Published By: Macmillan Children’s Books
Pages: 288
Released On: 29/01/2026
Reading Age: 9-11
No babies have been born for twelve years. No one knows why.
Everything changes the day twelve-year-old Quill meets a young shapeshifter in the form of a raven. She opens his eyes to a world of myth and magic filled with strange creatures, epic battles, dragons, lost souls, a monstrous hound and a beautiful but dangerous horse made of water.
Everyone believes that Quill is the hero they’ve been waiting for. But first he must face self-doubt and find the strength and skill to battle the King of Darkness if he is to claim the Light of the World before it’s too late.
*****
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Books for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.
What with this being a children’s book and quite short, I flew through it. It’s really good. It reminded me so much of A.F Steadman’s Skandar… series. Not in plot as such, but in character and feeling. There’s a real sense of hope in it.
It’s adventurous, fun, and a bit scary at times which will be perfect for the reding age.
The illustrations in the e-arc I had are not necessarily the finished ones but either way, they really added something extra to the story and I look forward to seeing the finished ones.
It’s a very intelligent book. Yes it is aimed at 9-11 year olds, but it never talks down to them or assumes they’re not as smart as older readers. It gives us so much plot wise, and in characterisation and emotional intelligence.
The pacing is great. Pacing can be a fine balance in kids books because they generally have a shorter attention span, so you want to get stuck straight in. Which this does. It is go go go from the start, but it never feels rushed. There’s a good balance between the slower, more intimate section and the fast-paced action scenes. This will keep the young readers’ attention without neglecting the heart of the story.
I don’t know much about Welsh mythology – of which this is based – but it felt like a wonderful homage, and I’m definitely keen to learn about it more.
The characters are interesting. Mostly children or younger characters, they hold the attention on every page. They’re mature enough to hold an entire story, but young enough and familiar enough for young readers to identify with. Quinn is delightful. He’s a bit of a loner and feels like he’s being a bit babied. His life is complex and he doesn’t always understand it. And then suddenly he’s the only one who can save the world.
I could really see this on television or on the big screen. It’s so beautiful, the imagery Lewis has created lends itself so well to a film.
I assume there’s going to be a series, or at least a sequel, because I don’t think Quinn’s story is over just yet.
Books By Your Bedside 