Title: The Twelve
Author: Liz Hyder
Published: 10th October 2024
Publisher: Pushkin’s Children’s Books
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
As the Winter solstice blankets the Pembrokeshire landscape in an otherworldly glow, sisters Kit and Libby are drawn to a mysterious white tower to test a prophecy they have heard talked about. But when the magic of the tower causes Libby to vanish, they find themselves caught in a mystery that takes them in to the deep past. Libby has been erased from the world – her laughter, her presence, even their mother’s memories of her have all disappeared.
The world has rewritten itself, leaving Kit to navigate a reality where her sister doesn’t exist. Determined to unravel the enigma surrounding her sister’s disappearance, Kit joins forces with a local boy named Story. Together, they journey through a world steeped in ancient folklore, on a quest fraught with danger beyond their wildest imagination. The race is on to find a sister, help heal a cosmic wound and put the world back on its proper course. This lyrical and beautiful novel explores themes of responsibility both personal and political and the importance of love and friendship to make good in the world.
Waterstones
Huge thank you to Pushkin Children’s Books for sending me a proof copy of The Twelve!
I was very intrigued by the book, both the blurb and the fact that the author’s previous book had won prizes, but didn’t quite hit the mark with me. I was very interested to see if I maybe just didn’t gel with this author, or if it was something more. I’m happy to say that it was just me!
I really liked this novel. It was a very interesting idea for a narrative, which was a real page turner. Despite the short number of pages, Hyder packs a lot of content in. It’s equal parts haunting and heart-warming.
I really liked the characters in the novel. Kit is a lovely main character, the care she has for her sister is so evident and pours off the page. Story is our other main character, a very intriguing and mysterious character. Hyder drip feeds the info about him into the narrative, and we are never quite sure about him. I liked this ambiguity about the character, it added to the overall mystery of the novel.
This novel draws on folklore and rituals to create a novel that both feels contemporary and historic at the same time. The influences of magic and mythology are strongly woven through the narrative, and make the novel feel almost timeless.
Overall I enjoyed The Twelve. It is a unique teen novel with a different premise. It deftly deals with some difficult topics without ever feeling overbearing. I really enjoyed the mythology and the folklore elements, and would recommend as a quick teen read!
Huge thank you again to Pushkin Children’s Books for the proof copy of The Twelve.
*Pre-order The Twelve on Waterstones or BookShop.org (affiliate link)
