Status
Available
Call number
Series
Publication
Tor (New York, 2013). 1st edition, 2nd printing. 384 pages. $17.99.
Description
As Wild Chalklings threaten the American Isles and Rithmatists are humanity's only defense, Joel can only watch as Rithmatist students learn the magical art that he would do anything to practice.
User reviews
LibraryThing member _Zoe_
This is apparently the tenth of Sanderson's books that I've read, and I think it's one of the best. It's YA, so not as deep as some of the others, but still very satisfying. I knew just from the premise that I wanted to read it: Joel attends a fancy boarding school for magic-users and the offspring
One of Sanderson's strengths is his development of interesting new magic systems, and Rithmatics lived up to my expectations there. The system is both refreshingly unique and carefully thought-out. It's also explained very thoroughly to the reader, via diagrams at the beginning of every chapter, which made the details in the story easy to follow.
What I've often found to be Sanderson's biggest weakness is his writing, particularly when it comes to dialogue that sounds jarringly modern in his fantasy settings. I was very happy to find that that wasn't an issue here at all. I think it helped that this world was more modern to begin with: it's an alternate early-twentieth-century steampunk-y setting, and the language feels pretty thoroughly modern throughout, so none of it seemed incongruous. It was easy to get absorbed in this new world.
I was also pleasantly surprised that certain plot points weren't resolved as I'd expected; I had worried that the book would be too predictable, but that wasn't actually the case. And the actual resolution was even better than I had predicted. I was satisfied with the way everything wrapped up, and I think that this book works well as a standalone, but there are also some loose threads that leave room for a sequel. I'd certainly be happy to read more about these characters and this world, and I'm looking forward to reading more of Sanderson's YA work in general.
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of the elite, but not because he's anyone special himself; his mother is the cleaning lady, and he gets free tuition. He's surrounded by Rithmatists, who have the ability to make certain geometric chalk drawings come to life, but has no Rithmatic ability himself despite his fascination with the field and talent at regular geometry. I've always enjoyed boarding school stories, and this was no exception.One of Sanderson's strengths is his development of interesting new magic systems, and Rithmatics lived up to my expectations there. The system is both refreshingly unique and carefully thought-out. It's also explained very thoroughly to the reader, via diagrams at the beginning of every chapter, which made the details in the story easy to follow.
What I've often found to be Sanderson's biggest weakness is his writing, particularly when it comes to dialogue that sounds jarringly modern in his fantasy settings. I was very happy to find that that wasn't an issue here at all. I think it helped that this world was more modern to begin with: it's an alternate early-twentieth-century steampunk-y setting, and the language feels pretty thoroughly modern throughout, so none of it seemed incongruous. It was easy to get absorbed in this new world.
I was also pleasantly surprised that certain plot points weren't resolved as I'd expected; I had worried that the book would be too predictable, but that wasn't actually the case. And the actual resolution was even better than I had predicted. I was satisfied with the way everything wrapped up, and I think that this book works well as a standalone, but there are also some loose threads that leave room for a sequel. I'd certainly be happy to read more about these characters and this world, and I'm looking forward to reading more of Sanderson's YA work in general.
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LibraryThing member AgneJakubauskaite
WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
“The Rithmatist” by Brandon Sanderson is a young adult fantasy/alternate history novel set at the beginning of the 20th century. Joel, a teenage boy whose mom works as a cleaning lady at the prestigious Armedius Academy, desires to be a Rithmatist and have the power to animate
THUMBS UP:
1) Impressive world building.
In “The Rithmatist,” Sanderson creates a wildly imaginative yet very convincing world with its own history, politics and a wonderfully detailed magic system. Although at first I was wary of the premise that a Rithmatist’s life might depend on his ability to draw, Sanderson does a great job elaborating this idea and making Rithmatics, an ingenious mix of geometry, strategy and art, into a unique and surprisingly complex system that totally makes sense.
2) Helpful illustrations.
Every chapter begins with a one-page annotated diagram explaining different aspects of Rithmatics (fundamental rules, different types of lines and various defense strategies). Not only these illustrations bring authenticity to the story as they look like actual pages from a Rithmatic textbook, but they also are extremely useful in understanding intricacies of Rithmatics and keeping track of different types of Rithmatic defenses mentioned throughout the book. Since these illustrations are a crucial part of the book, I would not recommend the audio version of “The Rithmatist.”
3) Engaging read.
“The Rithmatist” is a fast-paced, action-packed and well-written mystery with quite a few twists and very likable main characters that are perfect in their imperfection. I love the fact that, despite all the gloomy events, the tone is upbeat. By the way, I cannot but mention this book’s resemblance to the Harry Potter books; however, such resemblance does NOT diminish the originality of “The Rithmatist” in any way.
COULD BE BETTER:
1) Plot.
Although I like the story a lot, certain revelations seem poorly timed or a bit unnatural. For example, it bugs me that the author keeps in secret the meaning of the new Rithmatic lines for SO LONG, despite the fact that the answer is kind of… obvious. On the other hand, some plot twists, such as the identity of the Scribbler, are so unexpected and random, that they seem kind of forced. However, there is quite a number of unexpected yet very satisfying plot twists as well.
VERDICT: 4 out of 5
The most impressive feature of Brandon Sanderson’s “The Rithmatist” is a wildly imaginative and elaborate magic system that, thanks to annotated diagrams throughout the book, actually makes sense. Although certain plot twists could be improved, I nevertheless enjoyed this fast-paced and action-packed mystery and look forward to reading the sequel.
“The Rithmatist” by Brandon Sanderson is a young adult fantasy/alternate history novel set at the beginning of the 20th century. Joel, a teenage boy whose mom works as a cleaning lady at the prestigious Armedius Academy, desires to be a Rithmatist and have the power to animate
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his chalk drawings in order to protect humanity from the terrifying two-dimensional creatures known as the wild chalklings. The fact that Joel has not been chosen to become a Rithmatist does not prevent him from knowing ins and outs of Rithmatic theory. When Rithmatist students start disappearing under distressing circumstances, Joel’s knowledge comes in handy as he is assigned to help Professor Fitch to solve the mystery.THUMBS UP:
1) Impressive world building.
In “The Rithmatist,” Sanderson creates a wildly imaginative yet very convincing world with its own history, politics and a wonderfully detailed magic system. Although at first I was wary of the premise that a Rithmatist’s life might depend on his ability to draw, Sanderson does a great job elaborating this idea and making Rithmatics, an ingenious mix of geometry, strategy and art, into a unique and surprisingly complex system that totally makes sense.
2) Helpful illustrations.
Every chapter begins with a one-page annotated diagram explaining different aspects of Rithmatics (fundamental rules, different types of lines and various defense strategies). Not only these illustrations bring authenticity to the story as they look like actual pages from a Rithmatic textbook, but they also are extremely useful in understanding intricacies of Rithmatics and keeping track of different types of Rithmatic defenses mentioned throughout the book. Since these illustrations are a crucial part of the book, I would not recommend the audio version of “The Rithmatist.”
3) Engaging read.
“The Rithmatist” is a fast-paced, action-packed and well-written mystery with quite a few twists and very likable main characters that are perfect in their imperfection. I love the fact that, despite all the gloomy events, the tone is upbeat. By the way, I cannot but mention this book’s resemblance to the Harry Potter books; however, such resemblance does NOT diminish the originality of “The Rithmatist” in any way.
COULD BE BETTER:
1) Plot.
Although I like the story a lot, certain revelations seem poorly timed or a bit unnatural. For example, it bugs me that the author keeps in secret the meaning of the new Rithmatic lines for SO LONG, despite the fact that the answer is kind of… obvious. On the other hand, some plot twists, such as the identity of the Scribbler, are so unexpected and random, that they seem kind of forced. However, there is quite a number of unexpected yet very satisfying plot twists as well.
VERDICT: 4 out of 5
The most impressive feature of Brandon Sanderson’s “The Rithmatist” is a wildly imaginative and elaborate magic system that, thanks to annotated diagrams throughout the book, actually makes sense. Although certain plot twists could be improved, I nevertheless enjoyed this fast-paced and action-packed mystery and look forward to reading the sequel.
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LibraryThing member bibliovermis
I usually find Brandon Sanderson's magic systems WAY too detailed, to the point of being boring. Despite the one in this book tending in that direction, this wasn't bad and was still an exciting read (mostly because the super boringly-detailed bits were relegated to chapter-ending diagrams that Really, you just saved dozens of people (or countless people, by some measures) and are a total hero, but you decide you can't possibly tell anyone that you've just figured out someone is being inhabited and controlled by some kind of creepy evil presence? Because you're worried people won't believe you, the hero of the day? REALLY?
But other than that, it was a pretty cool book.
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were easy to ignore). There was a bit at the end, setting up additional future novels, that was pretty stupid and ridiculous But other than that, it was a pretty cool book.
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LibraryThing member flying_monkeys
Rating: 3.5 of 5
It's taken me a couple days to settle on a rating for The Rithmatist. I've gone back and forth between three and four stars, so I settled for the middle.
I connected with Joel immediately; I was quite curious about the missing girl; and I wanted to know more about their world
Rithmatics was an intriguing concept, that's for sure; nonetheless, it pushed my limits. Again, I don't understand why - I've read fantasy-science fiction with way more convoluted plots than The Rithmatist. At any rate, the characters were definitely what kept me going throughout the story: Sanderson gave me them all so much life and personality! Melody made me laugh out loud more than once. And the overall mystery of the disappearances was also compelling.
Recommended to young adults (and open-minded, imaginative adults) who love or loved to draw with chalk and, whist doing so, often wondered, "What would happen if this came to life?" A love of and/or fascination with geometry would also increase one's overall enjoyment of The Rithmatist.
How would you react, if you'd never seen a chalkling before? What would your response be to a living picture that climbed up walls and slid beneath doors, attacking without mercy, eating the flesh off bodies? (p.301)
I do plan to read book two whenever it's published.
It's taken me a couple days to settle on a rating for The Rithmatist. I've gone back and forth between three and four stars, so I settled for the middle.
I connected with Joel immediately; I was quite curious about the missing girl; and I wanted to know more about their world
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(Rithmatists *and* their alternate version of America). But it took me a good, oh, 200 pages before I could wrap my head around Rithmatics, and I'm still not 100% sure why. For some reason I had to constantly engage my imagination?!Rithmatics was an intriguing concept, that's for sure; nonetheless, it pushed my limits. Again, I don't understand why - I've read fantasy-science fiction with way more convoluted plots than The Rithmatist. At any rate, the characters were definitely what kept me going throughout the story: Sanderson gave me them all so much life and personality! Melody made me laugh out loud more than once. And the overall mystery of the disappearances was also compelling.
Recommended to young adults (and open-minded, imaginative adults) who love or loved to draw with chalk and, whist doing so, often wondered, "What would happen if this came to life?" A love of and/or fascination with geometry would also increase one's overall enjoyment of The Rithmatist.
How would you react, if you'd never seen a chalkling before? What would your response be to a living picture that climbed up walls and slid beneath doors, attacking without mercy, eating the flesh off bodies? (p.301)
I do plan to read book two whenever it's published.
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LibraryThing member stefferoo
Huge fan of Brandon Sanderson here, which is why I was all over this book even though I knew it would take place outside of his Cosmere universe and be a little different from his usual epics. I admit I was mostly curious as to what reading a young adult fantasy novel by him would feel like, since
On the surface, it didn't feel too different, thanks to Sanderson's unique brand of world-building and magic system creation. The Rithmatist is about 16-year-old Joel Saxon who goes to school at the prestigious Armedius Academy, one of just a handful of Rithmatist schools in the United Isles of America. He is somewhat of an outsider at the school; unlike a lot of his fellow students who are the sons and daughters of politicians, the rich, or other people of influence, his mother is a cleaning lady at the academy, and his father, who died eight years ago in a springrail accident, was its resident chalkmaker. Neither is Joel a Rithmatist, though he desperately wishes to be one.
Rithmatists are a chosen group of magic users who can make chalk-drawn lines, circles and figures called Chalklings come to life and take on unique properties. They are trained at schools like Armedius, then sent on to the wilds of Nebrask where they defend humanity against hordes of dangerous and blood thirsty Wild Chalklings that threaten to overrun the territory. When several Rithmatists students go missing, Joel is assigned to be an assistant to Professor Fitch, the Rithmatist expert tasked to investigate the disappearances.
My first thought while reading this was that the writing is less subtle than I'm used to when reading Sanderson's adult books. Instead of the letting details of the magic system trickle through as you make your way through the plot, there were a couple of pretty big info dumps near the beginning where one character explains Rithmatics to another.
