Forget potions class, get ready for a wild ride! Disney thinks it’s struck gold with Katherine Rundell’s Impossible Creatures series. Last year, the company snapped up the movie rights, recognizing Rundell as the first author since J.K. Rowling to dominate children’s bestseller lists in both the U.S. and U.K. Originally envisioned as a trilogy, Rundell signed a lucrative deal last year to deliver five books, and after diving into the third installment, The Neverfear, I can see why the hype is real.
A World of Myth and Adventure
Released in 2023, Impossible Creatures unveils the hidden world of the Glimouria Archipelago, a realm where mythological creatures roam free. Like Narnia or Neverland, it’s a wondrous and dangerous place for young British kids to explore. Rundell draws inspiration from her childhood in Harare, Zimbabwe, blending real-world animals with mythology and Shakespearean flair.
While the first book draws inspiration from The Odyssey, the second echoes Hamlet. The Neverfear is a thrilling mix of Die Hard with a Vengeance and the Labours of Hercules. Christopher Forester, a boy deeply connected to animals, cares for mythical creatures on Glimt Island, aided by the former pirate Nighthand and the scholar Irian Guinne. When Irian is kidnapped, Christopher and the princess Anya must gather rare components from magical creatures across the archipelago to meet her captors’ demands.
Whimsy, Danger, and a Touch of Philosophy
The Neverfear masterfully blends whimsy with danger. A mission to collect whiskers from a giant’s Cerberus takes an unexpected detour into the kitchen, where kids swim in a massive bowl of custard and narrowly escape becoming a snack for a hungry child. An anything-goes race showcases a dazzling array of magical creatures, but also reveals the lengths some competitors will go to win, highlighting the importance of respecting animals and the natural world.
Rundell subtly weaves in clever literary and philosophical references that will likely fly over the heads of younger readers. Nighthand’s clumsy attempts at poetry, riffing off Shakespearean sonnets, are both humorous and endearing. More profound is her reimagining of the Ship of Theseus: Nighthand’s boat, repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt, embodies how failure can lead to growth and resilience. This comforting metaphor helps Christopher navigate a moment of despair.
A MacGuffin with Heart
Beyond protecting magical creatures, the heroes are tasked with safeguarding the Immortal Child, a recently reincarnated infant possessing all of humanity’s knowledge. It’s a clever twist on the chosen one trope, where the true hero is not the individual but the knowledge they represent. The villain, Astor Morax, can communicate with a snake that writhes under his skin through some dark version of Christopher’s own animal affinity, and he controls his minions with writhing ouroboros bracelets that are very reminiscent of Death Eater tattoos.
While Astor feels somewhat derivative of Voldemort, he’s currently a bit underdeveloped, with the story focusing on his dangerous lieutenants. Hopefully, later installments will flesh out his character more fully.
A Must-Read for Fantasy Fans
The Neverfear delivers everything you could want from a kid-friendly fantasy adventure. The sheer variety of creatures is astounding, and I wished there was even more of Ashley Mackenzie’s delicate art spread throughout the book’s pages, though a bestiary at the back of the book is a perfect closer. The heroes grow and support each other, but also make real sacrifices and confront hard truths. Rundell’s descriptive writing transports you to another world where trees have leaves that return to their branches to roost at night, and fearless warriors devise bizarre new ice cream flavors. With the Impossible Creatures movie in development, it’s well worth reading Rundell’s books to understand why Disney found them so magical.
The Neverfear will be available at all major booksellers on September 1st. Get ready for an unforgettable journey!
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