Zephyr Follows The Stars product reviews

I had some help reviewing this book as Miss Eleven, my niece's daughter, paid an unexpected visit. She is not a keen reader, but she did enjoy this book to the point that she took it away overnight to finish it. After she returned it, we had a long discussion about what she had liked about it. I was intrigued by her comments as they are suggestions I might not have thought of!

The first thing that had come to mind as she read was that it would make a superb graphic novel. As are many young people her age, she is well and truly into technology and visual effects. She also mentioned the idea of a computer game as some of the adventures that Zephyr experiences were possibly too far-fetched and too frequent to be true to life but would fit admirably into the format of a game quest. When I thought about it, I had to agree with her. Supernatural enemies, magical remedies, even "easter eggs" like the magic key and the healing plant have their place in a visual context.

I thought the story was imaginative and lots of fun. The pace is breathtaking as Zephyr races towards her goal. There is certainly no time to stop and think about what will happen next. Both Miss Eleven and I were caught up with the excitement, and the impetus was maintained right until the last page. Despite being a reluctant reader, Miss Eleven was fascinated by the story and keen to read on to find out how each challenge was overcome.

The setting is not defined, although there is a reference to the West Coast of an island in the Southern Ocean, so it is tempting to think that the story might be set in New Zealand. However, that is really not relevant. The setting is unlike any that might be encountered in this part of the world. The time, too, is not identified. It could be many centuries ago, or conversely, some time in the future. It does not really affect the story; time and place are not important. The themes of bravery, adventure, family ties, and the triumph of good over evil are universals that exist outside the confines of time and country.

We both hope that Redstar the Dog, the hand-reared sea hawk, and the patient horse feature in the next book in the series. Miss Eleven thought they should have names rather than just being called The Bird and The Horse as in their own ways they both helped their human friends. Perhaps they will get their own unique names in the next adventure.