Book Review - Sky Dancers

Sky Dancers starts off in the past, with the first chapter set 3 generations ago during a deadly storm. There are strange happenings, odd figures and it’s not entirely clear what’s happening or why, but that’s part of the joy of this book. You get a hint of the mystery from the very start.

As the next chapter brings us to the present day we meet Lorcan, a teenage boy who listens to the shipping forecast, loves astronomy and would love to do his school project alone. But that’s not possible as his teacher assigns him a partner in the form of new girl Hilly. She is as individual as he is, but in a wilder way and there’s something of the otherworld about her. Almost immediately we learn there is mystery in her past, with a strange warning left by her grandmother, and their project uncovers strange events in the village’s past.

Set in a coastal Cornwall town, the wildness of the landscape is brought beautifully to life and the storm in the beginning gives a sense of danger – even though it’s been occupied by humans, this land can turn on you with strange winds, sudden mists and dangerous cliffs and pools.

This book is enchanting from the start, with ghostly sprites, a lighthouse that appears and disappears, vivid dreams and a growing sense of peril. The storyline pulls you along in its current as with each clue you want to learn more, because surely the answer will be revealed in the next chapter. I was captivated by the characters of Lorcan and Hilly and how they navigate their growing friendship with differing beliefs - Lorcan has his feet fully planted on the ground with scientific facts, whereas Hilly increasingly believes she is the cause of strange events. 

I would recommend this for readers aged 11 and over. Younger or less confident readers may find the beginning and early chapters a bit harder to follow as some events and descriptions are more abstract, especially in the first flashback. Without the context of who the characters are and what has happened, it could seem confusing to readers who don’t have the confidence to keep reading and trust that more will be revealed. However, that shouldn't put off any readers, as it's well worth persevering for a wonderful story.

Fans of Abi Elphinstone, Thomas Taylor’s Eerie-on-Sea series and Amy Wilson will LOVE this book, and I loved it too. Lyrical and enchanting with a dash of peril, it’s everything you want from a coastal magical mystery.