The Edge of In Between

February 1, 2022
An enchanted garden offers an orphan and her cousin a chance to heal their broken hearts. In this lightly gothic fantasy retelling of The Secret Garden, artistic Lottie uses her special magic to imbue her paintings with a vitality that makes them feel alive. Her talent, like all such gifts in the Land of the Living, is innate. However, not everyone holds onto their magic. Magic and color usually fade as one ages, and people join the Living Gray, unable to use magic or see color and becoming devoid of any pigmentation. Sudden shocks can also drain a person's magic instantly; after the accidental deaths of her parents, Lottie becomes a Living Gray. She is sent to live with her estranged uncle, who endlessly roams the In Between seeking the ghost of his wife. Lottie and her cousin, Clement, another Living Gray, discover a hidden garden that gives them hope of reclaiming the magic and future they once believed lost. As with the original classic, this story highlights themes of redemption and companionship. The blossoming garden and Lottie's friendship with Clement help her understand the interconnectedness of emotions and the empowerment that comes with having hope. While the novel is highly imaginative, certain plot and worldbuilding elements feel complex to the point of confusion, disrupting the reading experience. Lottie is cued as White, and Clement has brown skin. An inventive but overcomplicated twist on a classic. (Fantasy. 9-13)

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March 25, 2022

Gr 3-7-An odd mix of magic and grief therapy that is partially a homage to The Secret Garden, this is a tale of a place where the location's names match their spirit; Vivelle, Forsaken, In Between, and Ever After. In the beginning, Lottie lives in the lively colorful world of Vivelle working her painting magic with vibrant colors, happy and loved. When her parents die in an accident, she loses that magic and is suddenly a Living Gray. She's sent to Forsaken to stay with an uncle who uses his magic to search for his dead wife and perhaps Lottie's parents. As she moves to the In Between, Lottie discovers companions and friends who help her revive a hidden garden and some of her colorful magic (which, of course, helps her cope with her grief). The symbolism is so heavily laid on with the florid prose that no one could possibly miss the message. However, the magical properties of each space are well drawn. Lottie and many of the characters she meets are engaging, with villains appropriately evil. VERDICT There is nothing subtle about the writing or the plot, but if your fans of magical universes and hidden gardens are looking for their next book, this will do.-Carol A. Edwards

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from May 2, 2022
Savaryn’s (The Circus of Stolen Dreams) detail-rich, fantastical retelling of The Secret Garden traverses the intricate, winding path of grief. Twelve-year-old artist Lottie lives in the Land of the Living’s capital, Vivelle, a magical and vibrant city. She and her parents are some of the lucky few who’ve maintained their magic, existing in technicolor alongside the Living Gray, whose magic and color have faded. Lottie was certain her color would never atrophy, since “it couldn’t be that hard to keep it, if a person wanted it badly enough,” until Lottie becomes a Living Gray herself following her parents’ sudden deaths. She’s taken in by her uncle and her Living Gray cousin Clement, and upon uncovering a mysterious garden on their property, the pair realize it’s possible to get their magic, and their color, back. With vivid prose, Savaryn delicately captures the achingly real toll of loss through the lens of art while expertly navigating faith and grief’s impact on mental health. Readers will relish the lush, eerie atmosphere and Lottie and Clement’s heartwarming friendship. Most characters cue as white; Clement has brown skin. Ages 8–12. Agent: Chloe Seager, Madeleine Milburn Literary.

Starred review from March 15, 2022
Grades 4-8 *Starred Review* Savaryn's novel offers a luminous retelling of The Secret Garden. Lottie lives in Vivelle, a place of color and magic. One night, her world turns upside down when her parents die, and in her intense grief, she becomes one of the Living Gray, people who lose their color and their magic either from age or a severe shock. She accepts an invitation to live at her uncle's home, Forsaken, which has relocated to the In Between, the place that the souls of the dead cross on their way to the Ever After. Slowly, she begins to work through her sorrow, inspired by the beautiful frozen and hidden garden she finds and works to restore. Savaryn has counterparts for the main characters of The Secret Garden (including the robin) and they fulfill their roles accordingly, but at the same time, they are their own people. The narrative is sensory and textured, from the vat of sorrow that powers the house, allowing it to move through the In Between, to the garden slowly coming to life. Even a simple meal shared with the gardener's family is a sensory feast. Lottie takes in her experiences and works through her grief thoughtfully and at her own pace, so it rings true and isn't a "lesson." This is a book about loss, and Lottie discovers that it is not something one gets over but, rather, is something with which one learns to live.

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