BookView Review

In Martin’s layered, high-stakes middle-grade fantasy, five reluctant young heroes must outwit a cunning adversary to save a realm balanced between magic and science. Swept from every corner of Earth, these nine-year-olds are drawn into the sugar-coated yet perilous realm of Ratatatuvue, chosen by the dragon’s spirit to serve as Keepers and restore its balance. Twins Rolanda and James arrive with private struggles; Neila chases a thief who has stolen her key, unknowingly mirrored by Ken from New York; Nathan is summoned directly by his new allies. But their arrival draws the ire of Master Yoki, the realm’s lawkeeper, who has engineered the failure of every Keeper mission for the past century. 

Martin’s world bursts with charm—sugar-spun houses, lively rattan streets, and a rat-human hybrid society—yet under the sweetness runs a current of tension. The push and pull of family adds depth—Edward’s unprepared push for his children to embrace their roles, and Neila’s relentless pursuit of the Mandurat highlight the novel’s celebration of persistence. Master Yoki’s creed is science, his mission the destruction of the mystic order. His hidden vendetta turns the Keepers’ quest into a clash of beliefs and staying power.

Imaginative and layered, this middle-grade fantasy blends whimsy with weight, exploring legacy, loyalty, and the bravery required to face what lies ahead. Impossible to put down.

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