Book Review: The Islands of Elsewhere by Heather Fawcett

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

The Islands of Elsewhere by Heather Fawcett

Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Rocky Pond Books (June 20, 2023)

Length: 224 pages

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Earlier this year, Heather Fawcett took my breath away with her thoroughly charming, absolutely enchanting novel Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries. So, when presented with an opportunity to review her new novel, albeit one intended for Middle Grade, I did not hesitate for a second.

Steeped in magic and adventure, The Islands of Elsewhere follows the children of the Snolly family who travel to the Pacific coast of British Columbia where their grandfather lives. It’s summertime and the three older sisters—Hattie, 12; Bee, 10, and Plum, 8—are looking forward to a few weeks of sea and sunshine along with their baby brother in the appealingly named town of Misty Cove. But their mother also warns of a more serious reason for their visit. Their grandfather isn’t well, she tells the girls, and they’re here to keep an eye on him and offer him whatever help he needs.

Readers are able to quickly discern from clues that the children’s grandfather is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s or dementia, but the sisters are not aware of this. To them, granddaddy doesn’t look to be too ill. In fact, he’s his usual cheery self, baking cookies with the girls and telling them tales of his own grandmother, the witch pirate known as Lucy Juniper. A local legend in Misty Cove, she is said to have sailed the waters around the village, using her spoils to help the poor. From their grandfather’s seaside property, the Snolly sisters can see a cluster of three islands close to shore—known as Fairy Fairy, Little Fairy, and Ghost—and the story also claims that Lucy Juniper had hidden her treasure on one of them.

Whether or not these legends are true, there’s definitely something special about the trio of islands. The locals refer to them as the “in-between places” and say they are magical, which only makes the Snolly sisters even more curious. Perhaps, if they were to explore the islands and chance upon Lucy Juniper’s treasure, they can follow in the footsteps of their great-great-grandmother and help others, staying in Misty Cove forever to care for their sick granddaddy.

While the writing style is technically best suited for middle grade children or younger teen readers, I have to say the reasons that make this novel stand out and why it’s worth checking out can be applied to all book lovers and fantasy fans of any age. Even though the characters are young, the themes in this story are sophisticated, complex, and—most importantly—they feel real. The Snolly sisters embody qualities that anyone can related to: Hattie, the oldest, has an artistic soul and is caught between the responsibilities of maturity and clinging to the artifacts of her childhood; Bee, who receives the most focus in the book, is the science-y one who doesn’t believe in magic but is nonetheless willing to do anything to help her family; and Plum, the youngest and the freewheeler who delights in dressing up in costumes is simply enjoying all the wonderful things life has to offer.

Despite not being the target audience, I am also no less impressed by the storytelling. The tone is lighthearted and warm, but Fawcett still manages to weave in heavier topics without derailing the book’s spirit of fun and adventure. The children’s parents are divorced but by all accounts the separation was cordial, and mom and dad are still friends who are completely supportive of each other and their kids. Their grandfather’s deteriorating condition is a constant presence but is also handled gracefully by not letting it define his character, though neither does the story shy away from the challenges and realities of living with a family member who has dementia. It’s hard not to be touched by how much love there is in this family; at times it almost overwhelms.

For these reasons, The Islands of Elsewhere almost feels like a contemporary fiction story about family, life changes, and growing up. However, there is most certainly a strong undercurrent of fantasy here, perhaps enough to make this novel fall comfortably into the magical realism category. All in all, it is a refreshing read, perfect for those sun-soaked summer days that take you back to less complicated times when everything seemed possible.