Fifteen-year-old orphan Jennifer Strange runs Kazam, an employment agency for magicians. Unfortunately, the worldwide demand for magic is dwindling, and Jennifer struggles to keep the agency going.
Legend has it that there is one remaining dragon—and one remaining dragonslayer. Many would like to get their hands on the pristine and desirable acreage where the final dragon resides, so it is exciting news when magician Kevin Zipp begins to experience visions of the last dragon dying at the hands of the Last Dragonslayer. Things may be about to change for Kazam. “Big Magic” is coming, and Jennifer may play a larger role than she ever could have anticipated.
Jasper Fforde’s fantasy world is vivid, exciting and unique. In Jennifer he has created a spunky heroine who is easy to root for. She finds herself in the position of being the fabled “Last Dragonslayer,” but she also discovers that she doesn’t particularly want to kill the dragon, who actually turns out to be quite intelligent and interesting.
Moral dilemmas and hilariously sarcastic humor reign supreme in Fforde’s first novel for young adults—book one in a series of three fantastical novels that promise to deliver more than just thrills. Readers will be forced to consider the price of greed and the motivations of those who claim to pursue “progress.”
Emily Booth Masters reviews from Nashville, Tennessee.
