Boden’s middle-grade fantasy novel follows an 11-year-old English orphan who is taken to another dimension and forced to act in a play by cruel overlords.

Simon Favor hasn’t exactly lived an idyllic life. After his parents died a day apart in freak accidents six years earlier—one was killed by a falling piano and the other was flattened by a bulldozer—Simon’s foster parents sent him away to a private academy called Grynnless Middle. The school is surrounded by rusty razor wire and blanketed in a creepy fog, and Simon immediately knows he is in trouble. Miss Murkwater, the headmistress (who is obsessed with doling out unwarranted disciplinary measures) and Warden, a large, bullying roommate, make Simon’s first days a nightmare. The only saving grace is Pepper Benoit, a pretty girl who shows an interest in Simon and persuades him to join the school’s theater troupe, which is named Spindlecrook. Benoit turns out to be a collector—a talent scout of sorts. She is a mythical creature from another dimension who, with help, can cross the veil between worlds to find and abduct humans to act in her boss’s twisted theater productions. (Humans make the best actors because of their short lifespans.) Simon finds himself imprisoned (literally caged) in a strange, pseudo-medieval fantasy world replete with satyrs, shapeshifters, and dragons. Forced to act in a monster’s play with other kidnapped humans, the 11-year-old desperately searches for a way home.

Boden’s narrative is, tonally, very much comparable to the first Harry Potter novel, even putting aside the fact that both works feature 11-year-old orphans living in England who attend decidedly strange schools. Although there are dark plot threads that contain minor violence and evil machinations, the overall vibe of the story is fun and adventurous, with a glorious sense of wonder that underlies Simon’s quest to escape and return home. The fantastical supporting characters (including Pepper, a beautiful half-human/half-water creature, and Mungo, a scary but courageous cretin who is essentially a walking mountain) exemplify the childlike, awe-inspiring tone. Even the otherworldly crowd watching the theatrical performance reflects that wonder: “Simon stared curiously at the gawking spectators, some of them with luminescent pearly pink skin and huge glossy black eyes, and others with slender necks banded with multi-colored beads and crimson skin scaled like a fish. Still others appeared to be almost human-like, but they crawled and hopped across the ground on all fours and screeched like monkeys.” A streak of light-hearted humor permeates the entire story: “I… never dreamed that I would be in a strange town in another world, living in a birdcage and performing theater for an evil tyrant with a wolfman as a bodyguard.” The principal (minor) flaw is the lack of thematic weight. The author could have more deeply explored Simon’s quest to find (and define) home, his struggle to find his place in the world, and the themes of friendship and self-empowerment. Boden will, one hopes, further develop these elements in future installments.

Young (and old) readers looking for a fast-paced and unique fantasy adventure will be pleasantly surprised.

In Boden’s middle-grade novel, 12-year-old Plum navigates her relationships at home and at school.

On paper, Plum is a conventional kid: She lives with her mother, helps run the family’s curio shop, and does all of her homework. In reality, things are more complicated—Plum finds herself struggling to communicate her ideas and feelings freely to her mother and falling behind in school, all under the harsh pressure of a social environment laden with bullying and loneliness. Plum’s perspective begins to shift when, in quick succession, three people comment on how her mood seems to have changed. The first to do so is Plum’s mother: “You are always angry.” Later, Plum becomes nervous about her demeanor when a classmate notes that plums “are usually sweet” and that fruit “can go bad if left too long.” Finally, a teacher remarks that Plum seems distracted and sad: “I’ve been teaching for a long time, Plum, and if there’s one skill I’ve honed over the years, it’s the ability to spot someone who’s not very happy.” All of these interactions come together to make Plum wonder if she should be doing more to take responsibility for her negative feelings. While Plum comes across as introspective and intelligent, she also appears to need more support and guidance than she is able to receive from peers and adults in her life. The novel’s strongest driving force is, without a doubt, the characterization of its protagonist, Plum; readers get access to her inner monologue, which often contrasts with the way she acts toward others. This approach allows readers to see Plum’s true desires, her anxieties, and the standards she is held to, both by herself and others. Additionally, the pacing, though slower than in some other coming-of-age stories, allows readers to learn about and grow alongside Plum organically throughout the narrative. Boden’s novel will resonate with readers looking to reexamine the tangled pathways of growing up through a sensitive, nuanced lens.

An intimate coming-of-age story about identity and family.

