The Star

By Amariah Dixon
Published in 2013

Why I chose this book:
I would like to expand this blog to include chapter books before T is actually reading chapter books. When a review opportunity arose to review a YA Christian fantasy novel, I was interested. I accepted a copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Review

You know that dream where something ominous is after you, but you don't know why? That is what sixteen-year-old Riley faces repeatedly in The Star: How the Magic Began. His story begins with abuse by a group of bullies at his school. Shortly thereafter, he wakes to find a star imprint over his eye. He hides this from his parents, but cannot avoid showing it to his friend Kelly. Almost immediately thereafter, they are chased by a malicious ghost army. Riley escapes from one horrific encounter only to be thrust into another: evil clowns, mad scientists, ghouls, grim reapers, and the like. Each creature must be battled, be it in Colorado, an alternate dimension, or the magical land of Zefa, which Riley and Kelly enter through a mysterious door in the forest. In Zefa, he is able to use magic against his adversaries. Although most new characters are abusive bullies, some are victims of bullies; these individuals he befriends. The novel concludes with many questions left unanswered; it is clearly intended to set the stage for another installment.

Billed as a Christian book, The Star is primarily a story of good vs. evil. Riley is pitted against various "evil" characters, many of whom avow their loyalty to the Vile One outright. I have asked myself why Riley must experience animosity from almost everyone he meets, animosity that leads to attempts on his life. Perhaps we are meant to read Riley as the messianic figure in this story: he is selected by the One of Light and comes into his power as a young adult, he stands against abuse of the weak, and he acquires followers as he travels through Zefa (and those followers become as close as brothers themselves). I wonder if he will need to die in a future novel in order to fulfill the purpose for which he was marked with the star.