I’m going to make a rather large statement, but I feel it necessary to open this review. Ashley Thorpe is a powerhouse authority in crafting fantasy novel out of real-world history. And not only that, but beyond this, he continues to weave the history so seemingly effortlessly throughout the novel that you’re learning whilst reading without ever really realising it. From the wonder of the Maroons of Jamaica to the magic of Obeah, to the beauties of Xaymaca, much like The Boy to Beat the Gods, I came away from Spirit Warriors researching and reading up more on parts of history I was ignorant to. And, yet again, I am mesmerised as I’m sure most readers will be.
 
And to match the history sewn into the plot, the fantasy creations of Ashley Thorpe’s add to the brilliance. From the introduction of the larimar, I understood that there was going to be a quest of sorts to come about, but the intergenerational, multi-faceted nature of the gemstones, their powers and their meanings and representations within the culture of Spirit Warriors was a thing of magnificence. Explained in a way younger readers will eat up, but opening up in a way for older readers to question and think beyond the text, this truly is and will always be my favourite style of fantasy.

Our trio of Spirit Warriors, Evie, Cai and Arthur, are the perfect type of characters to lead an adventure like this. I say this because whilst we’re unravelling the mystery they’ve found themselves in, they’re also solving the riddle of who they are, and I think this partnership is super enjoyable. Evie’s rise in confidence and self-understanding, Cai’s understanding that strength can be more than physical, and Arthur’s realisation of what he brings to the world were truly fantastic to read and I adored this group so much.
 
The villains, or The Heartless, of Spirit Warriors, are also incredibly exceptional characters. La Diablesse, at times, had me completely petrified of her, and the evil of Blackheart Man is the type of character that you will ponder on for time to come. The best types of antagonists are those grounded in humanity because it reminds you how someone becomes evil and that it is possible. Both of these characters make for brilliant cautionary tales for younger readers, and I really loved getting to read them.
 
Safe to say, the plot of Spirit Warriors starts at superspeed and never lets up, making it a surefire hit for this summer holidays with readers aged 9+. The emotional punches (yes, I cried!), the action sequences, and the revelations never miss a beat, which means every time I went to put the book down, I would do the justification of ‘Just one more chapter’ and find myself reading an hour longer! Ashley Thorpe always strikes magic with his writing and Spirit Warriors is further testament to that.
 
So while I go inspect the amethyst I keep on my chest of drawers a little differently (you’ll discover why when you read), I recommend you get a shuffle of preorder Spirit Warriors now!

Like many readers, I’ve always loved stories involving magic and over the past few years it’s been really lovely to see the increasing number that have been written by authors of colour and that have their roots in cultures other than the exclusively white/European tales that I was brought up on and that still dominate the market. Having really enjoyed Ashley Thorpe’s The Boy to Beat the Gods when I finally got round to reading it recently, I decided not to drag my heals with this new title and downloaded it to read from NetGalley at the weekend.

Full of magic, action and thrills, this is a middle grade that will captivate its target audience. Starring a fabulous heroine, supported by a cast of brilliant secondary characters, on a quest to defeat a thoroughly rotten baddie, the story is one that has been inspired by real history and will appeal enormously to young fantasy fans looking for something different from much of what is available.

Evie and best friend Arthur watch as guests flood into The Mangrove Hotel ahead of the island of Xaymaca’s annual Carnival of Magic, known to the locals as Myal. Desperate to visit the festival, and also to take the larimar that is the source of the hotel’s magic with her, Evie tries to persuade her guardian Ms Bell to allow her to go – a request that is squashed before it has even been spoken because Ms Bell doesn’t want her ward led to her death by La Diablesse or to have her spirit stolen from her body by Blackheart Man.

Dismissing these threats as childish nonsense, while Arthur steals the larimar Evie tells Ms Bell that Myal will provide her with her only chance to commune with her late parents and discover just what led to her being orphaned and adopted by the hotel owner. When their discussion reaches its end, Evie goes to meet up with Arthur and the pair of them sneak out to head to Myal. Reaching the carnival, Evie finds a spirit waker who she believes will be able to help but is left disappointed when she is told her parents can’t be reached. All thoughts of this are soon put aside though when a rift appears in the sky which lets through duppies – malevolent spirits – that attack those present.

Fleeing to the safety of the hotel, it soon becomes clear that Evie is somehow responsible for what has happened and when Arthur’s spirit is accidentally switched with that of the hotel cat and the larimar is stolen, the pair of them find themselves on a mission to put things right. Joining up with trainee shaman Cai, Evie learns that the larimar is one of four stones that Blackheart Man is determined to track down and use to destroy the barrier between the world of the living and the world of the dead. Discovering that she has powerful magic of her own, Evie must learn how to use it to defeat Blackheart Man, but can she do so in time to prevent his unleashing catastrophe on the island?

Like many children who are raised by someone other than their biological parents, Evie is desperate to know more about her past and when the Myal is scheduled to take part in her hometown, she sees it as the ideal opportunity to seek help from a spirit waker to enable her to speak to her mother and father. Having not even stopped to consider the impact this might have on Ms Bell, and unaware that she has powerful magic of her own, Evie’s actions inevitably have a far greater impact on not just her and those she loves but all of the residents of Xaymaca, throwing her into an incredible adventure that will see her encounter not just the duppies but other terrifying creatures from Carribean folklore with which many readers may as yet be unfamiliar.

Set in an alternative reality, some of those picking this up will immediately twig the connection between the island of Xaymaca and its more familiar twin but whether you do or not, there is a really informative Author’s Note at the end of the book that gives a brief overview of the relevant historical facts that underpin the story, which I found very interesting – as I hope the book’s intended audience also will.

A brilliant story for confident readers in Year 4 upwards, my enormous thanks go to publisher Usborne and to NetGalley for my advance virtual read. Spirit Warriors publishes August 14th.