Review: The Crowns of Croswald by D. E. Night

Many thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5/5 stars for character development, worldbuilding and pacing

Can we just talk about how gorgeous this cover is for a moment?!

Harry Potter meets Alice in Wonderland in this ambitious MG fantasy that both shocks and delights. It’s an intricate coming-of-age story filled with self-discovery, powerful secrets and fiercely determined souls.

Ivy Lovely is a wonderfully curious and quirky protagonist. She’s refreshingly honest, totally charming, and I’d be glad to meet her at the Halls of Ivy for a cup of tea. Unfortunately, though we got along fine, Ivy’s age did not compute. D. E. Night frequently writes that Ivy is 16 years old, but her voice is reminiscent of someone several years younger. Similar to Harry Potter at the beginning of his series, I found that Ivy thinks, speaks and acts like an 11-year-old. I think we can all agree that 11-year-olds have proven to be excellent protagonists, but I would have liked to see Ivy act her age. As it is, she is a 16-year-old girl with the motivations and actions of an 11-year-old, which frequently makes her inner and outer dialogue difficult to believe. That aside, her thirst for knowledge and truth is intensely captivating.

As to Ivy’s relationships with the other characters in the story, though this book lacks the friendship of the Harry-Ron-Hermione variety, I love Rebecca and Fyn. They’re funny, kind and provide an interesting contrast to Ivy’s character. I also want to add how much I enjoyed reading about Night’s magical creatures because wow, they are awesome. If anyone knows where I can buy myself a hairie, please don’t hesitate to hit me up.

All in all, Croswald is a truly magical, one-of-a-kind world. Night’s descriptions are, in a word, delicious. Her writing style is positively entrancing and brought this book to life in extraordinary fashion. On the other hand, there was a part of me that never fully connected with the story. There were so many worldbuilding opportunities that I felt were shorted or entirely ignored. Among other things, I was often confused by the ease with which Ivy performs magic from the get-go. Many gifts and abilities are borderline handed to her with no grief whatsoever. More power to her, but I, sadly, had trouble believing it.

In the end, I enjoyed the believability of the friendships, the beauty of the magic and the original tale of identity that The Crowns of Croswald presents. I recommend it to MG readers who enjoyed Harry Potter and/or love magical creatures.