Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
The 13 Treasures
Fiction Series
For ages 9 and up
Simon and Schuster UK, 2009 ISBN: 978-1847384492
Desperate to have a little space, Tanya’s mother is sending Tanya to her grandmother’s house for a while. The house is in a state of neglect and Tanya is not exactly close to her grandmother, so she is not happy about this development. Plus the house is occupied by a number of unfriendly fairies who enjoy persecuting Tanya at every opportunity
Tanya has always been able to see fairies, and they are not the sweet and pretty creatures of fairytales. They have made Tanya’s life very hard at times, and on numerous occasions, they have got her into trouble.
Soon after she arrives at her grandmother’s house Tanya hears about a girl who disappeared many years ago. Grandmother’s old groundskeeper, Amos, was thought to be responsible for the girl’s disappearance, and he has lived under the shadow of accusations ever since. Now Amos’s grandson wants to find out what happened to the girl so that he can clear his grandfather’s name. What he and Tanya do not know is that fairies are behind it all, and they do not want the truth to be discovered. Not only that, but somehow Tanya’s grandmother is involved, and she isn’t interested in telling Tanya what she knows.
In this riveting and thought provoking novel, Michelle Harrison takes her readers on an extraordinary journey to a place where some humans have the gift of “second sight,” and where young people are haunted by events that took place in the past. Readers will not find soft gauzy fairies within the pages of this book. These fairies are often cruel, and they certainly have an agenda of their own. Steeped with ancient magic and fascinating characters, this first book in a new series is a joy to read.
