The Reformation of Linnea Hail by Kaitlin Corvus

Linnea Hail is the youngest of three magically inclined siblings. She is a gifted shape shifter, and when she is tasked with a secret mission to a mythical city to retrieve a magical object, she jumps at the chance to prove herself. She takes with her Leigh, a half sprite, and they sneak away at dawn to start their dangerous journey.

I’m not sure why this is called the reformation of Linnea Hail. She has character growth throughout the book, and she’s a bit impulsive at the start, but she is neither greatly changed or terribly in need of reformation.

I liked the character of Linnea. I particularly loved the scenes when she used her shape changing powers.

The other characters were interesting. I liked Leigh, but found he was a little bit passive. Apart from Linnea, her adoptive father, Torin, his son, Rowan, and Linnea’s sister, Madalyn, were my favorite characters.

I found the first half of the book particularly interesting. I thought the world building was fascinating and I loved learning about Ester, the City of Dust, and the creatures on Wynmet mountain. I found the pacing lagged a little in the second half of the book, before speeding up at the denouement. I would have loved some calm parts and more description in the City of Dust, as the action is nonstop, and after journeying so long to get there, I longed for a more immersive experience.

The plot is a classic fantasy quest, and is executed very well, but it is quite simple. I would have loved more complexity or depth to the characters to elevate it from a good book to a wonderful book, but I think the fault is with me. It’s a great young adult book, with a satisfying conclusion, and minimal romance (which I like). The writing is solid, the magic system imaginative and the world building intriguing.

Overall, I found this book very entertaining. I enjoyed reading it and was eager to find out what happened next.

I award The Reformation of Linnea Hail…