajemy też wprowadzeni do świata i jest on na tyle atrakcyjny że kontynuujemy czytanie, do czasu.
"Czasami każdy wybór, którego dokonujesz, ma dobre i złe strony".
Gdzieś w połowie książki na pierwszy plan wyłania się drugi motyw związany z linią czasową. I tu zaczynają się schody. Bo jeśli jesteście fanami fizyki, matematyki i wykresów to... zrozumiecie resztę książki. Jeśli nie, no to macie problem. Bo choć historia wydaje się niezwykła to jej wykonanie już mniej. Przede wszystkim pogubiłam się w pomyśle autorki, związanej z czasem i miejscem do którego trafili bohaterowie. A im dalej tym nie mogłam zrozumieć o co chodzi, dlaczego tak się stało i czemu bohaterowie tak uparcie walczą nawet między sobą. Gdy już niektóre wątki w jakiś sposób się wyjaśniły, poczułam zmęczenie.
"Nawet czary mają sens. Mają reguły".
Książka nie jest długa, ale jest tak bardzo napakowana informacjami i akcją, że momentami możemy zgubić wątek. Zarys świata bardzo mi się spodobał, tak jak sekrety z nią związane które odkrywamy powoli ale w dość zachęcający sposób. Zakończenie stawia całą historię pod znakiem zapytania. A motyw czasu choć skomplikowany pokazuje nam, że nie warto wyobrażać sobie co by było gdyby. Książę Znikąd jest skomplikowaną książką, z warstwami trudnymi do odkrycia.
January 17, 2024
Im nothing if not a fan of spooky of whimsical middle grade. I really enjoyed this one. There were some very mature feeling moments so much that i forgot how young the characters were. It felt engaging in a way that didnt talk down to the reader and was overall a fun time. The twists and turns were unexpected and i thought the friendship was very wholesome. Would recommend for sure. I hope theres a sequel one day, but i like how this one ended if not. 4.25 stars!!
October 18, 2023
OCENA: 2,5 ⭐️
April 23, 2022
A magical story in myriad ways! What a wonderfully written debut that follows the protagonist, Roda, on a high-stakes, fantastical journey. Rochelle Hassan's mysterious story is beautifully written and full of vivid descriptions, details and twists, but the pace still moves swiftly along in a manner that will pull in middle grade readers. I'm so taken with this story--I think kids will absolutely love it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.
February 4, 2022
I loved this book so much that I blurbed it - here's my blurb:
"A dazzling story. The Prince of Nowhere will keep readers enthralled and guessing throughout its twists and turns."
Seriously - you don't want to miss out on this! The Howl's Moving Castle comp is right on the mark, and Rochelle Hassan surprised me with wonderful twists in the story.
"A dazzling story. The Prince of Nowhere will keep readers enthralled and guessing throughout its twists and turns."
Seriously - you don't want to miss out on this! The Howl's Moving Castle comp is right on the mark, and Rochelle Hassan surprised me with wonderful twists in the story.
November 6, 2023
[Współpraca reklamowa z wydawnictwem Nowa Baśń]
Gdybyście nagle zaczęli otrzymywać anonimowe listy, ze wskazówkami dotyczącymi niedalekiej przyszłości, postępowalibyście zgodnie z ich treścią?
A gdyby anonimowemu nadawcy rzeczywiście kilkakrotnie udało się trafnie wskazać choćby pogodę, zaufalibyście mu?
Możliwe, że w dorosłym wieku postanowilibyście zignorować takie liściki lub wręcz zgłosić odpowiednim służbom. A jak postąpiłaby Wasza dwunastoletnia wersja?
Bohaterka „Księcia znikąd”, Roda to dwunastolatka, którą spotkała dokładnie taka sytuacja. To za poleceniem Anonima przygarnęła pod opiekę rannego kruka, którego znalazła pod drzewem, dokładnie tam, gdzie sugerował nadawca listu.
Po pewnym czasie ptak przyjął swoją prawdziwą postać, zamienił się w chłopca imieniem Ignis.
Z kolejnych wiadomości od Anonima wynika, że spotkanie Rody z młodzieńcem, nie było przypadkowe.
