Czary-mary according to Mull – review of the novel “The Candy Shop War”

Brandon Mull is a fulfilled writer. His debut – Fablehaven – appeared many times on the New York Times bestseller list, and the Young Readers Choice Award sealed the young artist’s success. The reader will be delighted with the latest novel by a popular writer – The Candy Shop War , which is available on the Polish market thanks to the Wilga Publishing House!

Fabulous

One day, teenage members of the recently founded “Blue Falcons” adventurers’ club – Nate, Trevor, Pigeon and Summer – visit “Sweet Tooth”, a newly opened candy store (and how, magical!). Belinda White, the owner of the tabernacle, rewards the favors of the children, which are to contribute to the success of the business, with sweets that allow, among others, float in the air, change appearance or walk through mirrors. Despite the fact that the orders of the charming owner of Sweet Tooth seem to be at least strange and sometimes even dangerous, initially the children do not give up fun for the body and… soul. In the meantime, Mr. Stott, an ice cream maker who has recipes for delicious desserts, appears in the city, busy with confectionery. As you can imagine, the sweets she sells also have extraordinary power. Reading a novel, Certainly, the question will pass through our minds, why these confectioners appeared in the city and whether they can be trusted. The answer will probably surprise you.

Subjectively

The latest proposal from the Wilga publishing house is the first volume of the series by Mull. The world we meet in The Candy Shop War, is no less original than the Fairy Tale universe. On the one hand, the author uses well-known motifs, on the other – he creates an extraordinary world in which dreams, young and a little older, come true. The novel has been enriched with a pinch of didacticism, which makes it remarkable in its message. Mull is not afraid to distinguish between good and evil, discusses the limits of life and death, and draws attention to the power of friendship. In each chapter we learn how magical the created world is, and although the characters are perceived more as a group than as individuals, young readers can freely identify with them. The ending of the first volume of the series is consistent, which increases the curiosity of the reader in connection with the following volumes. To sum up, it is impossible to tear myself away from the book. This is a great proposition for both teenagers and older readers. The Candy Shop War is also a good gift, such as a Santa Claus gift (with attached sweets, but magical, of course!).

Beauty is indeed

The atmosphere of The Candy Shop War will probably associate experienced readers with the work of Stephen King (a small, American town …) or the American science-fiction horror film Stranger Things (teenage heroes riding bicycles …), although it is worth noting that the repetition of some motifs does not make the novel predictable. The Candy Shop War because it is – thanks to its co-creators – one of a kind. Congratulations to the author, but also to the translator – Rafał Lisowski and the fantastic illustrator Alicja Kocurek. The cover effectively catches the reader’s eye – the title, as well as the author’s name, has been exposed, and the colors of the graphics perfectly match the entire edition. The golden elements of the cover reflect the light, and the inside of the cover hypnotizes with the depth of color. The Wilga publishing house has opted for a soft cover, which, however, should not affect the overall assessment of the publication.