The Chime Seekers

by Ross Montgomery

★★★★★

Review

My class absolutely loved this book and if I'm honest, I did too.

Chime Seekers is a book packed full of dark magic and sucks you straight to the center of the World of Fae, or Hallow Fall. Ross Montgomery balances suspense and adventure perfectly, creating unique parallel universe in which dark magic reigns over the land. His detailed description brings every element of both the real and magical world of Fallow Hall to life and enables the reader to journey alongside the book's protagonists.

My favourite thing about this book is how Yanni, a shy, timid young boy, is able to tune into his inner fierceness in order to save his sister from the grips of evil. We see his love for his missing sister develop as she falls further from his grasp and begin to understand how the love between siblings is more powerful that even Yanni himself realises. With the help of Amy, Yanni is able to overcome his greatest fears and face the dark magic of Hallow Fall head on, finding the strength to face each challenge with wit and determination to save his baby sister.

I would highly recommend this book to any growing or confident readers, or as shared read at bed time!

Dive Deeper

Key information

Author: Ross Montgomery

Illustrator: David Dean

Release Date: 4th November 2021

Book type: Chapter, 384 pages, paperback

Reader level: Confident reader (8+)/Shared read (younger)

Overview

This book begins with Yanni, a young boy who has recently moved houses with his parents and little sister Ari, hatinghis family for uprooting them from his old home. During this time, he begins to notice odd things about his new village (Fallow Hall) and thing get even more confusing when his estranged cousin, Amy, tells him of a local boy who disappeared a few years before. Little does Yanni know that this story is to become his reality, when one night he finds his sister Ari missing from her cot while his parents are out celebrating their anniversary.

Together, Amy and Yanni overcome their fear and begin their mission to find baby Ari and return her home safely before his parents find out. In order to find Ari, Yanni must find his way through the fireplace an into the magical world of Hallow Fall where he sees his new village in a new light - it looks the same, but dark magic has taken over the landscape and those who live there. During his time in this world, Yanni comes face to face with the evil ruler, Lord Renwin, who is determined to take Ari for his own. Despite the warnings from his cousin, Yanni strikes a deal with Lord Renwin and must complete 3 impossible tasks in order to free his sister, or face the music by returning to his parents empty handed.