Castle of Blue Stones

Jordan
Elizabeth
Genre: 
Young Adult

A volcano took out most of the population of the world, coloring it in blue and filling the air with ash causing memory loss — or so the leaders tell everyone.  Jaisy wanders the castle and the snowy grounds, plagued with visions of those who do not exist in her real life and a panther that seems more real than fantasy.  She spends her free time writing stories, filling pages with her dreams and the life she wishes was her reality.  When Jaisy finds old books and documents in a hidden room, she begins to question whether the guardians have lied to them all.  As color other than blue slowly comes back to Jaisy, she is determined to find the truth, make some pay, and build a new life no matter the cost.

An intriguing story full of lies and deceit, “Castle of Blue Stones” will have readers questioning everything until the end.  The world Ms. Elizabeth builds is full of possibility but without a foundation and full description. It unravels quickly and never delivers a fully developed world.  The fantasy element, although it brings an interesting aspect to the story, has very little explanation and creates a plot that is hard to follow.  Those who love an unlikeable and unreliable narrator will enjoy the main character Jaisy.  The graphic descriptions and gore that come out of nowhere can be shocking and may prove too much for readers, especially for the young adult audience the book is marketed to. Although “Castle of Blue Stones” may not be for every reader, those who like a dark dystopian world will find enjoyment in its pages.

 Amy Cefoldo