Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Manifestor Prophecy

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If you want a fun adventure full of magic and self-discovery, but also with some important topics being touched on, then I think you might really enjoy this one. I'm excited to see where Thomas takes this story! Mae Nic Blake yn un o’r grŵp Manifestor – pobl Ddu sydd â’r Ddawn o’u mewn – ac sy’n gallu gweld fampirod, bleidd-ddynion a phob math o fodau hynod. Mae ei ffrind gorau anhynod JP yn byw drws nesaf – ond mae e yn hynod oherwydd ei frwdfrydedd dros lyfrau ffantasi TJ Retro a thros gadw cwmni i Nic. The epic ending is not to be spoilt. However, Angie Thomas has set-up what is going to be a incredible trilogy with an outcome that is impossible to predict. Turning the 'chosen one' scenario on its head, I cannot wait to see what happens next in this world and what lies in store for Nic Blake and her friends and family. The story is well-paced and keeps readers engaged throughout the book. The author does an excellent job of building tension and creating a sense of urgency that propels the story forward. The plot is full of twists and turns that keep the reader guessing until the very end. There is a little too much exposition at times, though this of course is necessary to understand this Remarkable world. But Nic, her best friend JP and later addition Alex are a threesome with strengths, foibles, great interaction and both history and a future together as the plot moves towards the first of many denouements that spell 'coming soon' for future chapters.

The main characters were fun and loveable. I loved the dynamic between the three by the end of the book. And I loved the family aspects especially. It was just very sweet and wholesome at times. We have a straightforward first-person-narrator middlegrade adventure with a ton of fantasy elements, which is something I always look out for. Well, I don't care about the narrator choice that much, but fantasy?! Hell yes. A new world is created. And I'm betting it'll make it to the screen too. While firmly of its genre, it's also a stand-out in terms of its cast and setting. Those outside of America may find references go over their head but don't lose anything of the plot if so. I read this book as an audiobook from the library, but I also have an ARC from the publisher (full disclosure), which didn't affect my review in any way. It is finally time: Nic Blake is twelve years old, and her father promised he'd be teaching her to use her gift then. The day starts promising with a hellhound puppy who'll join the family.It's not easy being a Remarkable in the Unremarkable world. Some things are cool - like getting a pet hellhound for your twelfth birthday. Others, not so much - like not being trusted to learn magic because you might use it to take revenge on an annoying neighbour. There are a lot of nods of the well-known 'Chosen One' trope in this book (mainly the big one with the Golden Trio) and I liked how it flipped it on its head a bit as we are following the trio's children and see what it's like living with a heavy legacy and expectation upon one's head as well. With her dad being accused of a crime she can't believe he committed, Nic is plunged into a terrifying and dangerous quest. To prove her dad's innocence she must hunt for a magical tool she's never heard of in a remarkable world she knows very little about. But with some very dodgy characters on her tail, does she have any chance of finding it in time? And what is Nic's role destined to be in this remarkable world? I've seen that most people absolutely love this book, so I hope that most young readers really enjoy it as well. Maybe it just didn't work for me - and that's a good thing, because I want kids to be able to love this! I usually try to review books objectively, especially if I'm not the target audience. I wouldn't read a horror novel and give it a low rating because it was 'too scary', and similarly I don't judge MG/YA for feeling 'immature'. Still, I have to be honest about how I felt. It’s not easy being a Remarkable in the Unremarkable world. Some things are cool — like getting a pet hellhound for your twelfth birthday. Others, not so much — like not being trusted to learn magic because you might use it to take revenge on an annoying neighbour.

I didn't know what to expect when I started this new MGLit title by the incredible author that is Angie Thomas, but I'm happy to say that I really enjoyed it!! Hierdoor lukte het mij helaas niet om mezelf helemaal onder te dompelen in de wereld van de Buitengewonen en Onopmerkelijken. Ik bleef op afstand en was duidelijk niet gevoelig voor de magie in dit verhaal. Nic Blake wil niets liever dan een machtige Manifestor worden, net als haar vader. Maar voordat ze de kans krijgt om alles van hem te leren, zorgen een reeks ongelooflijke onthullingen en angstaanjagende gebeurtenissen ervoor dat Nic en haar vrienden op zoek moeten naar een magisch voorwerp. Ze heeft geen idee hoe het eruitziet, en toch moet ze het vinden, want anders zal Nics vader gestraft worden voor een misdaad die hij volgens haar nooit kan hebben gepleegd. However, before Nic can convince her dad to start teaching her magic, a series of events launch Nic and her friends on a dangerous quest. A quest to find a dangerous magical tool to save her dad from imprisonment. And hopefully to prove he didn’t commit the crime that everyone says that he did. But what really happened to land him there in the first place? Review: Nic Blake and the Remarkables The tensions in the novel between who has the Gift and who is just plain ordinary go to the heart of questions kids ask about themselves: Am I special? Do I matter? Is it OK to feel fear? How do I keep going when I’m so afraid?Antur ffantasïol gyflym, ddiddorol, llawn hiwmor a chalon, gyda digonedd yn digwydd ac adegau dyfeisgar i gadw darllenwyr yn rhuthro drwy’r tudalennau. Mae llais naratif Nic yn taro i’r dim, ac mae JP yn gymeriad doniol tu hwnt. Representation is another important aspect; Nic, Alex, and JP are wonderful, charming, and relatable characters, and it's such a joy to see POC characters that middle-graders (and other readers) can see themselves in and relate to. I am sure these characters, but especially Nic, will become fan favourites. The plot of Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Manifestor Prophecy follows the story of Nic Blake, a young boy who discovers that he has magical powers and is destined to become a powerful wizard. Nic is a relatable and endearing protagonist who finds himself at the center of a prophecy that could save the world from evil forces.