Even then, I didn't find the magic system or the world building to be as robust as it could be, though of course I'm not expecting Sanderson to go on in detail about such things in a young adult novel compared to the the way he does it in a 1000+ page fantasy epic. Still, I found myself asking a lot of questions about Rithmatics; it just felt like a magic system I could poke a lot of holes in without thinking too hard about it.
Rithmatics by itself sounds like a lot of fun, though. Is there something wrong with me that when I think about Rithmatist battles with their defense strategies and Chalklings, my mind immediately went to Pokemon? Or, okay, let's say Magic: The Gathering, or Starcraft, or really any kind of game which involves a fundamental set of rules, strategic gameplay, a combination of chance and skill, and limits that force a player to think quickly and creatively when trying to defeat their opponent.
For Rithmatists, the decision comes down to whether to spend the time drawing a strong defense, or mounting a fast and powerful offense. Despite my skepticism, it really is quite cool. The technical aspects like circles, lines, and ratios didn't interest me so much, but the idea of Chalklings attracted me more speaking from an artist's point of view, since I suspect passion and talent for drawing Chalkings will end up playing into their effectiveness. Obviously, I'm looking forward to seeing more on Chalking theory. Also, I have to mention I really liked the art and diagrams which preceded each new chapter in this book.
Basically, as YA fiction goes, this was amazing. It's like Brandon Sanderson took the crash course on how to write a good YA novel and threw in the works, complete with the teenage protagonist attending a school of magic in an alternate-reality-steampunky kind of world (with a whacked-out archipelago version of the United States and a Europe that has been taken over by invaders from Asia called the JoSeun).
There are even wonky things happening in this book like the lead investigator of a murder case simply taking a 16-year-old at his word, and of course the requisite potential for a romance along with the feel-good Karate Kid-like ending. Still, I loved it all. The last chapter and final scene was just so great, and I'm glad to see there will be future books in this series. Sanderson's flair for fantasy and writing about magic is as usual unparalleled and something you absolutely won't find anywhere else.
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I've never read any of his Alcatraz series books for teens.On the surface, it didn't feel too different, thanks to Sanderson's unique brand of world-building and magic system creation. The Rithmatist is about 16-year-old Joel Saxon who goes to school at the prestigious Armedius Academy, one of just a handful of Rithmatist schools in the United Isles of America. He is somewhat of an outsider at the school; unlike a lot of his fellow students who are the sons and daughters of politicians, the rich, or other people of influence, his mother is a cleaning lady at the academy, and his father, who died eight years ago in a springrail accident, was its resident chalkmaker. Neither is Joel a Rithmatist, though he desperately wishes to be one.
Rithmatists are a chosen group of magic users who can make chalk-drawn lines, circles and figures called Chalklings come to life and take on unique properties. They are trained at schools like Armedius, then sent on to the wilds of Nebrask where they defend humanity against hordes of dangerous and blood thirsty Wild Chalklings that threaten to overrun the territory. When several Rithmatists students go missing, Joel is assigned to be an assistant to Professor Fitch, the Rithmatist expert tasked to investigate the disappearances.
My first thought while reading this was that the writing is less subtle than I'm used to when reading Sanderson's adult books. Instead of the letting details of the magic system trickle through as you make your way through the plot, there were a couple of pretty big info dumps near the beginning where one character explains Rithmatics to another.
Even then, I didn't find the magic system or the world building to be as robust as it could be, though of course I'm not expecting Sanderson to go on in detail about such things in a young adult novel compared to the the way he does it in a 1000+ page fantasy epic. Still, I found myself asking a lot of questions about Rithmatics; it just felt like a magic system I could poke a lot of holes in without thinking too hard about it.
Rithmatics by itself sounds like a lot of fun, though. Is there something wrong with me that when I think about Rithmatist battles with their defense strategies and Chalklings, my mind immediately went to Pokemon? Or, okay, let's say Magic: The Gathering, or Starcraft, or really any kind of game which involves a fundamental set of rules, strategic gameplay, a combination of chance and skill, and limits that force a player to think quickly and creatively when trying to defeat their opponent.
For Rithmatists, the decision comes down to whether to spend the time drawing a strong defense, or mounting a fast and powerful offense. Despite my skepticism, it really is quite cool. The technical aspects like circles, lines, and ratios didn't interest me so much, but the idea of Chalklings attracted me more speaking from an artist's point of view, since I suspect passion and talent for drawing Chalkings will end up playing into their effectiveness. Obviously, I'm looking forward to seeing more on Chalking theory. Also, I have to mention I really liked the art and diagrams which preceded each new chapter in this book.
Basically, as YA fiction goes, this was amazing. It's like Brandon Sanderson took the crash course on how to write a good YA novel and threw in the works, complete with the teenage protagonist attending a school of magic in an alternate-reality-steampunky kind of world (with a whacked-out archipelago version of the United States and a Europe that has been taken over by invaders from Asia called the JoSeun).
There are even wonky things happening in this book like the lead investigator of a murder case simply taking a 16-year-old at his word, and of course the requisite potential for a romance along with the feel-good Karate Kid-like ending. Still, I loved it all. The last chapter and final scene was just so great, and I'm glad to see there will be future books in this series. Sanderson's flair for fantasy and writing about magic is as usual unparalleled and something you absolutely won't find anywhere else.
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LibraryThing member molliekay
As much as I love Brandon Sanderson, I wasn't very impressed with this book. The characters felt flat, and Joel and Melody seemed like they were much younger than the stated 16 years old. I found the strategy behind the rithmatics a little far fetched, too. I'll most likely read the sequels to find
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out how it all ends, but I won't be rushing out to buy them. Show Less
LibraryThing member mamzel
Sanderson has created a new world and a new type of magic involving drawing shapes on the ground with chalk, rithmatics. Joel is the son of a woman who works in a school that has rithmatics and non-rithmatics. One learns if he is a rithmatic at the age of eight when everyone participates in a
During the summer break he is given an assignment to assist Professor Fitch. There have been mysterious disappearances and he is charged to dig through the lists of graduates and see how many have died or disappeared under unusual circumstances.
His investigation and his study of the shapes and their theory leads him to some remarkable discoveries. Melody cannot draw the defense lines as well as he can and his lines have no power but together they are an unstoppable team.
There is a bit of a learning (or believing) curve as the reader tries to buy into this kind of magic that does not use more traditional wands, spells, or potions. It is hard to get excited about kids drawing on the ground with chalk. The final chapters of the book tell about a battle between the two students and the person causing the disappearances and another annual competition called the Melee.