Dziewczyna mieszka w Aerlandii, krainie pełnej potworów. Brume, jej rodzime miasteczko, jest jednak chronione przed światem zewnętrznym, dzięki zaczarowanej mgle, która tworzy swojego rodzaju zaporę.
Dlaczego Roda stała się adresatką listów? Kim jest Ignis i jakie przygody ich czekają? Tego wszystkiego dowiecie się, sięgając po tę magiczną powieść.
Muszę przyznać, że sięgając po tę książkę, spodziewałam się młodzieżówki, pełnej magii i zwrotów akcji. W pewnym sensie to otrzymałam, aczkolwiek spodziewałam się, że bohaterowie będą nieco starsi.
Czy ujmuje to w jakiś sposób historii? Absolutnie nie. Myślę, że choć książka skierowana jest raczej do dzieci lub młodszych nastolatków, nawet dorosła osoba może się nieźle bawić podczas jej czytania.
Autorka serwuje czytelnikowi mnóstwo przygód, tajemnic i zwrotów akcji. W pewnym momencie opadła mi szczęka, gdyż zupełnie nie spodziewałam się tego, co wydarzyło się w życiu bohaterów.
Muszę przyznać, że momentami świat przedstawiony sprawiał, że nieco gubiłam się w wydarzeniach. Powstałe multiwersum trochę namieszało mi w głowie.
Motywem przewodnim są tutaj podróże w czasie, które nie należą do moich ulubionych, gdyż łatwo tutaj pogubić się w regułach rządzących życiem bohaterów.
Autorka posługuje się tutaj również innymi popularnymi motywami, typowymi dla literatury fantasy: motyw wybrańca, magii, istot zmiennokształtnych, a nawet smoków. Ta różnorodność sprawia, że każdy może znaleźć coś dla siebie.
Książka napisana jest prostym językiem, przystępnym dla młodego odbiorcy. Bohaterowie wzbudzają sympatię, a tajemnica wciąga od pierwszych stron.
Jeśli lubicie tego typu powieści lub macie w swojej okolicy dzieciaki, które lubią takie klimaty, polecam serdecznie sięgnięcie po tę powieść. Na pewno będziecie się świetnie bawić.
Gdybyście nagle zaczęli otrzymywać anonimowe listy, ze wskazówkami dotyczącymi niedalekiej przyszłości, postępowalibyście zgodnie z ich treścią?
A gdyby anonimowemu nadawcy rzeczywiście kilkakrotnie udało się trafnie wskazać choćby pogodę, zaufalibyście mu?
Możliwe, że w dorosłym wieku postanowilibyście zignorować takie liściki lub wręcz zgłosić odpowiednim służbom. A jak postąpiłaby Wasza dwunastoletnia wersja?
Bohaterka „Księcia znikąd”, Roda to dwunastolatka, którą spotkała dokładnie taka sytuacja. To za poleceniem Anonima przygarnęła pod opiekę rannego kruka, którego znalazła pod drzewem, dokładnie tam, gdzie sugerował nadawca listu.
Po pewnym czasie ptak przyjął swoją prawdziwą postać, zamienił się w chłopca imieniem Ignis.
Z kolejnych wiadomości od Anonima wynika, że spotkanie Rody z młodzieńcem, nie było przypadkowe.
Dziewczyna mieszka w Aerlandii, krainie pełnej potworów. Brume, jej rodzime miasteczko, jest jednak chronione przed światem zewnętrznym, dzięki zaczarowanej mgle, która tworzy swojego rodzaju zaporę.
Dlaczego Roda stała się adresatką listów? Kim jest Ignis i jakie przygody ich czekają? Tego wszystkiego dowiecie się, sięgając po tę magiczną powieść.
Muszę przyznać, że sięgając po tę książkę, spodziewałam się młodzieżówki, pełnej magii i zwrotów akcji. W pewnym sensie to otrzymałam, aczkolwiek spodziewałam się, że bohaterowie będą nieco starsi.
Czy ujmuje to w jakiś sposób historii? Absolutnie nie. Myślę, że choć książka skierowana jest raczej do dzieci lub młodszych nastolatków, nawet dorosła osoba może się nieźle bawić podczas jej czytania.
Autorka serwuje czytelnikowi mnóstwo przygód, tajemnic i zwrotów akcji. W pewnym momencie opadła mi szczęka, gdyż zupełnie nie spodziewałam się tego, co wydarzyło się w życiu bohaterów.
