Elissa
13-year-old Elissa struggles to find her place in the close-nit community of High Crossing. With no connection to her parents and no friends, Elissa finds solace in nature and her ability to talk to animals. Her life changes forever when her father arrives in town and takes her away from her healer grandmother on an expedition to visit the Khan. She is troubled by her father’s cold demeanor, but she holds out hope that he will come to love her with time. These hopes are dashed as she learns that her father plans to trade her to the Khan in exchange for soldiers. Consumed with anger and grief, she agrees to live with the Khan, and her father gets his wish. In the Khan’s Citadel, she is horrified to learn that the Khan plans to marry her as soon as she comes of age. Elissa escapes his notice for a time, but in the end she must call upon her Gift of talking to animals to overcome the evil ruler.
Steeped in myth, this adventure/fantasy will appeal to readers who liked Patrick Carman’s The Dark Hills Divide. Elissa is a realistic, sympathetic protagonist. However, like in Carman’s series, some plot twists feel contrived, the triumph comes too easily and the mythology elements introduced in the beginning fail to come to any satisfying resolution in the end. Verrillo has managed to craft an appealing fantasy world peopled with mysterious characters, especially the Blue People. She also has created a host of strong female characters, from the plucky Elissa to the wizened healers. A good choice for reluctant or beginning readers, though established readers will find more depth in Laini Taylor’s Faeries of Dreamdark: Blackbringer, another fantasy about a courageous heroine who can talk to animals and finds herself in the middle of a larger mythological tale.
DweebMeter: 2.5/5
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I thought this was a great fantasy! The mix of anthropology, history and mythology made for an interesting read – more sophisticated than most children’s books, and definitely more subtle. (I doubt younger readers will catch the slightly tongue-in-cheek humor, though they’ll probably love the slapstick.) Verrillo is taking her time setting the elements of the story in place, which is a quality I miss in books lately. They all seem to rush by so fast! The cliffhanger ending didn’t bother me at all. This is the first of a trilogy, and with two more books to come, I’m sure everything will be wrapped up in the end. When are you going to review the second book? I liked it better than the first.
Would you say that I should definitely at least give it a try?
Yes, definitely give it a try!
I read Elissa’s Quest last year and thought it was fantastic! I also read the second book in the trilogy, Elissa’s Odyssey, this fall. (Couldn’t wait for it to come out!) The plot is intriguing, but what I liked best about both books were the characters, particularly the talking animals. Gertrude is a kind of rude donkey, but very likable, and Ralph the camel is truly hilarious. In fact, all the characters are great. (And Elissa has eyes that I WANT!!) I can’t think of anybody who wouldn’t like this fantasy. It’s really fun!!
This book really grew on me. At first I was hesitant about a book featuring a female heroine, but Elissa doesn’t fall into the traps of other fantasy heroines. First of all, she’s feisty, and she knows her own mind. She’s not afraid to take action. But, she’s also a completely realistic 13-year-old. (She even gets her period. How many times do you see THAT in a fantasy?) Elissa’s got her insecurities, but throughout the book she remains true to herself. The fact that she is courageous and brave took away a lot of the anxieties I had about reading about a girl. (Plus, she’s really pretty.) I’d recommend this book to guys, too. I think they’ll like Falk and the Blue People a lot, and there’s enough danger to keep their attention.
I originally bought Elissa’s Quest as a present for my daughter after our local librarian recommended it. What I was looking for was a good, “safe” book (no sex, no violence). Well, my daughter adored it! And after a few days of listening to her go on and on (and on)about Gertrude and Ralph, I decided to pick it up myself. What a pleasant surprise! The book was engaging, well-written, and, best of all, it was actually for children. Nowadays, so many “children’s” books are actually adult books. The content is way too dark for kids. This one really aims at the age group it’s intended for. Since buying that first copy I’ve bought quite a few others. My daughter insisted on giving copies to her all her friends for birthday gifts, and to her teachers! From all reports they’ve enjoyed it just as much as my daughter and I did. I highly recommend Elissa’s Quest to all parents. It’s what a children’s book is supposed to be.
I LOVE Elissa! And, guess what? Tonight I am going to BE Elissa. (In case you don’t know, it’s Hallowe’en.) I’ve got a long blue skirt, a peasant blouse, a cloak and my mom made me a daisy crown! (We went to Michael’s.) So, anyway, the book was fantastic! I’ve read both of them. Elissa’s Quest is the first and Elissa’s Odyssey is the second. They were both great, so I can’t decide which one I liked better. One takes place in the desert and the other takes place in a swamp. Elissa has great magic powers, she can talk to animals, and it looks like she can even talk to plants. I can’t wait for the next book to come out!
