Gabriel Finley and the Raven's Riddle by George HagenMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
Source; Netgalley (received to review)
Genre: Middle Grade Adventure
Book Description: How can twelve-year-old Gabriel find his missing father, who seems to have vanished without a trace? With the help of Paladin—a young raven with whom he has a magical bond that enables them to become one creature—he flies to the foreboding land of Aviopolis, where he must face a series of difficult challenges and unanswerable riddles that could lead to his father... or to his death.
My thoughts: Riddles, ravens, black magic, ancient legends, a dancing desk, and unlikely friends are aspects to look forward to when reading Gabriel Finley and the Raven's Riddle.
At the beginning of the book Gabriel is turning 12. He is a very intelligent boy who lives with his aunt. His father disappeared three years ago leaving him in the custody of his aunt. He is a master at riddles and has an affinity for ravens.
Gabriel has to figure out a riddle in order to save his father, save the world from black magic, and help out his friends. It was refreshing to read about a young boy using his mind more than his brawn.
This book is fun for middle grade readers. I love the child characters. Many of the adults were not fun characters to read about. The book illustrates the value of choices and the consequences of bad choices.
This is a book that is engaging and would be fun for middle grade kids to read. For me, it all wrapped up a little too neatly. It appears that there may be another adventure planned for Gabriel. It would be interesting to see what adventures await him and his friends.
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Sounds cute. I like finding book that might interest my son. Great review :)
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