Muszę przyznać, że momentami świat przedstawiony sprawiał, że nieco gubiłam się w wydarzeniach. Powstałe multiwersum trochę namieszało mi w głowie.
Motywem przewodnim są tutaj podróże w czasie, które nie należą do moich ulubionych, gdyż łatwo tutaj pogubić się w regułach rządzących życiem bohaterów.
Autorka posługuje się tutaj również innymi popularnymi motywami, typowymi dla literatury fantasy: motyw wybrańca, magii, istot zmiennokształtnych, a nawet smoków. Ta różnorodność sprawia, że każdy może znaleźć coś dla siebie.
Książka napisana jest prostym językiem, przystępnym dla młodego odbiorcy. Bohaterowie wzbudzają sympatię, a tajemnica wciąga od pierwszych stron.
Jeśli lubicie tego typu powieści lub macie w swojej okolicy dzieciaki, które lubią takie klimaty, polecam serdecznie sięgnięcie po tę powieść. Na pewno będziecie się świetnie bawić.
October 25, 2023
To historia, która jest polecana fanom Ruchomego Zamku Hauru i tak, posiada podobne elementy, ale gdybym o tym nie wiedziała, to pewnie nawet bym tego nie skojarzyła, od tej historii po prostu bije klimat rodem ze Studia Ghibli!
To baśniowa opowieść pełna przygód, zagadek i ratowania świata, a przede wszystkim przyjaźni. Ten świat posiada również MGŁĘ, która oddziela krainy i stanowi ochronę przed potworami - trochę skojarzyło mi się to z fałdą z trylogii Griszów, co nie?
Roda zaczyna otrzymywać anonimowe listy z instrukcjami co się wydarzy i co ma zrobić. Pewnego dnia jej misją stało się uratowanie kruka by później mogli wspólnie wyruszyć na misję niemożliwą do wykonania, misję, w którą będą zamieszane magia, czas i przestrzeń. A wtedy załącza się potrzeba analizy CZY ABY TO JEST MOŻLIWE (mimo że to fantasy!), dlatego dla spokoju ducha postanawiam w takich sytuacjach brać wszystko na słowo XD
Czy mi się podobało? Tak! Czy jest miłość? Nie! Czemu? Nie wiem, wydawała mi się taka aż zbyt prosta, magia i charaktery bohaterów również. Nie przeszkodziło mi to w polubieniu Ignisa, ale Roda mnie sobą nie oczarowała, mimo że akurat dość fajnie nakreślono jej osobowość.
Podobały mi się też liczne przygody, przedstawiony świat i jego elementy, dzięki którym lepiej mogliśmy zrozumieć bieg wydarzeń. Był też DOBRY plot twist ale nie chcę naprowadzać o co chodzi. Po czasie stwierdzam, że można było się tego domyślić, ale ja byłam zaskoczona!
Czekam na 2 tom, bo to urwanie mnie nie satysfakcjonuje! CZY ONA POWIE MU PRAWDĘ? I CO WTEDY SIĘ WYDARZY? Jak można nas zostawić w takiej niewiedzy...
To magiczne i pełne przygód YA fantasy, ode mnie 7/10⭐
Współpraca barterowa @wydawnictwonowabasn
To baśniowa opowieść pełna przygód, zagadek i ratowania świata, a przede wszystkim przyjaźni. Ten świat posiada również MGŁĘ, która oddziela krainy i stanowi ochronę przed potworami - trochę skojarzyło mi się to z fałdą z trylogii Griszów, co nie?
Roda zaczyna otrzymywać anonimowe listy z instrukcjami co się wydarzy i co ma zrobić. Pewnego dnia jej misją stało się uratowanie kruka by później mogli wspólnie wyruszyć na misję niemożliwą do wykonania, misję, w którą będą zamieszane magia, czas i przestrzeń. A wtedy załącza się potrzeba analizy CZY ABY TO JEST MOŻLIWE (mimo że to fantasy!), dlatego dla spokoju ducha postanawiam w takich sytuacjach brać wszystko na słowo XD
Czy mi się podobało? Tak! Czy jest miłość? Nie! Czemu? Nie wiem, wydawała mi się taka aż zbyt prosta, magia i charaktery bohaterów również. Nie przeszkodziło mi to w polubieniu Ignisa, ale Roda mnie sobą nie oczarowała, mimo że akurat dość fajnie nakreślono jej osobowość.
