The Twistrose Key

September 9, 2013
“Tonight, young Rosenquist... you will find that some games are real.” These portentous words, spoken early in Almhjell’s fantasy debut, launch 11-year-old Lin Rosenquist on a whirlwind, somewhat byzantine hero’s journey. Summoned from her Norwegian home by a mysterious key, Lin lands in Sylver, a wintry afterlife populated by anthropomorphized animals. Among the denizens—most were “once the favorite pet of a human child”—is Lin’s beloved vole, Rufus. Their joyful reunion (“Rufus!... You’re so...” “Handsome?... Eloquent? Alive?”) and affectionate partnership anchor the pair’s quest for Isvan, the missing boy who can restore magic to the land. Idiosyncratic characters—an avuncular hamster-chef; a sinister, condescending mad scientist–owl—help and hinder as Lin and Rufus decipher prophecies, battle trolls, and navigate Almhjell’s meticulously built world. A few dropped threads tangle the plot, and the main villain’s demeanor tends toward Bond-ian cliché, but by book’s end, strong parallels link Lin’s adventure to real-world loss and coming-of-age. Her story feels complete even as the world of Sylver contains enough unexplored territory to invite subsequent volumes. Ages 10–up. Author’s agent: Jane Putch, Eyebait Licensing & Management. Illustrator’s agent: Marcia Wernick, Wernick & Pratt.

Starred review from September 15, 2013
Skillfully blending facets of classic high fantasy, this debut novel will captivate readers with its rich plot and detailed worldbuilding. Sylveros is populated by the formerly beloved pets of Earth children. After an animal's death on Earth, it passes over to a life of apparent harmony in the winter beauty of the Sylver Valley. While a winter setting inevitably invites Narnia comparisons, this layered plot holds its own. The peace in Sylver has been disturbed, and chief chronicler Teodor does not know why. Nightmares are threatening the protected border. In times like these, a Twistrose--a human child--is called from Earth to give aid. Lin Rosenquist, mourning her tamed pet vole, Rufus, who died some five weeks earlier, finds herself magically transported to Sylver and is met by Rufus himself, now as big as she is. Teodor tells Lin she is the Twistrose and charges her with finding Isvan Winterfyrst, a "glacial-kin" child who has mysteriously disappeared and whose presence is imperative to continue the magic that keeps Sylver safe. Lin's only clue is an ancient, nonsensical ballad. Deeply drawn characters with heart combine with meticulous details to convincingly bring readers into the fantasy world, while a revelatory ending makes this a satisfying read that may be enjoyed even more the second time around. Fantasy that evokes the classics of yore and stands proudly among them. (Fantasy. 9-13)

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December 15, 2013
Grades 4-8 Even since Lin moved to the city, she feels lonely and misses her Norwegian mountain home, her imaginary troll-hunting games, and, especially, her recently dead pet, Rufus. While exploring her new cellar, she suddenly tumbles into Sylveros, a Narnia-like world populated by human-sized, talking former pets, including Rufus. They're excited to explore the snowy, mountainous land together, but that's not all Lin has in storeSylveros is on the brink of destruction, and Lin learns she is the Twistrose, a human child fated to save the mystical land by fulfilling an enigmatic prophesy. The promise of reunion with pet friends in a winter wonderland is lovely, but debut-author Almhjell's world holds a lot of menace, too: the villains of Sylveros are occasionally terrifying, and Lin often finds herself in grim peril. Though the plot is sometimes overstuffedwhich, at times, overshadows the tantalizingly rich world of Sylveroschildren entranced by animal tales and in love with snowy fantasy lands will delight in Lin's magical journey and triumphant determination. Final art unavailable for review.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)