This is the first of a series (as promised with the TO BE CONTINUED at the end) and it will be interesting to see if teens will buy into this new form of magic and if Joel will succeed against the bad guys.
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ritual that reveals if he is or not. Joel's ceremony was put off and then never completed. He is frustrated that he cannot create this magic but sereptitiously studies as much as he can. He sneaks into classes and gets Melody, a rithmatic student to get him into the rithmatic section of the library.During the summer break he is given an assignment to assist Professor Fitch. There have been mysterious disappearances and he is charged to dig through the lists of graduates and see how many have died or disappeared under unusual circumstances.
His investigation and his study of the shapes and their theory leads him to some remarkable discoveries. Melody cannot draw the defense lines as well as he can and his lines have no power but together they are an unstoppable team.
There is a bit of a learning (or believing) curve as the reader tries to buy into this kind of magic that does not use more traditional wands, spells, or potions. It is hard to get excited about kids drawing on the ground with chalk. The final chapters of the book tell about a battle between the two students and the person causing the disappearances and another annual competition called the Melee.
This is the first of a series (as promised with the TO BE CONTINUED at the end) and it will be interesting to see if teens will buy into this new form of magic and if Joel will succeed against the bad guys.
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LibraryThing member shabacus
Although a fan of Sanderson's adult works, I had less interest in the Alcatraz series, and was a little disappointed to hear that his next book was going to be YA, and about chalk pictures. I let this book come out without getting it, and it wasn't until I read Steelheart that I decided, okay, I'll
The result was so much better, so much more engaging that I could have hoped. Starting from a place of strong characterization, adding in some strong worldbuilding, the book would almost work without any magic system at all. We are given limits to the power of the magic, but shown how much more deeply it can go. The climax of the book revs the story into high gear, leaving me dying for a sequel.
No doubt it will, someday, be forthcoming. In the meantime, I'm left with yet another reminder never to underestimate Brandon Sanderson.
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give it a try.The result was so much better, so much more engaging that I could have hoped. Starting from a place of strong characterization, adding in some strong worldbuilding, the book would almost work without any magic system at all. We are given limits to the power of the magic, but shown how much more deeply it can go. The climax of the book revs the story into high gear, leaving me dying for a sequel.
No doubt it will, someday, be forthcoming. In the meantime, I'm left with yet another reminder never to underestimate Brandon Sanderson.
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LibraryThing member fyrefly98
Summary: Joel is a charity student at one of the most prestigious academies in the United Isles of America. Joel is smart, but isn't doing very well in his studies, because all he really wants to do is become a Rithmatist - one of the elite group of magicians who use complex chalk drawings to
Review: This book has a lot of things going for it, things that Brandon Sanderson does really well. It's wonderfully imaginative and original. It's got a cool system of magic that's got its own internal logic, and is like nothing I've really encountered before. It moves along at a fast clip, and the action sequences (in this case, drawing duels between Rithmatists) are excellently and excitingly done, and easy to follow and visualize. I also loved the drawings between the chapters, diagrams of Rithmatic circles and notations, like they were out of a Rithmatic textbook. I also appreciate that Sanderson doesn't do his worldbuilding in a large infodump, but parcels out bits of his (future? alternate? vaguely steampunky?) world as you go. So this book does have a lot going for it, and I found it a very entertaining read.
That said, and it kills me to say this, as big of a fan of Sanderson's as I am, but this book wasn't one of my favorites, and I might even say it's one of his weaker ones. I've seen some suggestion that maybe it's because it's YA, whereas he usually writes for adults, but I don't think that's it, since the Alcatraz Smedry books don't have the same problems as this one, nor did Steelheart (which I read after this one), and those are both for younger audiences as well.
My biggest problem with this book was that it overly simplified, particularly the tone of the writing, and that in turn made the characters feel flat. (Maybe not as flat as the chalklings, though, which was my biggest stumbling block with the world-building: how do two-dimensional drawings that flow up the outside of your skin manage to turn three-dimensional enough to tear flesh from bone?) It's not a question of Sanderson's ability - his characters are normally very interesting and well-developed, and his other YA books still feel clever, even if they're simultaneously being silly (i.e. Alcatraz). But the tone of The Rithmatist didn't quite hit my ear right, and I felt as if everything (not the mystery so much, but definitely the characters and their motivations) was being overexplained.
So, that sounds pretty negative, but the truth is, I did enjoy this story quite a bit - it's fun, it's interesting, it's got a good but not impossible-to-figure-out-yourself mystery to it - and I had a good time reading it. I just don't think it's one of Sanderson's best. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: It's geared as YA, but the tone to me felt more like it would be appropriate for mid-graders who are fantasy fans and like art and/or geometry. (Also, for adults who are looking for a fun and easy read, or who don't want to commit to one of Sanderson's longer books.)
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defend against the horde of wild chalkings and whatever other dark powers inhabit the battleground isle of Nebrask. But Rithmatists are chosen when they are children, and Joel's 16 now, so his chance has passed. But still, when students from the university - Rithmatics students - begin disappearing under bizarre and seemingly impossible circumstances, it might just be Joel's obsession with the Rithmatists that will lead to solving the mystery. But by placing himself in the middle of the investigation, has he made himself the next target?Review: This book has a lot of things going for it, things that Brandon Sanderson does really well. It's wonderfully imaginative and original. It's got a cool system of magic that's got its own internal logic, and is like nothing I've really encountered before. It moves along at a fast clip, and the action sequences (in this case, drawing duels between Rithmatists) are excellently and excitingly done, and easy to follow and visualize. I also loved the drawings between the chapters, diagrams of Rithmatic circles and notations, like they were out of a Rithmatic textbook. I also appreciate that Sanderson doesn't do his worldbuilding in a large infodump, but parcels out bits of his (future? alternate? vaguely steampunky?) world as you go. So this book does have a lot going for it, and I found it a very entertaining read.
That said, and it kills me to say this, as big of a fan of Sanderson's as I am, but this book wasn't one of my favorites, and I might even say it's one of his weaker ones. I've seen some suggestion that maybe it's because it's YA, whereas he usually writes for adults, but I don't think that's it, since the Alcatraz Smedry books don't have the same problems as this one, nor did Steelheart (which I read after this one), and those are both for younger audiences as well.