Podobały mi się też liczne przygody, przedstawiony świat i jego elementy, dzięki którym lepiej mogliśmy zrozumieć bieg wydarzeń. Był też DOBRY plot twist ale nie chcę naprowadzać o co chodzi. Po czasie stwierdzam, że można było się tego domyślić, ale ja byłam zaskoczona!
Czekam na 2 tom, bo to urwanie mnie nie satysfakcjonuje! CZY ONA POWIE MU PRAWDĘ? I CO WTEDY SIĘ WYDARZY? Jak można nas zostawić w takiej niewiedzy...
To magiczne i pełne przygód YA fantasy, ode mnie 7/10⭐
Współpraca barterowa @wydawnictwonowabasn
November 15, 2023
[współpraca recenzencka]
Lubicie fantastykę? Macie swoje ulubione tytuły z tego gatunku? Jeśli o mnie chodzi, to od dobrych kliku lat szczerze ją uwielbiam. Dlatego dzisiaj przychodzę do was z ciekawą jednotomową historią, a mówiąc dokładniej to o „Księciu znikąd”.
Brume to spokojne miasteczko w Aerlandii, krainie pełnej potworów.Od zagrożenia oddziela je zaczarowana mgła, która niczym mroźna ściana trzyma monstra z dala od mieszkańców. Nic więc dziwnego, że Roda czuje się w Brume całkiem bezpieczna, a stwory nie robią na niej większego wrażenia. Jej życie zmienia się , gdy ratuje życie rannemu krukowi, co zresztą opisane było w liście od Anonima. Gdy ptak przybiera swą prawdziwą postać młodzieńca imieniem Ignis, Roda zdaje sobie sprawę, że wpuściła zmiennokształtnego do własnego domu. W dodatku kolejne anonimowe wiadomości zawierają wskazówki bezbłędnie odgadujące przyszłość, z której wynika, że spotkanie Rody i Ignisa nie jest przypadkowe...
Tym co najbardziej mnie zachęciło do sięgnięcia po ten tytuł, to okładka. Jako okładkowa sroka po prostu zakochałam się w jej wyglądzie i z przyjemnością sprawdziłam, jaką historię skrywa to cudeńko. Fabularnie dostrzegłam kilka mankamentów, a sama relacja Rody i Ignisa, choć kluczowa, to jednak czegoś mi w niej brakowało. Nie jest źle, ale po takiej okładce spodziewałam się czegoś więcej. Za to sam świat przedstawiony, to już cud, miód i orzeszki. Opisy, mechanizmy kierujące Brume i klimat panujący w historii często kojarzył mi się z „Ruchomym zamkiem Hauru”, który uwielbiam zarówno w wersji książkowej, jak i anime. Finał również bardzo mi się podobał, zwłaszcza, że obecnie wiele jest filmów i książek, gdzie jest pewna zabawa czasem i przestrzenią. Tutaj również to jest i mało tego, moim zdaniem jest to stworzone bardzo dobrze. Naprawdę, chciałabym wam o tym napisać więcej, ale ze względu na spoilery, niestety to ograniczę.
Jeśli lubicie jednotomowe historie z ciekawą intrygą, cudownym światem i wartką akcją, to polecam zainteresować się „Księciem znikąd”. Książka jest kierowana głównie do młodszych czytelników, ale jak widać, nawet już tak wiekowi czytelnicy jak ja, mogą w tej historii znaleźć coś dla siebie – krótko mówiąc, może to być książka dla wszystkich wielbicieli fantastyki, niezależnie od wieku.
Lubicie fantastykę? Macie swoje ulubione tytuły z tego gatunku? Jeśli o mnie chodzi, to od dobrych kliku lat szczerze ją uwielbiam. Dlatego dzisiaj przychodzę do was z ciekawą jednotomową historią, a mówiąc dokładniej to o „Księciu znikąd”.