Wish I’d thought of that! And, my name’s Alyssa too! I’m thinking of going as a Blue Woman next year, with hennaed hands. (The Blue People are truly awesome.) I really loved Elissa’s Quest too. I’m just waiting for my library to order a copy of Elissa’s Odyssey. It sounds great!
Elissa’s Quest is my favorite book of all time! I can’t say enough good things about it. Elissa is one of those magical people you wish you knew in real life. And Maya is cute beyond belief. I like all the mystery. What does the prophecy mean? (I suspect we’ll find out at the end of the series.)I’m almost finished with Elissa’s Odyssey, the second book, and it’s just as good. Can’t wait for book 3!!!
Elissa’s Quest is right at the top of my “top ten” list. First of all, it’s the kind of book you can’t put down. Each chapter finishes with a punch line that makes you want to keep reading. And second, I just loved all the characters. Elissa is someone to model yourself after. She’s independent and spunky. But all the other characters were just as engaging. Best of all, I really like the way the author describes everything. In the part where Elissa and Maya are going through the tunnel to the secret lake, I could feel the weight of the earth above them. This is a great book for kids, but I’m well over 12 and thought it was wonderful.
I finished Elissa’s Quest last week and it only took me two days to read it. But that’s because I couldn’t stop! Wow!!! I was really sad when the book ended. It felt like I was losing my friends. Good for me the second book is already out. (I got it out of the library this afternoon.)I’m very excited!! If there’s a review of Elissa’s Odyssey, I’ll let you all know how I liked it!
I’m an adult. So it’s odd that I decided to read this book, but my sister and my mom would not stop talking about it so I read it. It was pretty good. I was surprised how intelligent it was. But my sister understood is and she’s not to bright so that’s good. It was really immersive and fun and strangely addictive. I suggest to any age.
I don’t understand why everyone hasn’t read this book. This is the next Harry Potter. Except Elissa is way cooler that Harry. She’s strong and clever and pretty and exactly like my older sister. Except my older sister can’t talk to animals.
I completely agree with Jamie! Elissa is way cooler than Harry Potter. I think when the word gets around, everybody WILL read Elissa’s Quest. (And Elissa’s Odyssey. Have you read it yet?) When are they going to make it into a movie? The talking animals would be fantastic!
I LOVED both of these books…they are great for adults and can’t wait for my little girl to be old enough for them. The story is engaging and unique…different than anything out there. Makes a great gift for tween birthday parties and Christmas. There is a third one coming out, I think in 2009 and I will get that ASAP.
Phenomenal! Elissa’s Quest was humorous, exciting, interesting and the author wasn’t afraid to tackle the thorny issue of Elissa becoming a woman. (Well, isn’t that what “coming of age” is all about?) Anyhow, I loved the book. I thought it had greater depth than most children’s books, which meant an 18-year-old (such as myself) could enjoy reading it, but it was still appropriate for a younger crowd. All in all, this is a wonderful read for just about anybody.
Just finished Elissa’s Quest! Loved it, loved it, loved it!!!! It was really fun, and I’ll never be able to look at a camel again without thinking of Ralph. (OK, so maybe I don’t see camels that often. But now I know what they’re thinking.) Elissa’s Odyssey is at the top of my Christmas list. I know it’s going to be just as good!!
This was a wonderful book! I’m in high school, so I am used to reading more adult-type books. But I really got into Elissa’s Quest. It was funny, very sweet, and cleverly written. Best of all, it really is a children’s book. (I can name you a dozen that aren’t, even though they are labeled as such.) I was completely charmed by Elissa and her friends. I plan on starting the next book in the trilogy tomorrow. (I bought a copy to read over break.) If there’s a review of Elissa’s Odyssey on this site, I’ll let everybody know what I thought of it, though I’m sure it will be just as good as the first book.
I’m not just an adult, I’m a guy, and I thought this book was really good. It’s easy to read and kept my interest. Favorite characters: the vultures. Read it.
I thought this was a solid, well written children’s fantasy. It reads like a classic (more like Lord of the Rings than Harry Potter), so it will appeal to people who enjoy Tolkein. It’s one of those books that you keep thinking about even after you’ve finished. Great vacation reading.
I loved this book! It was funny and mysterious. Elissa was a great main character, very likable and very strong-minded. She’s someone you can really identify with. I also read the second book, Elissa’s Odyssey, and I liked that one just as much. Maybe even more. The new characters were cool, and the plot just gets more interesting. I’m really excited about the next book!