My biggest problem with this book was that it overly simplified, particularly the tone of the writing, and that in turn made the characters feel flat. (Maybe not as flat as the chalklings, though, which was my biggest stumbling block with the world-building: how do two-dimensional drawings that flow up the outside of your skin manage to turn three-dimensional enough to tear flesh from bone?) It's not a question of Sanderson's ability - his characters are normally very interesting and well-developed, and his other YA books still feel clever, even if they're simultaneously being silly (i.e. Alcatraz). But the tone of The Rithmatist didn't quite hit my ear right, and I felt as if everything (not the mystery so much, but definitely the characters and their motivations) was being overexplained.
So, that sounds pretty negative, but the truth is, I did enjoy this story quite a bit - it's fun, it's interesting, it's got a good but not impossible-to-figure-out-yourself mystery to it - and I had a good time reading it. I just don't think it's one of Sanderson's best. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: It's geared as YA, but the tone to me felt more like it would be appropriate for mid-graders who are fantasy fans and like art and/or geometry. (Also, for adults who are looking for a fun and easy read, or who don't want to commit to one of Sanderson's longer books.)
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LibraryThing member Sara.rivera
Summary: Joel is a 16 year old student at the prestigious Armedius Academy, a school for the children of the wealthy and rithmatists. Joel is neither. Rithmatists are those young people chosen by The Master to become artist-warriors, defending the United Isles of America from the wild chalklings
Personal Reaction: I thought the entire first half of the book moved painfully slow. While appreciated the author setting the scene and building the characters, I found Joel to be whiny and slightly irritating in the beginning. Throughout the book I became more interested in the plot, the mystery, and by default, Joel. I do feel the book was left open ended and am curious if a sequel is in the making.
Classroom Extension Ideas:
1. Students could create their own "chalklings" on the sidewalk of the school.
2. Discuss with the students how people do not always get their first choice. Talk to the students about being flexible and making back up plans in case the choice they want is not available to them.
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that poor out on the isle of Nebrask. Joel has studied rithmatics without ever being a rithmatist himself, often at the expense of his other schoolwork. Rithmatist students begin vanishing and chalk drawings at the crime scenes suggest a rithmatist is involved. Joel's studies and passion make him a valuable assett to the team seeking the rogue rithmatist and missing students. Personal Reaction: I thought the entire first half of the book moved painfully slow. While appreciated the author setting the scene and building the characters, I found Joel to be whiny and slightly irritating in the beginning. Throughout the book I became more interested in the plot, the mystery, and by default, Joel. I do feel the book was left open ended and am curious if a sequel is in the making.
Classroom Extension Ideas:
1. Students could create their own "chalklings" on the sidewalk of the school.
2. Discuss with the students how people do not always get their first choice. Talk to the students about being flexible and making back up plans in case the choice they want is not available to them.
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LibraryThing member scote23
I don't know that I fully understood the underpinnings of the magic (how do they know where the binding points are)? However, I did find the story hard to put down and I am intrigued enough to read more of the series.
LibraryThing member acargile
This is a 2014 Lone Star selection. It’s steam considered steamgear, which is similar to steampunk as its genre.
This novel is really unusual. For those of you who like games and strategy, this will definitely appeal to you. There is a war of sorts going on again the chalkings in Nebrask that is
Joel wants to be a rithmatist, but he wasn’t chosen at his inception ceremony. His father created the chalk and studied theory for years, so Joel was raised learning much of what his father knew. Joel is assigned to help the professor who happens to be investigating the crimes. With the professor’s other student, Melody, the three seek the criminal.
This novel is unique and interesting. I’m not a big fan of steampunk, so steamgear is a little odd to me as well. I did like the overall story, but I am not interested in strategy. I hate the game Risk. These are not interests of mine, so the strategy and the theories in the book were something I skimmed.
This novel is really unusual. For those of you who like games and strategy, this will definitely appeal to you. There is a war of sorts going on again the chalkings in Nebrask that is
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threatening the American isles, so it’s an alternate fantasy world. The Rithmatists are those who fight the chalkings, which is very dangerous yet very prestigious. The rithmatists go to school to learn how to battle with chalk, circle, and lines. These are explained on various pages of the novel. The problem is some rithmatists of Armedius Academy are disappearing, leaving only blood behind.Joel wants to be a rithmatist, but he wasn’t chosen at his inception ceremony. His father created the chalk and studied theory for years, so Joel was raised learning much of what his father knew. Joel is assigned to help the professor who happens to be investigating the crimes. With the professor’s other student, Melody, the three seek the criminal.
This novel is unique and interesting. I’m not a big fan of steampunk, so steamgear is a little odd to me as well. I did like the overall story, but I am not interested in strategy. I hate the game Risk. These are not interests of mine, so the strategy and the theories in the book were something I skimmed.
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LibraryThing member Schedim
Sanderson Is excellent as always, here with a story about quirky magic within a who-dunnit frame. His prose is very clean and precise and his grip on the story is firm with no apparent glitches.
The only negative criticism I can think of is that it is perhaps a bit too controlled, a bit too sleek.
An comparison with Harry Potter is perhaps unavoidable, and HP wins on the passionate re-imagination of fantasy tropes, the rest of the awards goes to The Rithmatist for the succinct prose, for the internal logic and impeccable worldbuilding, all three which HP is weak in.
The only negative criticism I can think of is that it is perhaps a bit too controlled, a bit too sleek.
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An comparison with Harry Potter is perhaps unavoidable, and HP wins on the passionate re-imagination of fantasy tropes, the rest of the awards goes to The Rithmatist for the succinct prose, for the internal logic and impeccable worldbuilding, all three which HP is weak in.
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LibraryThing member TheMadHatters
I'm not usually a fan of fantasy novels, but this one was really good. It was fast paced and kept me interested.
LibraryThing member TLHelen
Like all Sanderson's fantasy the Rithmatist evokes an excellent setting and unique type of magic. Here, chalk drawn images come to life. Interestingly the protagonist is not a magician, but one of the many who aren't. A well-drawn world with a school setting, which many Harry Potter fans would
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enjoy. Show Less
LibraryThing member lilibrarian
Joel, the son of a cleaning woman, is a student at an elite school where young people with special talents to bring chalk lines to life are also trained. When the gifted students start disappearing, Joel finds himself intricately involved in the investigation despite his lack of magical abilities.
LibraryThing member foggidawn
The Rithmatist is steampunk (or, to be more technically correct, gearpunk) set in an alternate North America where magicians called Rithmatists duel with chalk figures that come to life.
