“I just wanna be freakin’ normal”. Matthew Mackenzie from the Gatekeeper's Descendants by Johanna Frank

 

“He calls for patient endurance and faithfulness.  He gives mercy and grace, all freely.”

                                                            click on image to go to amazon

Pip had arrived at the gates a while ago and has not felt that she was ready to enter the city of the king, so she spent her time with Megalos, the Gatekeeper.  He has taken her in as family and takes care of her. Her perfectly round white stone is in her pocket to hand in when she enters the city gates.

Matthew Mackenzie is a very unhappy 13-year-old.  His father, who was an astronomer, had died some years back, and his mom remarried.  She was now divorced and what makes it worse for Matthew is that he now has a baby sister of 4, and to top it all, his ‘stepdad’ is now his Vice-Principal.  Every day he is mocked by the school bully.  Aching to belong, he started telling lies and boasting about his skill at the long jump.  As the track meet ends in a disaster for him, he has to try and stay alive and navigate the ball of chaos that his life has become, which draws the attention of a supernatural being who wants to be Matt’s friend. Matt has to face where he belongs, whom he listens to, and whom he trusts. But what do these three people have in common with a curse that a boy uttered before his death in and about 1673?

 In the Gatekeeper’s Descendant, the author, Johanna Frank, writes a fantastical tale of a boy who has a purpose to fulfil in the kingdom, but he must first do a tour of human life on earth.  An intervention is planned and executed as the boy goes off track; however, it does not exactly go smoothly.  Matt spends quite a lot of time unconscious and tripping around the universe.  This is a fantastical story that is uplifting.  The fantastical imagery of living stones and the great foul-smelling dragon bring a touch of fantasy to a serious topic.  This is an excellent book to read for disgruntled teens who are not into the more traditional fantasy novels.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

"The description of the novel is so appealing. I am thrilled with this review and thankful the reviewer took great care in writing a thoughtful analysis." Johanna Frank