Children of Mandrake

5 Stars

This story left me raw. Jesse Stein weaves a rich and whimsical story about grief, growing up, and change. I was not expecting such a deep and at times terrifying tale.

Children of Mandrake follows a young man named Truman, along with his friend Donna, on a journey along the river that surrounds their town, Mandrake. In Mandrake it rains every day, except on Thursdays, and things are never quite what they seem. For Donna's 13th birthday, the duo is sent into the wilds of the swamp and river to retrieve special cinnamon from a rare cinnamon tree. However, this seemingly simple task is anything but as Truman's and Donna's past is waiting for them in the watery and magical landscape.

I loved the writing in this book, but I don't think it's for everyone. If you are a fan of the bizarre wonderment in Orfeia and Alice in Wonderland, you will enjoy this.

I received an early e-edition of this book on #netgalley. Thank you to Atmosphere Press and Netgalley for this opportunity.

I am not gonna lie, I did not expect this to be this brilliant.
The synopsis or the short description was intriguing, but I am glad that it was not giving away too much.
The plot is complex enough and keeps you engaged. I liked the opening, but then it got better. the illustrations were a bonus.
Plot and characterisation: 4.5 stars
Writing style: 4.5 stars
Setting and mood: 5 stars

This can easily become a classic. I will read it again, and will introduce it to my child when he is a couple of years older.

The story set in the fictional Mandrake, and we follow Tru and Donna. It is full of surprises.

I'll be completely honest, Children of Mandrake did not initially appeal to me, due to it not being a genre I would typically read or enjoy. However, with that being said, this book thoroughly surprised me, and I even found myself laughing and becoming physically tense, throughout some parts of the plot. Children of Mandrake was incredibly well written, and I could never have guessed any of the turns this plot takes, throughout the course of the book. I enjoy a fast-paced read and this was certainly that, although I did feel a few areas dragged on a little, or had too muvh description for events that didn't need it. Overall, I found this book both enjoyable and gripping, and I would definitely recommend it to people who may have an interest.

In the rainy city of Mandrake, Donna and Truman wonder about the significance of the never-stopping rain and why they are the only kids in the whole city. Close to Donna’s thirteenth birthday, the kids are sent on a mission: to collect cinnamon from a tree that grows beyond the river encircling the city, in order to taste Aunt Ginny’s delicious pecan pie. The quest will send them on a perilous and transformative journey.

Children of Mandrake by Jesse Stein was a nice little gem but also a challenge for me.

I loved the book from the very start: it is intriguing and makes you curious about how this adventure will unfold.

What is the significance of Donna’s dream? Who are the people sharing the spotlight with the POV of the kids? What is nestling in Truman’s hair? Why can’t Aunt Ginny step on her own porch?

Last but not least: I want Regina, the “gator pup flashlight,” too.

The author can be witty and funny with his observations and I simply love the atmosphere he created: it reminds me of the surreal world of Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman and the dark, twisted, and quirky style of Tim Burton.

So, why was this reading challenging for me? Because, truth be told, I almost didn’t finish this book after reaching 15% of it.

But doing so would have pained me. It would have pained me more than abandoning any other book I DNF combined. I also planned to publish this review on its publication day: always support an indie author!! But due to events in real life and my reluctance to pick it up when I had a chance, I had to change my plans.

Why did I almost abandon this book? The author’s style. Through no fault of his, I just couldn’t click with it. I recognized this at the beginning of the book, and I tried to push myself to finish it. I’m glad I did, because the style starts to improve after the initial chapters. I regretted it again when I had to go through another whole chapter of it and again towards the end.

I couldn’t put up with the way the descriptions were made: the overuse of “and” at the start of every very short sentence was giving me anxiety. I have to admit that I skimmed the last part of the book to escape that feeling that was creeping up again.

And maybe because of this, or because at some point I simply couldn’t sit down and calmly enjoying it, I didn’t enjoy the end as much as I thought I would, considering the strong start.

I understand that the probable reason behind this stylistic choice was the point of view of the two young protagonist, and to let the reader immerse in the moment, there and now. It just didn’t work for me.

But the aftermath of my challenge doesn’t affect the depth of this book: when I said that this book brings its character on a transformative journey, I meant it quite literally.

We find our characters initially stuck and in pain. Although the last condition doesn’t really disappear at the end of the book, they went on such a discovery journey that they now have the tools to manage their condition and fully enjoy life.

I honestly found this book, targeted to teens and YA, very profound and able to approach very big and important topics in everybody’s lives, regardless of age and upbringing.

Would I suggest this book to someone else? Absolutely. Only because I was not a fan of his particular style, which left me with a slight aftertaste, doesn’t mean that it’s not a good book I would gift to somebody I know will enjoy it.

When I started this book, I suspected it would be good. When I finished the first chapter, I was sure of it.
The protagonists of the story are two siblings Donna and Tru, the only people in Mandrake who seem to care about the oddities that happen in the town. Their life is about to change when they are sent on a quest to find a specific cinnamon for Donna's birthday pie.
Highly evocative, so real as to be concrete, this novel is far from being solely aimed at children. It talks of brotherhood, of mourning, of unsolved mysteries, of secrets hidden in blood. It talks about landscapes and a Nature that threatens humans and, from an ecological perspective, it can be an even more interesting read.
At times, it reminded me of McDowell's Blackwater saga, but for a younger audience.
The masterfully crafted illustrations are the icing on the cake

The one of Jesse Stein really is an intriguing debut. I didn't expect this book to resonate this much.