Review: The Glorious Race of Magical Beasts by Alex Bell

Wow! Wow! Wow! I know it’s only the start of the year but The Glorious Race of Magical Beasts is already a contender for my book of the year! A splendiferous, magical adventure that transported me into an incredible world that I didn’t want to leave.  The sheer enjoyment, connection and immersion I felt whilst reading this is a testament to the brilliance of the storytelling. This is the kind of story that makes readers – and that’s a real-life magic power!  If there’s any doubt – this is an absolute must-read!

Twelve-year-old Eli is an apprentice librarian at the Royal Library in the Port City of Harmonia.  And this is a job that suits the quiet, tweed-wearing Eli perfectly.  He can live a safe, sensible life with his best friend, Humphrey who just so happens to be a poetry-loving moon tortoise, looking forward to celebrating his hundredth birthday.  Whilst Eli may not be looking for adventure, adventure has a way of finding those with courageous, true hearts …

When Eli discovers that his Nana is unwell, he decides to enter the Glorious Race of Magical Beasts in order to sell the prize to pay for the treatment his Nana needs.  This is no easy decision for Eli as his parents died during a race.  But Eli adores his Nana and is prepared to do anything to save her, even if this means defying her wishes, and sailing into the adventure of his life …

And so begins the most magical, daring and dangerous adventure as Eli boards his friend, Jeremiah’s, ship, the Nepo to compete to get to each checkpoint in the race.  It is not long before he is joined by Raven and her ice hare, who has her own reasons for winning the race.  Can this trio work together, not only to overcome the many perils placed in their path by the race, but also a threat from someone hunting one of them? Can they trust each other in a race which can only have one winner, or will their secrets pull them apart?  I really don’t want to say anything more for fear of spoilers, but suffice to say that this is an action-packed adventure brimming with unexpected happenings, oodles of danger, both scary and wonderful magical creatures and the most exciting race through the most fantastical places.

The world-building is quite simply sublime from the Royal Library (oh yes – libraries of all sorts are an important part of this adventure – and I’m all for that!) with its own bats to a dessert-selling restaurant with chocolate penguin waiters and an island where you will never view balloons the same again! Be prepared to meet a sentient ship, a vampire librarian and a mermaid queen and so many other extraordinary creatures of sky, land and sea as the race unfolds.  I must say I am in awe of the author’s imagination and wonder if she has her own inspire-rat! 

Oh my goodness!  I absolutely adored Eli who has so much inner strength, kindness and courage.  It is so wonderful to see that quiet, bookish children can have great adventures whilst remaining true to themselves.  We underestimate them at our peril!  It was so wonderful to see Eli find that he has things in common with Raven as their friendship grows.  There is so much more to these three remarkable children than I have mentioned, but I think this is something readers need to discover for themselves.  I have no doubt that they will be just as awestruck by these revelations as I was.  I just have to mention Humphrey, the moon tortoise, who is just adorable with his penchant for over-confidence in his own abilities which brought me lots of smiles.   

The illustrated chapter headings include a range of magical beasts and are absolutely stunning. 

A marvellously magical adventure into a fantastical world that will completely captivate its readers, and take them on an incredible reading experience that they’ll want to return to again and again … an absolute must-buy!

Thank you to Faber Children’s Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest opinion.