Joel has always been fascinated by Rithmatists, though he knows he will never be one. Joel is a non-Rithmatic
Once again, Sanderson has come up with an innovative and complex magic system, a detailed and imaginative setting, a gripping plot, and fully realized characters. In fact, my only real quibble with the book is that Melody is a stereotypical "spunky redhead" -- where are all of the spunky blondes and brunettes in novels, huh? But that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story. Fans of Sanderson's adult novels may find this a little simplistic, but I think the target audience (young teens) will find a lot to like here.
Joel has always been fascinated by Rithmatists, though he knows he will never be one. Joel is a non-Rithmatic
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student at Armedius Academy, one of only eight schools in the United Isles where Rithmatists are trained. As the son of a chalkmaker and a cleaning lady, Joel could never have afforded tuition at Armedius, had not Principal York given Joel a scholarship after his father died. Joel dreams of becoming a scholar of Rithmatics, though his grades in his normal classes are lackluster at best. When he sees a chance to study with Professor Fitch, a Rithmatic professor, over the summer, he jumps at the chance. Little does Joel know that the quiet, orderly world of Armedius is about to be turned upside down by the disappearance of several Rithmatic students. When the principal asks Professor Fitch to help the police by examining the Rithmatic lines found at the scenes of the disappearances, Joel is drawn in to the the investigation as well. He's also drawn in (much more reluctantly) to a friendship with Melody, a young Rithmatist who is seeing Fitch for remedial tutoring over the summer. Can Joel, Melody, and Professor Fitch unravel the mystery before other students are taken?Once again, Sanderson has come up with an innovative and complex magic system, a detailed and imaginative setting, a gripping plot, and fully realized characters. In fact, my only real quibble with the book is that Melody is a stereotypical "spunky redhead" -- where are all of the spunky blondes and brunettes in novels, huh? But that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story. Fans of Sanderson's adult novels may find this a little simplistic, but I think the target audience (young teens) will find a lot to like here.
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LibraryThing member krau0098
I got a copy of this book through the Amazon Vine program to review. Thanks to Amazon Vine and Tor Teen for allowing me the chance to review this book. I am a huge fan of Sanderson and have read most of the books he has written and really enjoyed them. I was very excited to see a middle grade
Joel is a chalkmaker’s son attending Armedius Academy, he gets to go to school there as a favor to his parents. What Joel really wants though is to be a Rithmatist. The Rithmatist’s are the only ones who can fight the Wild Chalklings. When Rithmatist students start disappearing in the night leaving only trails of blood, Joel and his friend Melody are drawn into the investigation. Joel ends up helping one of the Rithmatist professors do research in a desperate effort to solve the case before more students disappear.
This book starts out very slow and takes a ton of time explaining the complicated magic system. If you stick with it though it does get very good in the second half of the book. The book has a bit of a Harry Potter feel to it but all fighting/magic is dependent on geometry; hence the Rithamatists that practice this type of magic.
As with many of Sanderson’s book this book has a very well thought out, detailed, and complex magic system. In fact maybe it was a little bit too complex. The magic system is explained in detail and there are detailed diagrams throughout the book to aid in this explanation. All of the explanation is very important so that when the book does finally get to the some excellent fighting scenes, you can actually understand what’s going on.
Unfortunately all of this magic system explanation really makes the beginning drag on, I had a very very hard time paying attention and staying focused on the story because it took so long for the plot to get going.
Joel is a decent character, very down to earth and a bit selfish at times. I didn’t engage with him all that well, but then I am not really the target audience for this. He was interesting to read about and likable enough. Melody is very quirky, she sounds very awkward throughout the book and is very offbeat. I also had trouble engaging with her initially, but as the story continued she started to grow on me.
The mystery and plot is well done. Beware though this is just the beginning of a much larger story. As the book continues it gets very very good. The pieces of the mystery start to come together and we finally get to see this awesome and complex magic system in action. The wonderfully paced and action filled ending to this book made it worth suffering through the first half of this book. By the end of this first book I was completely engaged in this world and really wanted to know what would happen next.
Overall this is probably the weakest Sanderson book I have read so far, but I really really love all of his other books...so even if this is the weakest one he's written it is still a good book. The pacing is just very slow in the beginning and the characters were a bit hard to engage with. I did really enjoy the magic system and the world though. The end of the book made up for the poor beginning, and by the time I got to the end I was dying to read more about this world. I would recommend this to fans of MG/YA fantasy, it starts slow but I bet this is going to be an excellent series.
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fantasy being released by him. This book starts out very slow and was kind of a drag in the beginning, however the last third was excellent and absolutely fascinating. The second book in this series is scheduled for a 2015 release.Joel is a chalkmaker’s son attending Armedius Academy, he gets to go to school there as a favor to his parents. What Joel really wants though is to be a Rithmatist. The Rithmatist’s are the only ones who can fight the Wild Chalklings. When Rithmatist students start disappearing in the night leaving only trails of blood, Joel and his friend Melody are drawn into the investigation. Joel ends up helping one of the Rithmatist professors do research in a desperate effort to solve the case before more students disappear.
This book starts out very slow and takes a ton of time explaining the complicated magic system. If you stick with it though it does get very good in the second half of the book. The book has a bit of a Harry Potter feel to it but all fighting/magic is dependent on geometry; hence the Rithamatists that practice this type of magic.
As with many of Sanderson’s book this book has a very well thought out, detailed, and complex magic system. In fact maybe it was a little bit too complex. The magic system is explained in detail and there are detailed diagrams throughout the book to aid in this explanation. All of the explanation is very important so that when the book does finally get to the some excellent fighting scenes, you can actually understand what’s going on.
Unfortunately all of this magic system explanation really makes the beginning drag on, I had a very very hard time paying attention and staying focused on the story because it took so long for the plot to get going.
Joel is a decent character, very down to earth and a bit selfish at times. I didn’t engage with him all that well, but then I am not really the target audience for this. He was interesting to read about and likable enough. Melody is very quirky, she sounds very awkward throughout the book and is very offbeat. I also had trouble engaging with her initially, but as the story continued she started to grow on me.
The mystery and plot is well done. Beware though this is just the beginning of a much larger story. As the book continues it gets very very good. The pieces of the mystery start to come together and we finally get to see this awesome and complex magic system in action. The wonderfully paced and action filled ending to this book made it worth suffering through the first half of this book. By the end of this first book I was completely engaged in this world and really wanted to know what would happen next.
