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The City On The Other Side by Mairghread Scott: From Forgotten Child to Fairy Hero

Hey, all! It’s Alexa, here today to introduce a fetching new fantasy Middle Grade. This one’s called, The City on the Other Side by Mairghread Scott.

Description from Publisher’s Website:

Sheltered within her high-society world, Isabel plays the part of a perfectly proper little girl—she’s quiet, well-behaved, and she keeps her dresses spotlessly clean. She’s certainly not the kind of girl who goes on adventures.

But that all changes when Isabel breaches an invisible barrier and steps into another world. She discovers a city not unlike her own, but magical and dangerous. Here, war rages between the fairies of the Seelie and Unseelie Courts. Only Isabel, with the help of a magical necklace and a few new friends, stands a chance of ending the war before it destroys the fairy world, and her own.

Plot:

Although the plot is fairly straightforward (solid, sweet, middle-grade fantasy) there are lots of larger, more complex ideas intertwined throughout. Themes of courage, valor, selflessness, sacrifice, justice, and redemption are woven seamlessly through the plot, written in such a way that they’re obvious but not overt. I think middle-grade readers will take away many of these messages for their own lives, while still very much enjoying the story that reveals them.

Also, the ending is super sweet. <3

Plot: 3 stars out of 5

Characters:

Like the plot, a lot of these characters are pretty classic, but combined with the vivid drawings and the deeper themes, they’re simultaneously almost new. Benjie’s quest of confusion and identity becomes a story that’s uniquely his; Button’s war veteran’s return is his ride alone (and in my opinion, he made the story). But Isabel was different: though the forgotten child, she shows glimpses of her strength from the very first page, then slowly unearths it to a full-on, spotlight shine as each situation she chooses to walk through gives her the courage to take the next step. She doesn’t really gain strength through the story; instead, she learns to show others what she already knew she was capable of and how to properly use that strength and that voice she’d been forced to hold back for so long.

Characters: 3 ½ stars out of 5

Writing Style/Setting:

Because it’s a graphic novel, the actual writing is almost exclusively dialogue, and it was creatively tailored to each individual character. All the mains had specific turns of phrase or tones of voice that marked each person as specifically them. You couldn’t confuse them with anyone else. Even without the pictures, their voices were distinct.

Though the setting has a pretty common foundation, the specifics of the Seelie and the Unseelie world were inspired by legends I’d only seen a few other times (and some of them, not at all!); so flipping through each page was an intriguing glimpse into their world, unique yet familiar. The setting felt so vibrant and lively, like a hopping city or a wild bazar, full of endless sights and colors. I think it’s the sort of setting that young faerie buffs, as well as kids who like things a little weird, are really gonna enjoy.

Writing Style/Setting: 3 ½ stars out of 5.

All in all, we come in at about 3 ½ stars out of 5. The City on the Other Side was certainly enjoyable, a sweet fantasy story of adventure, self-discovery, and finding one’s voice. If you’d like to pick a copy for yourself, you can find it here for $14.06.

So, have you read any graphic novels lately? What’s your favorite? How about stories of self-discovery? Can’t wait to hear from you, and I will see you in the comment section!

Love, Alexa ❤

Notes: I voluntarily and honestly reviewed a free ecopy.

Lessons and Values: Finding one’s voice, Valor, Selflessness, Justice.

Content: Some of the Unseelie might be a little frightening to sensitive kids.

2 Comments


  1. // Reply

    You know, I haven’t read a graphic novel in ages. I should. I rather enjoyed the ones I did read. Might give this one a try. Thanks, Alexa.


    1. // Reply

      No problem! Hope you enjoyed if you did get to read it. 🙂

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