Wednesday 15 May 2019

The Last Victim in Hichester - Sarah Flanagan - The Brothers Mecarnin Book 1

The Last Victim in Hichester
The Brothers Mecarnin Book 1
Sarah Flanagan
Rivershore Books
ISBN 9781635220193
ASIN B07RL3RHNL

 


I read a lot of books, for the last few years nearly a book a day and if you average it out over 100 books a year since I first started keeping track. And this book took me by surprise in several ways. First for how young the author is (still in her teens) the world build is excellent. Second the complexity of the story. And finally, I was surprised by the cover, the cover t=shows three very young children, but most of the book takes place when they are much older.

Now I will admit there are a lot of characters in this novel. So many in fact I started keeping track on a cue card. But the characters are wonderfully written. Especially the three Mecarnin brothers. From their early departure from their parents’ home, to their time in the community home, to heading to the Hichester District. These boys have been through a lot. The first words in chapter 1 are:

“There are all types of legends and myths that I heard in my life, but none of them could match the one that would change my life and the lives of my brothers. There was a legend that we had heard but always thought was make-believe. Needless to say, we found out what fools we were and how wrong that assumption had been.”

This is a tale of epic proportions. It spans generations, and generational curses. It blends myths and legends with the world of today. The three boys are offered the opportunity of a good life, Father Fischer, has worked long and hard to find a home that will keep them together. Of father the three boys believe:

“Father Fischer, one of the greatest men they knew. He wrote them constantly, giving them support and encouragement”

The brothers Gene, Deke, and Neil are at the center of our story. But the events that lead up to this story began many years ago and based on the story itself will take many years to resolve. For it seams that the boys are at the center, or at least close to the center of a battel between good and evil. After they are on their way to the Hichester District, they realize everything is about to change. For the world they thought they knew was but the surface veneer of a much larger world, with much larger events, and much larger stories. And soon they find themselves aught up in those stores. They attend school, they attend the society (well worth reading about) and become part of a group of friends called the gang. When yet another child goes missing from the district, they decide to lead an investigation. And soon the majority of the children, tweens, and teens that are part of the Society are off on an adventure to rescue one of their own.

This is a wonderful story in the classic fantast genre. It is very well written, and I look forward to seeing where the story will go as the series proceeds. The story is well worth giving a try.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2019 Catholic Reading Plan!


Books by Sarah Flanagan:
The Brothers Mecarnin Series:

The Last Victim in Hichester



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