Emlyn's Moon (The Magician Trilogy #2)

Emlyn's Moon is the second book in The Magician Trilogy (the first book was The Snow Spider), which draws from Welsh mythology. We rejoin Gwyn two years after the events of the first book, he has learned that his is a wizard (a legacy from his family line), but this story doesn't focus so much on

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Gwyn...his best friend Alun's family is moving into town. His father was never much of a farmer and has his heart set on being the town butcher. In this move Nia, the middle child of the Lloyd clan becomes somewhat displaced and winds up befriending Emlyn Llewelyn (who it turns out is Gwyn's cousin) and visiting with him in his strange lighthouse home...which she was warned not to do....something happened there she's told by her father and Gwyn's father, but no one will elaborate and when she meets Emlyn's father, he seems nice enough...she can't understand and continues to go there despite the warnings.

As the story sets out, Nia is called plain Nia, dull Nia, Nia who couldn't do anything by her siblings and for much of the story this is the opinion she holds of herself...it is through her friendship with Emlyn and his father that she begins to see that she CAN do something and that she has talent outside of being the middle child of a large family...and outside of that she realizes that she must facilitate a reconciliation between Emlyn an Gwyn AND between Emly's family and Gwyns. The first 1-3 of the book is set up for the adventure that begins in the middle and wends it way to an exciting and heart-warming conclusion. As with the Snow Spider, it is children who ultimately set things right and being some measure of peace and tranquility to families that have been fractured and at odds for a very long time and in the end, Nia finds where she truly belongs as well. Finding a sense of self and new found confidence in who she is and what she can do, a strong and powerful message for all readers! Simply Delightful!

I do want to point out that Emlyn's Moon isn't just another Harry Potter knockoff (especially given that these are reprints of books published in the early 80's), here magic is integral but secondary and more subtle...it's more unknowable and mysterious...the REAL focus in the Magician's trilogy are individual struggles, quests to find self and most especially about family. A common occurrence in many children's books is family that is absent or so un-nurturing and supportive as to be abusive, putting the child hero of the story out on his own without any support...but these are not dressed up Cinderella stories...these are family dramas every bit as much as they are individual struggles. I love that family here is neither absent or abusive, nor is it fairy tale perfect, the adults and children alike are full of faults and mudding through life as best as they can and then magic comes into the picture and the struggles are still there, people are still not perfect, but there is a little bit of magic in the world and it's amazing! This series, and this book especially is one of the best children's book I've read in the last three years! I give Emlyn's Moon five big stars AND two thumbs up, these books should be read and loved by generations of children!! So what are you waiting for, get out and get yourself a copy and enjoy it!!

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