Between Monsters and Marvels by Alysa Wishingrad (review)

Abstract

Reviewed by: Between Monsters and Marvels by Alysa Wishingrad April Spisak Wishingrad, Alysa Between Monsters and Marvels. Harper, 2023 [400p] Trade ed. ISBN 9780063244870 $19.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780063244887 $10.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R Gr. 4-6 Dare is certain that the story of how her father died—supposedly at the hands of rogue men rather than the monsters everyone insists no longer exist—is a complete lie, though she has no proof yet. When her new stepfather sends her off to a small island to live with a distant relative, Dare allows herself a short period of despair, as the move effectively shuts down her investigation and her connection with her mom in a world where letters by boat are as likely to disappear as reach their target. But once she bounces back with new determination to prove the continued existence of monsters, she uncovers not only evidence that explains what happened to her dad but also an entire web of torture and exploitation of monsters for their powers. While it is perhaps a cliche to point out that humans are nearly always the true monsters, even in a world of creatures who have remarkable abilities, Wishingrad allows the reader to come to that conclusion gradually, introducing multiple perspectives that may seem reasonable in turn, just as they did for Dare, who trusts the wrong people before finding her way. Dare is impulsive, a wild mix of defiance, refusal to be a respectable girl, and raw pain, and she sometimes gets in her own way as she draws lightning quick conclusions that often turn out to be flawed. Her hard-won growth, particularly after she accepts that she needs and deserves friends and allies after a childhood of feeling isolated, is tinged with tragedy but nonetheless reason to celebrate. Copyright © 2023 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois