Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken

Published March 23rd 2010 by EgmontUSA
354 pages
Source: Borrowed

I was hurriedly walking out of the school library at the conclusion of a particularly boring lecture on how to research online -- sheesh, we're sophomores; how do you think we survived school without knowing how to conduct research? -- when I happened to see this book propped up on a shelf. I glanced at it, continued striding past, and suddenly changed my mind 3 seconds later and screeched to a halt. My unfortunate friend proceeded to bang into me and almost fell over. Sorry, El... By the time she looked up, I was over at the shelf with the copy of Brightly Woven in my hands. I whipped out my handy-dandy school ID with the unflattering picture, handed it all to the mean librarian, and off I went.

Brightly Woven turned out to be way more addicting than I expected and kept me from being the studious person I normally pride myself to be at least most of the time. I was instantly drawn into Alexandra Bracken's world -- filled with magicians and dusty little towns and cloaks that could whisk you off to mysterious places and boys filled with sadness, in need of rescuing from themselves and their past. There is something simply enchanting about fantasy novels and their ability to pull you into an alternate world, the way they offer escape from daily life.

Sydelle and North are both characters you would want to glomp (definition). The pair is adorable in their own way and are made interesting by each of their worries and trials. Their interactions were extremely heart-warming, and the build-up of attraction is nice and gradual. It felt utterly natural.

Simple, sweet, and slightly predictable, Brightly Woven is the type of book that you will close with a wide smile plastered on your face and fuzzy feelings in your tummy. Please pardon the cheesiness of that last sentence...

Rating: 4

delightfully scrumptious