Book Review – Maya and the Rising Dark by Rena Barron
After her father goes missing, 12-year-old Maya uncovers that he is the keeper of the gateway between our world and The Dark. To find her father, she’ll need to unlock her own powers and fight a horde of creatures set on starting a war. Stranger Things meets Percy Jackson set on the south side of Chicago.
My rating:
Honestly a super fun and lovely middle grade read! This had everything you need – adventure, myths, super powers, friendship, family, and a great bad guy! I also found the West African influences beautifully done and well explained for an audience (like me) that might not be as familiar with them.
There are some lovely quiet nods to Percy Jackson, but this easily stands on it’s own two feet.
Maya is a great lead, and I also adore her two friends, Eli and Frankie. We get some quick backstory on them all, but it’s against the main backdrop of what Maya is going through and seeing. All done in a Chicago neighbourhood that is strangely full of people who know what’s up 😉 That was one of my favourite things actually – such a good idea to have neighbourhoods for goslings and the Orisha. I also particularly love Frankie’s love of science and how she tries to explain everything – so nice to see magic and science not needing to fight!
The adventure itself is fun and full of just the right amount of peril and diversions. I loved that the kids really had no idea what they were doing or what to expect, and realised this very fast! But they learn quick, and soon are making some well educated guesses on how to get by 😀
The lord of shadows is a perfectly creepy and wonderful bad guy – though I’d have liked to have seen a little more of him, I sure we will in future books!
Honestly a super fun and lovely middle grade read! This had everything you need – adventure, myths, super powers, friendship, family, and a great bad guy! I also found the West African influences beautifully done and well explained for an audience (like me) that might not be as familiar with them.
There are some lovely quiet nods to Percy Jackson, but this easily stands on it’s own two feet.
Maya is a great lead, and I also adore her two friends, Eli and Frankie. We get some quick backstory on them all, but it’s against the main backdrop of what Maya is going through and seeing. All done in a Chicago neighbourhood that is strangely full of people who know what’s up 😉 That was one of my favourite things actually – such a good idea to have neighbourhoods for goslings and the Orisha. I also particularly love Frankie’s love of science and how she tries to explain everything – so nice to see magic and science not needing to fight!
The adventure itself is fun and full of just the right amount of peril and diversions. I loved that the kids really had no idea what they were doing or what to expect, and realised this very fast! But they learn quick, and soon are making some well educated guesses on how to get by 😀
The lord of shadows is a perfectly creepy and wonderful bad guy – though I’d have liked to have seen a little more of him, I sure we will in future books!
I definitely recommend this for middle grade lovers – especially if you want to widen your mythical knowledge! 4.5 stars.
Buy Maya and the Rising Dark from Waterstones.
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