Nevermoor meets Howlâs Moving Castle in this engaging fantasyâthe first in a duologyâfrom acclaimed author Ryan Graudin. Perfect for fans of wizards, dragons, magical castles, spectacular spells, and a spunky cat who may not be what he seems.
Wizard West was dead for nearly an entire day before he noticed. And it is up to Faye, the daughter of Westâs groundskeeper, to inform the wizard that he is a ghost who has lost all of his magical powers. (But not before the wizard tries transforming her into a cat!) To make matters worse, the enchanted castle of Celurdurâthe only home that Faye has ever knownâwill fall apart at the next full moon if its foundation spells canât be renewed.
After (sort of) accepting his demise, West decides to host a competition to choose his successor. Faye finds herself fighting to keep the tournament running smoothly behind the scenes: putting out kitchen fires, feeding the compost dragon, and making sure competitors stay away from the cockatrice pen.
But killer roosters soon become the least of her worries. A servant of the evil Shadow Queen has sabotaged the contestâset on destroying not just Celurdur but the entire kingdom of Solum. It is up to Faye to stop him, but sheâll need more than a mop. Will a maidâs magic be enough to save everything she loves from utter destruction?