Book Review of 'Furthermore' by Tahereh Mafi

Premise: 

Alice Alexis Queensmeadow 12 rates three things most important: Mother, who wouldn’t miss her; magic and color, which seem to elude her; and Father, who always loved her. Father disappeared from Ferenwood with only a ruler, almost three years ago. But she will have to travel through the mythical, dangerous land of Furthermore, where down can be up, paper is alive, and left can be both right and very, very wrong. Her only companion is Oliver whose own magic is based in lies and deceit. Alice must first find herself—and hold fast to the magic of love in the face of loss.




Enchanting and Enthralling

This fantasy story will capture you in it’s masterpiece and will hesitate you let you out, narrating a tale about Alice Alexis Queensmeadow, a social-outcast girl devoid of color and magic that eludes her, living in a town that uses color as currency and revolves and is run by colorful magic. With clear white hair and extremely pale skin, she is completely colorless except only for her honey-tinged eyes and pale pink cheeks. In Ferenwood, her town, more color means more magic, and in Ferenwood, magic is “as common as a frowning parent.” Each Ferenwood citizen is born with a magical talent. It is up to their parents to discover that talent and urge them to practice it. On their Surrender, they are to showcase their talent, and the Elders would judge it. One person would be declared winner and would receive a task, a very high honor. 
Alice’s father received a task, so she expects to get one too, despite that everyone else in Ferentown doesn’t believe it due to her lack of color and therefore, potentially lacking magic. Alice decides dancing is her talent, although the score she gets is 0. Failing a Surrender is something almost nobody had done before and is believed to only happen if either the person is performing the wrong talent, or doesn’t have a talent (something that everyone knows obviously can’t be true since all Ferenwood citizens are born with a talent). Oliver, an acquaintance, tells her that he knows dancing is not her talent, almost revealing to the readers what he believes is her talent, before Alice interrupts. Not wanting to go back home, and nowhere else to go, Alice goes on an adventure with Oliver into the world of ‘Furthermore’ to help him complete his task, as he says he cannot complete it because she has or knows something vital that he doesn’t for his task. Oliver promises that in return for helping him with his task, he will help find Alice’s father for her, who had gone missing a few years ago. 
My favorite part of the book is the way Oliver and Alice find her father, and Alice’s real (and ironic) talent. This book is intended for ages 9-12. The length for each chapter is around under 10 pages. There is also a sequel to this book called 'Whichwood'. The theme of this book could be individuality and uniqueness, and ‘Furthermore’ is plot-driven. A modern “new Alice confronts her own wonderland in this smashing fantasy” similar to  the classic ‘Alice in Wonderland’. On a scale of one through five, I would rate it 5 stars. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

- Candria

Get a copy of this book at https://amzn.to/3yqLzcU

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