Brume to spokojne miasteczko w Aerlandii, krainie pełnej potworów.Od zagrożenia oddziela je zaczarowana mgła, która niczym mroźna ściana trzyma monstra z dala od mieszkańców. Nic więc dziwnego, że Roda czuje się w Brume całkiem bezpieczna, a stwory nie robią na niej większego wrażenia. Jej życie zmienia się , gdy ratuje życie rannemu krukowi, co zresztą opisane było w liście od Anonima. Gdy ptak przybiera swą prawdziwą postać młodzieńca imieniem Ignis, Roda zdaje sobie sprawę, że wpuściła zmiennokształtnego do własnego domu. W dodatku kolejne anonimowe wiadomości zawierają wskazówki bezbłędnie odgadujące przyszłość, z której wynika, że spotkanie Rody i Ignisa nie jest przypadkowe...
Tym co najbardziej mnie zachęciło do sięgnięcia po ten tytuł, to okładka. Jako okładkowa sroka po prostu zakochałam się w jej wyglądzie i z przyjemnością sprawdziłam, jaką historię skrywa to cudeńko. Fabularnie dostrzegłam kilka mankamentów, a sama relacja Rody i Ignisa, choć kluczowa, to jednak czegoś mi w niej brakowało. Nie jest źle, ale po takiej okładce spodziewałam się czegoś więcej. Za to sam świat przedstawiony, to już cud, miód i orzeszki. Opisy, mechanizmy kierujące Brume i klimat panujący w historii często kojarzył mi się z „Ruchomym zamkiem Hauru”, który uwielbiam zarówno w wersji książkowej, jak i anime. Finał również bardzo mi się podobał, zwłaszcza, że obecnie wiele jest filmów i książek, gdzie jest pewna zabawa czasem i przestrzenią. Tutaj również to jest i mało tego, moim zdaniem jest to stworzone bardzo dobrze. Naprawdę, chciałabym wam o tym napisać więcej, ale ze względu na spoilery, niestety to ograniczę.
Jeśli lubicie jednotomowe historie z ciekawą intrygą, cudownym światem i wartką akcją, to polecam zainteresować się „Księciem znikąd”. Książka jest kierowana głównie do młodszych czytelników, ale jak widać, nawet już tak wiekowi czytelnicy jak ja, mogą w tej historii znaleźć coś dla siebie – krótko mówiąc, może to być książka dla wszystkich wielbicieli fantastyki, niezależnie od wieku.
May 2, 2022
Is this the standard of middle grade fantasy? I don't read a lot of the genre, but either way this book is incredible., and I am blown away. The writing, the pacing, the world building, the plot complexity, all combining and keeping everything straight is impressive. It took a bit to get going and building a bond with the characters, but once the diagrams started, the pocket universe circling reality was explained, and the time traveling implications manifest I couldn't read fast enough. The book is clean and I have already preordered it for my children aged 11-15, well over the target age, but engaging enough that they have been told they have to read it, so we can discuss.
Roda starts getting mysterious notes that seem to protect the future in riddles, instruct her on what to do, and giver her something to look forward to. She doesn't keep secrets, but for some reason, she doesn't share the notes either. When a note leads her to take in a mysterious crow and the crow is a shapeshifting Aethon, it isn't just the mysterious notes that need figuring out. The action elevates and monsters, time travel, saving her mom, and confronting herself all will play out before the book is over.
I'm not sure if the book is a series, but I kind of need closure while at the same time I like that the future for these characters is vague. This book releases tomorrow and I hope readers and educators will encourage middle school and up to spend sometime stretching their imaginations and considering what lies beyond the mist.
Roda starts getting mysterious notes that seem to protect the future in riddles, instruct her on what to do, and giver her something to look forward to. She doesn't keep secrets, but for some reason, she doesn't share the notes either. When a note leads her to take in a mysterious crow and the crow is a shapeshifting Aethon, it isn't just the mysterious notes that need figuring out. The action elevates and monsters, time travel, saving her mom, and confronting herself all will play out before the book is over.
I'm not sure if the book is a series, but I kind of need closure while at the same time I like that the future for these characters is vague. This book releases tomorrow and I hope readers and educators will encourage middle school and up to spend sometime stretching their imaginations and considering what lies beyond the mist.
