The Restitching of Camille DuLaine
The Rivenlea Sphere, Book 2
In Lindsay A. Franklin’s mind-bending fantasy novel The Restitching of Camille DuLaine, teenagers are on a mission to save storytelling and those they love.
In this captivating sequel, story spheres have begun to fracture familiar fairy tales. Emlyn and her companions travel between the spheres to save their friends and remedy the disorder threatening their world. Battles against monster pigs, flying jabberwocks, and Giant John mark their voyage. With Emlyn’s sister, Camille, held captive in The Little Mermaid sphere, and a story from seventeen years prior adding intrigue, an energizing, fantastical adventure ensues.
The imaginative prose builds an urgent atmosphere in which “fog chokes” a dark alley dotted with the “anemic light” of streetlamps. Vibrant descriptions build offbeat and eccentric scenes, as with a now-altered Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland sphere that smells like “tea cakes, strawberries, and whimsy” and is a “world of 401Ks” and “budget meetings.”
The swift chapters alternate between Camille, Emlyn, and Hadeon’s perspectives, building suspense. Camille’s adolescence is palpable in her feistiness and frustration with her captor. Emlyn exudes spirited determination; she is an astute heroine as they cross into Wonderland, Robin Hood’s world, and Oz. Her knowledge of the stories informs the team’s actions. She also contemplates her purpose, resulting in increasing confidence and growth. Hadeon, meanwhile, hones his zephyr skills and reflects on how he wronged close friends. The casts’ exchanges are animated, marked by good-natured teasing and endearing loyalty. Faithful wyverns, fierce dragons, and sage elders enrich the worldbuilding, and the array of diverse characters leads to unexpected, satisfying developments in this story that embraces optimism through hardship and champions integrity and honesty.
In the absorbing fantasy novel The Restitching of Camille DuLaine, teenagers go on an exhilarating quest within remarkable stories.
Reviewed by
Katy Keffer
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
