March 2021 Review: Narnia-like Family Fantasy

The Tethered World

Author: Heather L.L. Fitzgerald

Publisher: Mountain Brook Ink

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

Trolls have come for your family. And not the internet kind. The very real kind.

That is what Sadie Larcen discovers in the first book of FitzGerald’s Tethered World Chronicles. When her parents, avid Bigfoot bloggers, go missing in the middle of the night, Sadie and her siblings find themselves thrust in the fantastical realm known as the Tethered World. An underground realm of brave gnomes, stalwart dwarves, tricky leprechauns, and sweaty ogres changes from myth to reality as Sadie leads her brothers and sister on a quest to rescue her parents. Wrestling with her own demons and insecurity, Sadie must learn to trust her new companions and find a deeper faith in order to overcome the dangers that await.

My fellow author at Mountain Brook Ink has penned an incredibly entertaining story for all ages. Her appropriately coined “family fantasy” is a great read for young and old readers that want to get lost in a world of adventure and fantastical creatures. What I thought would begin as a whimsical journey into a new land suddenly turned out to be a high-paced thriller as the truth behind the Larcen parents’ disappearance is discovered. I was pulled in and didn’t come up for air until the last page.

I especially loved FitzGerald’s use of faith and biblical stories without becoming preachy. The Tethered World is tied into the biblical narrative of creation and the fall of man with such ease that the reader could almost believe that this is the true origin of the myths around these creatures. The reader is taken on a journey of faith, too, as Sadie is forced to question her own motives and source of hope. Any reader, regardless of faith background, can appreciate FitzGerald’s weaving of faith and story together.

I would recommend this book to readers of any age. Young teens will identify the inner struggles of Sadie. Parents will enjoy reading this adventure to their children. Readers of fantasy will love the fresh take on familiar myths. Families with a member with special needs will love the empowering take on Sadie’s brother, Brock.

The book is completely clean. No language. No sex. Violence is present, but minimal and appropriate for any age capable of hearing stories about mythical creatures. Romance is hinted at but not acted upon and presented mostly as one character’s inner thoughts about another. As stated, faith is an integral part of the story, but never seeks to force religion down the throat of the reader. Rather, it simply serves as a common thread, tying the story together.

Fans of The Chronicles of Narnia will LOVE this series.

My teenage daughter has already expressed interest in stealing my Kindle to read this book (whenever her Algebra and Biology homework finally gives her a break).

Available on Amazon or your local bookstore (support local business!).

No disclaimer. I did not receive anything from the author, nor was I requested to write this review.