December 23, 2023
I was going to give this two stars because I didn’t understand anything that was happening, but the plot twists, action scenes, and the way the book moved so fast earned it an extra star. But Roda didn’t really have any personality, which bothered me a lot. She reacted to everything with diluted surprise, like it was normal but just weird to see it like it was out of context. Anyway, just kind of a weird book but I feel like even though it was lacking in character development, the action scenes were descriptive and good and the writing was overall pretty good, so it gets three stars. I feel like if I understood literally anything that was happening the rating would be higher.
June 16, 2022
4/5 Stars
** I received this as an E-ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review, Thank you!**
I had a great time reading this book. This went a little darker than I thought it would for a middle grade but it worked here. I'll admit that it took me a little to really get invested in the story and the characters, but once I did man was it great. I would highly recommend this middle-grade fantasy book. It's a great time and keeps you on the edge of your chair to find out what happens next!
** I received this as an E-ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review, Thank you!**
I had a great time reading this book. This went a little darker than I thought it would for a middle grade but it worked here. I'll admit that it took me a little to really get invested in the story and the characters, but once I did man was it great. I would highly recommend this middle-grade fantasy book. It's a great time and keeps you on the edge of your chair to find out what happens next!
March 3, 2023
4.5
i loved this book! The fantasy world was so rich and wonderful and full of amazing things and I wished we got to spend more time with the creatures and the magic honestly. There’s definitely a shift when they get to nowhere and some of the time travel stuff got confusing to follow but I really loved the idea of time as something more living than solid and eternal. Some of it was predictable but I honestly didn’t care because it was so engaging to read. Will reminded me a bit of the spren/Syl in way of kings which was a fun little bit too
i loved this book! The fantasy world was so rich and wonderful and full of amazing things and I wished we got to spend more time with the creatures and the magic honestly. There’s definitely a shift when they get to nowhere and some of the time travel stuff got confusing to follow but I really loved the idea of time as something more living than solid and eternal. Some of it was predictable but I honestly didn’t care because it was so engaging to read. Will reminded me a bit of the spren/Syl in way of kings which was a fun little bit too
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 27, 2022
2,5! Beautiful and always relevant themes about friendship (and how complex it can be), but the world building was weak and the environment sometimes hard to imagine and confusing to navigate through because of the lack of descriptions. I however loved the time travelling and thought of parallel universes, it’s nice to see that kind of philosophical themes in - what I perceive - as a middle grade book.
July 14, 2022
After seeing all the glowing reviews for this book, I feel guilty awarding only two stars. The plot was only mildly interesting and the characters less so. I liked Will but that was about it. It is a first novel so the writer can only improve one hopes.
October 1, 2022
˜”*°👑𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕻𝖗𝖎𝖓𝖈𝖊 𝖔𝖋 𝕹𝖔𝖜𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖊👑°*”˜
Dangerous mystical beasts and creatures reside in the Aerlands. The mist; a wall of mist that wraps around her whole town, separating it from the rest of the world. Roda's mysterious penpal Anonymous sends her a letter to go to the edge of the mist to rescue a crow. Ignis, a boy who can shape-shift from crow-to human. Together; they journey into the mist and to a place called Nowhere. There they find Anonymous, and both of their lives unravel. The Prince of Nowhere is brimming with time-travel, shocking plot twists, and emotion, in this masterpiece.
Enthralling, magical, mystical, and absolutely brilliant. The Prince of Nowhere exceeded my expectations. The cover, and synopsis instantly intrigued me. I had also heard that it had elements from Howl's Moving Castle. I absolutely loved Hayao Miyazaki's movies, and Howl's Moving Castle was a good one. Anyone who loves good fantasy in general will absolutely love this book. This book felt a lot like a genre-bender, as in it didn't exactly fit one exact genre.
𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭: [𝟓] The plot was something I had never seen before. From the start, it was quite unique. Then a twist happened in the middle that entirely threw me off and had me reeling. Every single plot twist in this book, I didn't expect. It used completely new plot twists for me that I have never seen before. Being so used to the over-used tropes, the fact that this book was such a unique gem in everything I have read was so amazing. The main themes in this book was one that were really important. Those horrible, painful moments in our lives are what have shaped us to who we are today. So what if we could erase that? What if we could go back in time and change that? And that hit hard. Because so many times I wondered "If only I could turn back in time." And the fact that this subject was used to create such a moral dilemma, was amazing. I'd never seen time-travel in a book before and it was something I found I quite enjoyed. The way Rochelle explains it was done masterfully! The world-building was so amazing. I really hope there is going to be a book two! I really loved the new mythical creatures introduced in this book that I hadn't seen before. This is a stunning debut book.
𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬:[𝟒] The characters were perfect. Not in the sense that they were "perfect", but they captured morally grey characters perfectly. I don't like characters that are passionately good or evil. Rochelle found the sweet spot in between good and evil, and that is where our characters take root. Sometimes the characters had good intention, bad ways of getting to the goal. I liked Roda. She was clever, but also struggled with her curiosity. I really liked Ignis's character. Ignis was really complex, his traumatizing past, and his need to fix things. Then there is our antagonist, who I simply sympathized with. Antagonists are normally boring to me. However, the antagonist in this book was one that I could relate to a lot. I understood his morals, his reasons. The antagonist had clear reasons, understandable morals, and his desperation and logic were written so well. Roda and Ignis's dynamic in this book was very refreshing and fun!
𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: Rochelle Hassan has such an amazing writing style. It is interesting, amazing, and unique. I really love the way she writes her characters, world-building, and the plot twists.
˜”*°👑𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖗𝖆𝖈𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖘👑°*”˜
☑️𝕽𝖔𝖉𝖆
☑️𝕴𝖌𝖓𝖎𝖘
☑️𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕻𝖗𝖎𝖓𝖈𝖊 𝕺𝖋 𝕹𝖔𝖜𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖊
˜”*°👑𝕮𝖔𝖓𝖈𝖑𝖚𝖘𝖎𝖔𝖓👑°*”˜
A really amazing book, I 100% recommend!
Dangerous mystical beasts and creatures reside in the Aerlands. The mist; a wall of mist that wraps around her whole town, separating it from the rest of the world. Roda's mysterious penpal Anonymous sends her a letter to go to the edge of the mist to rescue a crow. Ignis, a boy who can shape-shift from crow-to human. Together; they journey into the mist and to a place called Nowhere. There they find Anonymous, and both of their lives unravel. The Prince of Nowhere is brimming with time-travel, shocking plot twists, and emotion, in this masterpiece.
Enthralling, magical, mystical, and absolutely brilliant. The Prince of Nowhere exceeded my expectations. The cover, and synopsis instantly intrigued me. I had also heard that it had elements from Howl's Moving Castle. I absolutely loved Hayao Miyazaki's movies, and Howl's Moving Castle was a good one. Anyone who loves good fantasy in general will absolutely love this book. This book felt a lot like a genre-bender, as in it didn't exactly fit one exact genre.
𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭: [𝟓] The plot was something I had never seen before. From the start, it was quite unique. Then a twist happened in the middle that entirely threw me off and had me reeling. Every single plot twist in this book, I didn't expect. It used completely new plot twists for me that I have never seen before. Being so used to the over-used tropes, the fact that this book was such a unique gem in everything I have read was so amazing. The main themes in this book was one that were really important. Those horrible, painful moments in our lives are what have shaped us to who we are today. So what if we could erase that? What if we could go back in time and change that? And that hit hard. Because so many times I wondered "If only I could turn back in time." And the fact that this subject was used to create such a moral dilemma, was amazing. I'd never seen time-travel in a book before and it was something I found I quite enjoyed. The way Rochelle explains it was done masterfully! The world-building was so amazing. I really hope there is going to be a book two! I really loved the new mythical creatures introduced in this book that I hadn't seen before. This is a stunning debut book.
𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬:[𝟒] The characters were perfect. Not in the sense that they were "perfect", but they captured morally grey characters perfectly. I don't like characters that are passionately good or evil. Rochelle found the sweet spot in between good and evil, and that is where our characters take root. Sometimes the characters had good intention, bad ways of getting to the goal. I liked Roda. She was clever, but also struggled with her curiosity. I really liked Ignis's character. Ignis was really complex, his traumatizing past, and his need to fix things. Then there is our antagonist, who I simply sympathized with. Antagonists are normally boring to me. However, the antagonist in this book was one that I could relate to a lot. I understood his morals, his reasons. The antagonist had clear reasons, understandable morals, and his desperation and logic were written so well. Roda and Ignis's dynamic in this book was very refreshing and fun!
𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: Rochelle Hassan has such an amazing writing style. It is interesting, amazing, and unique. I really love the way she writes her characters, world-building, and the plot twists.
˜”*°👑𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖗𝖆𝖈𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖘👑°*”˜
☑️𝕽𝖔𝖉𝖆
☑️𝕴𝖌𝖓𝖎𝖘
☑️𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕻𝖗𝖎𝖓𝖈𝖊 𝕺𝖋 𝕹𝖔𝖜𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖊
˜”*°👑𝕮𝖔𝖓𝖈𝖑𝖚𝖘𝖎𝖔𝖓👑°*”˜
A really amazing book, I 100% recommend!
April 13, 2022
The Prince of Nowhere is a unique middle-grade fantasy novel.
Roda and Ignis were relatable characters. Their motivations and struggles were understandable. I do think that they could have been developed a little bit more though, or that we maybe could have gotten to know them more. I would have liked to connect with them a little more.
The worldbuilding was fun. There was certain whimsy to it--it seemed like anything could happen. The contemporary and fantasy elements also seemed to be balanced nicely.
About halfway through the book, I guessed the main plot twist, which wasn't revealed until about 3/4 of the way through. So I wasn't surprised by it, but I had been curious to see if I was going to be right.
SPOILERS BELOW:
The time travel did confuse me a little, though it might be because Hassan's take on time travel is different than what I normally prefer. I like fixed timeline time travel, whereas The Prince of Nowhere has more of a dynamic timeline and a time loop.
The ending was a little... disappointing. While Roda has grown as a character, the plot doesn't necessarily conclude since she and Ignis are still in the time loop. It felt a little too open. But it wasn't a bad ending.
END SPOILERS
Cautions: brief reference to periods; non-graphic violence
Roda and Ignis were relatable characters. Their motivations and struggles were understandable. I do think that they could have been developed a little bit more though, or that we maybe could have gotten to know them more. I would have liked to connect with them a little more.
The worldbuilding was fun. There was certain whimsy to it--it seemed like anything could happen. The contemporary and fantasy elements also seemed to be balanced nicely.
About halfway through the book, I guessed the main plot twist, which wasn't revealed until about 3/4 of the way through. So I wasn't surprised by it, but I had been curious to see if I was going to be right.
SPOILERS BELOW:
The time travel did confuse me a little, though it might be because Hassan's take on time travel is different than what I normally prefer. I like fixed timeline time travel, whereas The Prince of Nowhere has more of a dynamic timeline and a time loop.
The ending was a little... disappointing. While Roda has grown as a character, the plot doesn't necessarily conclude since she and Ignis are still in the time loop. It felt a little too open. But it wasn't a bad ending.
END SPOILERS
Cautions: brief reference to periods; non-graphic violence
April 10, 2023
Well this was tremendous, and the best middle-grade book I've read since I was lucky enough to pick up Megan Morrison's Grouded over a year ago. Roda and Ignis are impossible not to love, both clever and flawed and with a fascinating, bittersweet relationship. I could have easily read another ~330 pages of these two, and that's the only reason this book wasn't an absolute favorite. You better believe I'll be waiting for more from Hassan with bated breathe <3
May 3, 2022
Very entertaining middle grade fantasy, full of mystery and twists and turns.
I've seen this compared to Howl's Moving Castle, and it definitely has similar vibes. I absolutely loved the writing style, which was very reminiscent of Diana Wynne Jones.
I didn't fully understand what was happening all the time, but this is the kind of story that you just embrace the confusion and enjoy the journey of the story.
Definitely will be looking out for other books by this author!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
I've seen this compared to Howl's Moving Castle, and it definitely has similar vibes. I absolutely loved the writing style, which was very reminiscent of Diana Wynne Jones.
I didn't fully understand what was happening all the time, but this is the kind of story that you just embrace the confusion and enjoy the journey of the story.
Definitely will be looking out for other books by this author!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
October 25, 2022
This had a lot of potential, sadly it didnt live up to it. Whole thing was super confusing and the while idea of the story seemed kinda stuck togethar very loosely. By the end i was more confused than when i started off. Roda has the personality of a rock , and her non existent character development mAgiCallY changed her from a rock to a decent human being with actull character traits.
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