Fantasy for 7th through 12th Grades - Lumara by Melissa Landers

Lumara by Melissa Landers

Springfield-Greene County Library (SGCL) 's catalog places Lumara in Young Adult Fantasy.

SGCL's catalog recommends this work for ages 14 to 18, grades 10 to 12, and will be included within searches with the following subjects: magic - juvenile fiction, secrecy - juvenile fiction, young adult fiction, and fantasy fiction.

Landers' work draws readers into a world where mystics and traditional people live side-by-side, but are soon transported to Lumara, an island hosting a powerful mystical family and community.  Talia has fallen in love with her boyfriend, Nathaniel, knowing very little about him or his family.  Accompanying him to a wedding occurring on an island steeped in mystery, an earth-shattering event turns everyone into suspects, leaving Talia not sure whom to trust, even her own father, her only living parent, while searching how to break a long-standing curse.

I chose this work after recognizing the popularity of fantasy within this specific age group, many of which are the same age as the main character, and is combined with a good mystery.  Also, while Harry Potter remains popular, I was seeking a book with similar elements, yet, told differently, in polar opposite settings: enchanting castle versus a desolate island, several diverse characters juxtaposed against a tight-knit family.

For this review, I will be critiquing pacing, setting, and tension.

I felt the pacing within Lumara was aptly suited depending on the setting: slow-to-medium when the main character, Talia, is with her boyfriend, Nathaniel, or chatting with her friends or roommate, yet, the implied tempo increases when interacting with Nathaniel's family, or an event(s) serving as catalysts within the plot.  Readers sense when to slow down and read certain portions more in-depth, while simultaneously eager to see what transpires.  In one particular instance, using italics when describing the setting and actions occurring within an attic invokes urgency on Talia's part, while instilling the same within readers (Landers, 2022), albeit for different reasons.

The settings within Lumara are well-described and entice readers to continue reading while inviting them into various environments.  From a concert to a college dormitory room to a place where Talia knows she should not be, readers feel like they are part of the story alongside the main characters.  Landers' use of terminology, italics, and caps not only help readers connect with the settings but also with the characters and the plot.  Personally, this was a primary motivator in wanting to finish this book.

Landers uses tension well particularly in stressful situations: when seeing Nathaniel, meeting his family, being judged by a council - there is no shortage of examples for this attribute.  Landers’ careful use of tension guides the plot - light tension to suggest uncomfortable or unfamiliar surroundings, heavier emphasis when magic has been used - particularly curses.  One specific example is where a mysterious male voice forebodes the fates of those affected by a particular curse, and the magical powers of the island (Landers, 2022). 

Landers, M. (2022). Lumara book cover. LUMARA Kirkus Reviews. Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 2AD, from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/melissa-landers/lumara/..

Landers, M., & Penning, M. (2022). Lumara. Disney Hyperion.