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Thomas Bergus and the Book of Sorrows Review

Title: Thomas Wildus and the Book of Sorrows
Author: J.M. Bergen
Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy
Trigger Warnings: 
My Rating: 4 Stars
Release Date: February 2, 2019

Synopsis

Magic is real, Thomas. No matter what happens, always remember that magic is real.

Seven years have passed, and Thomas hasn't forgotten. He hasn't forgotten the blue of his dad's eyes either, or the tickle of beard on his cheek as they hugged goodbye. Last moments with a parent are memorable, even if you don't know that's what you're having.

Now, with his 13th birthday rapidly approaching, Thomas's search for magic is about to take a radical and unexpected turn. At an out-of-the-way shop filled with dusty leather books, a strange little man with gold-flecked eyes offers him an ancient text called The Book of Sorrows. The price is high and the rules are strict, but there's no way Thomas can resist the chance to look inside.

With the mysterious book guiding the way, a strange new world is revealed – a world in which Thomas has a name and destiny far more extraordinary than he ever imagined. But time is short. Even as Thomas uncovers his secret family history, a powerful new enemy emerges, threatening to end his rise to power and destroy everything he holds dear.

Through a fresh voice, genuine characters, and a unique story line, Thomas Wildus and The Book of Sorrows is destined to appeal to fans of Harry Potter and readers of all ages who love the search for magic and adventure.

Review

Thank you Netgalley and Elandrian Press for providing this free advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review.


JM Bergen's Thomas Wildus and the Book of Sorrows focuses on Thomas' discovery into the world of magic and his own capabilities within this world. Thomas is twelve and in seventh grade, and faces issues relating to being in middle school on top of the magic. He seems like a realistic young teenager, facing issues like bullies and girls while discovering this world of magic. Some people may think that this character is too immature, but he remains realistic and nothing seems too dark or mature for this middle grade category. Bergen obviously has experience with middle school boys to portray them in such an accurate and relatable manner.


The worldbuilding was really well presented, even though technically Thomas does not enter this magical world until about halfway through. The Book of Sorrows provides a background as Thomas tries to discover the magic and he is slowly taught how to perform magic without too much information being presented all at once. The basics are all covered and this leaves room for slow worldbuilding in the rest of the series, which I am definitely looking forward to reading. The rules of magic are clearly defined so nothing is too confusing or overcomplicated and the plot is able to make sense within this world.


How Thomas interacts with others is really interesting and presents a ton of indirect characterization that leads to interest and a stake in how Thomas is going to act, like how he starts pranking some of the adults, or how he and Enrique talk to each other. His relationship with Penny is also really interesting because it is so sweet and pure that it fits perfectly in middle grade. I would have loved to see a relationship like this when I was younger. Thomas is genuinely a kind person. Often fantasy heroes are described as kind, but so many of Thomas' actions build him to be this person rather than just listing character traits that are never followed through with.


My one major problem with this work is how bogged down by the details it gets at some point, particularly while Thomas is still reading the Book of Sorrows. I found myself skipping through it and focusing only on Thomas' reactions. While the idea of including excerpts of the text was interesting, the execution just did not turn out right and slowed down the pace too much, especially with everything else that is going on at the same time. As a book aimed at younger readers, this could present an issue to power through these excess details.


Overall, I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to future books in the series, to see more issues that Thomas, Enrique, and the other characters will face. This book does work well as a standalone, but the characters are interesting enough and future issues were hinted at that I can't wait to see what else Bergen will have in store for this series. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys middle grade fantasy series, particularly Fablehaven and Percy Jackson. This is really just such a solid middle grade read and especially great for a first book in a series, with definitely potential for any future books.
This book is released this Saturday, February 2!

Were any of you hit hard by the winter storm? What books are you reading when it's so cold? Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for reading!
Alyssa

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