Fenn Halflin and the Fearzero

by Francesca Armour-Chelu

★★★★★

Review

This book is a hidden gem. I stumbled across Fenn Halflin when looking for another book to make up the "4 books for the price of 3" when shopping on WoB, and I am so pleased that I took a chance on it.

I loved everything about this book - from the eerie setting to the complicated relationship between Fenn and his grandfather. After only a few chapters, I was fully invested in Fenn's escape from the Terra Firma and was routing for his survival as he faced endless challenges and near-death experiences! I also adored little Tikki, the mongoose, who allowed a glimmer of love and comfort within the chaos that surrounds Fenn and his friends. 

It took me a while to get my head around the boating vocabulary that is used in this book, as well as some of the setting description as Fenn lives in a land so very different to Cornwall. This was not a problem with Google search by my side and I soon picked up the language and was able to enjoy the story. Having access to an image search or dictionary is something I would highly recommend for the early chapters, unless you are clued up on the different parts of boats and sailing jargon! 

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Key information

Author: Francesca Armour-Chelu

Illustrator: Richard Collingbridge

Release Date: 2nd June 2016

Book type: Chapter, 297 pages, paperback

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

Series: First of 2

Overview

Fenn Halflin and the Fearzero is a suspense-filled adventure book that follows the escape of a young boy named Fenn, and his mongoose companion, Tikki, from the grips of death. Fenn has only ever known a dark, flooded world and the love of his grandfather, Halflin, but soon comes face to face with the terrors of his past. When Fenn was just a young child, his parents (leaders of the Resistance group) were killed by the Terra Firma, a ruthless organisation led by the evil Chilstone. Fenn soon learns that Chilstone seeks to kill the son of the Resistance in order to take full control over the land. With little more than the clothes on his back, Fenn must leave his grandfather behind and flee from the danger that follows him.

After a short while at sea, Fenn is abandoned on the Shanties - a place where no love is found and protection is even further out of reach. Fenn must use every ounce of strength he has to fight off the starved, crazed islanders while also keeping hidden from the Terra Firmer. Just as things are looking up, Fenn's world is turned upside down and he must now escape from those who he thought he could trust and fight for the legacy that his parents left behind.

Should I read this book?

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Note: The vocabulary is fairly advanced and will require the reader to understand or look up a few things in the early chapters before being able to fully enjoy the story. 

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Where can I find this book?

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