Overall this is probably the weakest Sanderson book I have read so far, but I really really love all of his other books...so even if this is the weakest one he's written it is still a good book. The pacing is just very slow in the beginning and the characters were a bit hard to engage with. I did really enjoy the magic system and the world though. The end of the book made up for the poor beginning, and by the time I got to the end I was dying to read more about this world. I would recommend this to fans of MG/YA fantasy, it starts slow but I bet this is going to be an excellent series.
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LibraryThing member zjakkelien
Well, what can you say? It's Brandon Sanderson, and Sanderson doesn't write bad books. This one is clearly YA, but enjoyable. The rithmatistseems to have a little less depth to the story (not the magic system, of course, but the story line) than Sanderson's other books. The characters are well
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fleshed-out though, and the magic system is very original. I like how the two main characters complement each other in skills and it's nice that one of them is not magical. Joel saves the day by being smart, brave and by having studied his subject. I hope the next book won't take too long, because there is clearly more to this story... Show Less
LibraryThing member Mirandalg14
What a fun world! Even though it didn't turn out how I thought it would, it was still a wonderful conclusion and I'm hoping it continues to be just as good in the next installment.
LibraryThing member DavidO1103
Fantasy/sci fi. Joel is the son of the deceased chalkmaker, and lives on the campus of a rithmatist academy, butnot a rithmatist himslef. yet, he is expert in drawing the chalk lines of defense and offense. He an Professor Fitch and Joel's friend Melody, work to uncover the story behind the missing
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rithmatist students, at great peril to themselves. Enjoyable... Show Less
LibraryThing member NineLarks
Joel is a ordinary schoolboy at one of the finest schools. And though he's smart, he's not special. And he's certainly not a Rithmatist. But ah, with his knowledge of lines and circles and his fascination with them, he should be one. At least that's what he tells himself. But when a series of
This was a lovely book to read. There's a certain easiness when I read it. It's not exactly lighthearted fun, but the pacing of the book or the dialogue or perhaps it's the characters... something makes the book almost like easy literature. Ack, I can't seem to find the right words right now, but the word "easy" is the only thing that can come to mind.
I love the interactions between the main characters. Everything seemed real and genuine, since the beginning of Joel and Melody's interaction to their ending scenes. Melody is a riot, a bit overdramatic and long-suffering, but really fun to read. The side characters are interesting and very 3 dimensional.
Sanderson is a-MAH-zing at magic systems and new worlds. He never fails to impress with pretty much each book in how different his worlds can be. How he comes up with these ideas is a mystery, but I am so glad he does. In this world where chalk drawings come to life as weapons and battles are drawn in circles. A line is a literal barrier and geometry is a Rithmatist's best friend. Kudos to Sanderson for this world.
Yes, there are some unrealistic portions where I don't think Joel could really get that much information just by asking, or having clearance to hear so much, but for the sake of the action and the story, it's fine.
One remarkable thing about this book is the inclusion of the illustrations of the chalk drawings. It made such a difference. Such an ingenious way to introduce common concepts and the "magic system" without relying on words to describe pictures. It made the chalkings come to life and even easier to imagine this world. Brilliant addition.
I foresee Nebrask sometime in future books, hopefully. It's an area that I want to see rather than hear about. I love that Sanderson leaves so much room for exploration in future books. It's almost as if this book is just a teaser, a taste of what this world will show us.
The ending was brilliant, absolutely brilliant. The reveal of the mystery, the whodunit crime, and the triumphant ending that makes sense.
I really hope to read the sequel soon because this book leaves us hanging with a lot of questions.
Three and half stars because it was more than a good book. But rounded down because it was just a quick, easy read that didn't require much thinking. It wasn't particularly heartrending or mindblowing. Just a presentation of a world and characters and a magic system that made me very appreciative of Brandon Sanderson all over again.
Recommended for people who love a good young adult fantasy book with a world that's different than you've ever seen before. Or if you like Brandon Sanderson, this book is a definitely a safe bet.
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Rithmatist student disappearances starts looking like murders, the whole school becomes the setting for a whodunit mystery. And Joel, just trying to learn about what's fascinating to him, keeps falling smack in the middle of this mystery.This was a lovely book to read. There's a certain easiness when I read it. It's not exactly lighthearted fun, but the pacing of the book or the dialogue or perhaps it's the characters... something makes the book almost like easy literature. Ack, I can't seem to find the right words right now, but the word "easy" is the only thing that can come to mind.
I love the interactions between the main characters. Everything seemed real and genuine, since the beginning of Joel and Melody's interaction to their ending scenes. Melody is a riot, a bit overdramatic and long-suffering, but really fun to read. The side characters are interesting and very 3 dimensional.
Sanderson is a-MAH-zing at magic systems and new worlds. He never fails to impress with pretty much each book in how different his worlds can be. How he comes up with these ideas is a mystery, but I am so glad he does. In this world where chalk drawings come to life as weapons and battles are drawn in circles. A line is a literal barrier and geometry is a Rithmatist's best friend. Kudos to Sanderson for this world.
Yes, there are some unrealistic portions where I don't think Joel could really get that much information just by asking, or having clearance to hear so much, but for the sake of the action and the story, it's fine.
One remarkable thing about this book is the inclusion of the illustrations of the chalk drawings. It made such a difference. Such an ingenious way to introduce common concepts and the "magic system" without relying on words to describe pictures. It made the chalkings come to life and even easier to imagine this world. Brilliant addition.
I foresee Nebrask sometime in future books, hopefully. It's an area that I want to see rather than hear about. I love that Sanderson leaves so much room for exploration in future books. It's almost as if this book is just a teaser, a taste of what this world will show us.
The ending was brilliant, absolutely brilliant. The reveal of the mystery, the whodunit crime, and the triumphant ending that makes sense.
I really hope to read the sequel soon because this book leaves us hanging with a lot of questions.
Three and half stars because it was more than a good book. But rounded down because it was just a quick, easy read that didn't require much thinking. It wasn't particularly heartrending or mindblowing. Just a presentation of a world and characters and a magic system that made me very appreciative of Brandon Sanderson all over again.
Recommended for people who love a good young adult fantasy book with a world that's different than you've ever seen before. Or if you like Brandon Sanderson, this book is a definitely a safe bet.
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LibraryThing member NineLarks
Joel is a ordinary schoolboy at one of the finest schools. And though he's smart, he's not special. And he's certainly not a Rithmatist. But ah, with his knowledge of lines and circles and his fascination with them, he should be one. At least that's what he tells himself. But when a series of
This was a lovely book to read. There's a certain easiness when I read it. It's not exactly lighthearted fun, but the pacing of the book or the dialogue or perhaps it's the characters... something makes the book almost like easy literature. Ack, I can't seem to find the right words right now, but the word "easy" is the only thing that can come to mind.