In Boden’s debut middle-grade fantasy novel, a contemporary tween girl is prophesied to save the Nine Realms of Norse mythology.

Seventh grader Cindrheim Vustora Moss doesn’t back down from a fight; when an invisible monster charges her at her Virginia school, she’s lucky that four powerful, sword-wielding girls suddenly show up to help. They’re Predators, warriors from the realm of Vanaheim who were sent to protect Cinder, though they don’t know why. They take her to Iceland, where she’s flabbergasted to meet figures whom she’d always believed to be mythological beings, from the Valkyries to Odin the Allfather. Evidently, an ancient prophecy indicates that Cinder will somehow save the Nine Realms, but she won’t get details about her quest until just before she embarks on it. In the meantime, Cinder trains in combat and braves the harrowing Gauntlet, which includes a pit of assorted creatures (like bloodsucking slugs). It’s grueling work, and the quest is sure to be rife with danger; will Cinder rise to the challenge to see her mission through? Boden’s novel (and prospective series kickoff) boasts a sublime young hero. Cinder certainly has her flaws, like a confidence that occasionally slips into arrogance. At the same time, she is courageous and indefatigable, and she puts others’ well-being above her own. The author blends taut descriptions of Norse gods and mythology with contemporary dialogue that pops. In addition to the deities, the extensive cast ranges from vicious insectlike creatures to the instantly likable half-elf Brandon, who hails from California. All of this is a lot for Cinder to absorb—the story never forgets that she’s a 12-year-old girl. (Tristan, who designed the Gauntlet, may be a haughty jerk, but he’s also the “cutest boy [Cinder has] ever seen.”) This first installment ends with one of Cinder’s goals checked off but plenty of lingering questions.

A hefty, entertaining fantasy.

A skilled teen, wielding a blade of Asgardian silver, embarks on a mission to recover Thor’s hammer in Boden’s middle-grade fantasy sequel.

According to prophecy, Cinder Moss is connected to the end of the Nine Realms. After the events of the last novel, the 13-year-old, certain that said realms were out of danger, returned to her Midgardian life in Richmond. As such, she’s surprised when Trigga, one of the Valkyries, shows up to take her back to the Proving Grounds in Iceland to train for a new mission. Although Odin the Allfather sent her on her last quest, this latest one comes from Odin’s son, Thor. The Council of Twelve has effectively confiscated his hammer, which someone else used in a murder. Thor wants Cinder to retrieve his weapon so that he can protect Asgard from a probable attack. He also sends Cinder’s friends Tori, a powerful warrior called a Predator, and half-elf Brandon, who’s currently an Irish setter due to an unwanted magical transformation. Grud, a Viking, also joins the group, although Cinder doesn’t get along with him. Armed with her magically enhanced sword, Talon, the teenager leads the others into Jotunheim, the land of the giants. Along the way, she hopes to find a way to return Brandon to his half-elf body and help another beloved human who’s also in animal form. The new quest takes the quartet to the likes of Asgard, the United States, and Canada, and they encounter huge creatures, blisteringly cold weather, and a bevy of villains during their travels.

Boden’s sophomore series installment is just as breezy as its predecessor. Cinder endures and overcomes harrowing circumstances—bravely confronting vicious beasts and a minor god in league with a more formidable deity—but her first-person narration and dialogue are consistently relaxed, allowing for such things as Star Wars references. Cinder also offers vivid descriptions, such as this passage from a fight scene: “‘We need to cross the river!’ I shouted, cutting down the closest giant, then rolling to the side before his lifeless body could crush me as it fell.” The cast vibrantly blends new and returning characters, some from Norse mythology and at least one figure from American history. Fans of the series will appreciate that previous plot arcs don’t fizzle out; over the course of the novel, even figures who don’t (or barely) appear get updates, and a looming threat turns out to be closer to Cinder than she’s initially aware. An assortment of obstacles keeps the narrative moving at a steady clip, as when Grud challenges Cinder to a “monster dash,” which will get her banished from the Proving Grounds if she loses, or when Cinder must deal with another menace before she leaves Richmond. She and her companions also encounter numerous fantastical beings, including crocodile mutants, giant sky snakes, frost giants, and a shapeshifter. The author ties off a few subplots and leaves others dangling, which a subsequent volume will hopefully pick up.

Another grand, otherworldly adventure in a memorable fantasy series.