I love it when I come across a book that feels both original and believable, so I was delighted when I was asked to read this title.  I have not read any of this author’s work before, but I was in for a real treat.  It may well be that the magical atmosphere is an echo of the  author’s Irish heritage, but being half Irish myself, I can only  congratulate her on this fact.

The story is set in a world that feels somewhat Victorian but here the countries have new and exotic names.  The central character is Lianna, who has been sent to stay with her uncle after the death of her father.  She moves from a hot and very happy place to somewhere that she feels totally out of her depth.  Not only that but her uncle is cold and unfriendly and the town is hiding some form of secret.  However, Lianna is suddenly presented with a mysterious glass bird that just appears in the fireplace;  but this is a speaking glass bird who says he is a Hombit and that he has been sent on a mission, although he doesn’t actually know what that is.  When Lianna’s family curse shows itself, the two unlikely allies must work together to solve the mystery and then to complete the Hombit’s mission.  The story is full of magic and mystery, with the brooding  ‘living’ rocks proving central to the tragedies that the area has faced for the past decades, and which Lianna’s father has been blamed for  instigating.

There is a wonderful sense of  something sinister that is affecting the inhabitants of  her new home.  The author has blended together the exotic and the familiar, so that  the reader feels totally familiar with the setting.  Underlying the plot we have the  growing relationships, not only of Lianna and the hombit, but also Lianna and her uncle.  She gradually comes to understand that his coldness is due to the loss of his fiancee in the past, not because he is naturally that way.    This has proved to be one of those stories that really hook you and I admit that I read it in one day.  The concept of the ‘living’ rocks is such a unique element and brings the story almost into the realms of horror, although there is a  more positive end to that  storyline.  This is highly recommended and I would love to read some more about the adventures of Lianna and the Hombit.

About the Author:

Valinora Troy is a children’s fantasy and horror writer from Ireland. She has a MA in Creative Writing, specialising in writing for children and young adults. She has acted as a panellist for the CYBILS awards in the middle grade speculative fiction category and served as a Reading Ambassador for Louth Libraries. Her short stories for adults have appeared in numerous publications. She is the author of The Lucky Diamond trilogy, a middle grade children’s fantasy adventure series. In 2023 she was short-listed for the Staróg Prize. When not writing, she loves visiting schools and libraries to talk to children about books and writing.

You can find out more about Valinora’s books, as well as resources for schools, and sign up to her newsletter on her website: Valinora Troy – Children’s Fantasy Writer