I love the interactions between the main characters. Everything seemed real and genuine, since the beginning of Joel and Melody's interaction to their ending scenes. Melody is a riot, a bit overdramatic and long-suffering, but really fun to read. The side characters are interesting and very 3 dimensional.
Sanderson is a-MAH-zing at magic systems and new worlds. He never fails to impress with pretty much each book in how different his worlds can be. How he comes up with these ideas is a mystery, but I am so glad he does. In this world where chalk drawings come to life as weapons and battles are drawn in circles. A line is a literal barrier and geometry is a Rithmatist's best friend. Kudos to Sanderson for this world.
Yes, there are some unrealistic portions where I don't think Joel could really get that much information just by asking, or having clearance to hear so much, but for the sake of the action and the story, it's fine.
One remarkable thing about this book is the inclusion of the illustrations of the chalk drawings. It made such a difference. Such an ingenious way to introduce common concepts and the "magic system" without relying on words to describe pictures. It made the chalkings come to life and even easier to imagine this world. Brilliant addition.
I foresee Nebrask sometime in future books, hopefully. It's an area that I want to see rather than hear about. I love that Sanderson leaves so much room for exploration in future books. It's almost as if this book is just a teaser, a taste of what this world will show us.
The ending was brilliant, absolutely brilliant. The reveal of the mystery, the whodunit crime, and the triumphant ending that makes sense.
I really hope to read the sequel soon because this book leaves us hanging with a lot of questions.
Three and half stars because it was more than a good book. But rounded down because it was just a quick, easy read that didn't require much thinking. It wasn't particularly heartrending or mindblowing. Just a presentation of a world and characters and a magic system that made me very appreciative of Brandon Sanderson all over again.
Recommended for people who love a good young adult fantasy book with a world that's different than you've ever seen before. Or if you like Brandon Sanderson, this book is a definitely a safe bet.
Show More
Rithmatist student disappearances starts looking like murders, the whole school becomes the setting for a whodunit mystery. And Joel, just trying to learn about what's fascinating to him, keeps falling smack in the middle of this mystery.This was a lovely book to read. There's a certain easiness when I read it. It's not exactly lighthearted fun, but the pacing of the book or the dialogue or perhaps it's the characters... something makes the book almost like easy literature. Ack, I can't seem to find the right words right now, but the word "easy" is the only thing that can come to mind.
I love the interactions between the main characters. Everything seemed real and genuine, since the beginning of Joel and Melody's interaction to their ending scenes. Melody is a riot, a bit overdramatic and long-suffering, but really fun to read. The side characters are interesting and very 3 dimensional.
Sanderson is a-MAH-zing at magic systems and new worlds. He never fails to impress with pretty much each book in how different his worlds can be. How he comes up with these ideas is a mystery, but I am so glad he does. In this world where chalk drawings come to life as weapons and battles are drawn in circles. A line is a literal barrier and geometry is a Rithmatist's best friend. Kudos to Sanderson for this world.
Yes, there are some unrealistic portions where I don't think Joel could really get that much information just by asking, or having clearance to hear so much, but for the sake of the action and the story, it's fine.
One remarkable thing about this book is the inclusion of the illustrations of the chalk drawings. It made such a difference. Such an ingenious way to introduce common concepts and the "magic system" without relying on words to describe pictures. It made the chalkings come to life and even easier to imagine this world. Brilliant addition.
I foresee Nebrask sometime in future books, hopefully. It's an area that I want to see rather than hear about. I love that Sanderson leaves so much room for exploration in future books. It's almost as if this book is just a teaser, a taste of what this world will show us.
The ending was brilliant, absolutely brilliant. The reveal of the mystery, the whodunit crime, and the triumphant ending that makes sense.
I really hope to read the sequel soon because this book leaves us hanging with a lot of questions.
Three and half stars because it was more than a good book. But rounded down because it was just a quick, easy read that didn't require much thinking. It wasn't particularly heartrending or mindblowing. Just a presentation of a world and characters and a magic system that made me very appreciative of Brandon Sanderson all over again.
Recommended for people who love a good young adult fantasy book with a world that's different than you've ever seen before. Or if you like Brandon Sanderson, this book is a definitely a safe bet.
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LibraryThing member piersanti
Sanderson is not only my favorite Nebraskan author, or my favorite LDS author, or even my favorite fantasy author: he's just my favorite author. It's been a while since I read a book that I couldn't put down and had to stay up late reading, but this one was fantastic (a little slow in the first
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couple chapters, but it picked up fast). For such an odd concept for a magic system, everything worked well, the writing is excellent, the characters are likable and the plot is fast-paced and surprising. Show Less
LibraryThing member jjvv00
When I read this book, in the first couple of chapters was pretty slow. I was confused when the author was talking about Rithmatists, but as the story continued the plot moved along and the story progressed. I got excited throughout the story I understood the book a lot better. I loved the diagrams
The author did a great job writing twists, like it was the officer who did everything. He led us up to be suspicious of the new teacher. Even made us suspicious of the worker in the office. This book was action packed to the end. It made me want to read another chapter every time I finished one. Brandon Sanderson did a great job to keep us on our toes.
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it gave me an idea about what Joel and Melody was doing. I also loved their interactions. Joel's personality is very determined to get done what needs to be done. On the other hand, Melody is a very loud fun, and a overly dramatic person.The author did a great job writing twists, like it was the officer who did everything. He led us up to be suspicious of the new teacher. Even made us suspicious of the worker in the office. This book was action packed to the end. It made me want to read another chapter every time I finished one. Brandon Sanderson did a great job to keep us on our toes.
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Awards
Audie Award (Finalist — Fantasy — 2014)
Sequoyah Book Award (Nominee — Intermediate — 2016)
Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award (Nominee — 2016)
Kentucky Bluegrass Award (Nominee — Grades 9-12 — 2015)
Nutmeg Book Award (Nominee — Teen — 2016)
Association for Mormon Letters Award (Winner — Young Adult Speculative Fiction — 2013)
Charlotte Award (Nominee — High School — 2016)
Volunteer State Book Award (Nominee — Middle School — 2017)
Best Fiction for Young Adults (Selection — 2014)
Texas Lone Star Reading List (2014)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2013-05-14
Physical description
384 p.; 6.4 inches
ISBN
9780765320322
Local notes
Inscribed (Mountain View, October 2013).