"If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales." Albert Einstein

11 March 2016

The Iron Trial


Black, Holly. The Iron Trial. Doubleday Children's, 2014.

Callum has been warned by his father not to pass the admissions exam for the Magisterium. The mages are dangerous and deadly, his father has said. Unfortunately, Callum fails at failing and is forced to attend school at the Magisterium in spite of his attempts to fail. Once there, Callum hears a very different version of history from the one his father has told him, and as secret after secret is revealed, he has to decide what he's going to do.

I honestly don't know how I missed this book when it came out. It is definitely, obviously very similar to Harry Potter, but there are enough twists and differences that even the most die-hard HP fan would be interested in this series. I am definitely interested enough in this story to continue reading the series, which, considering the glut of "special kids who have special powers and have to save the world" type books out there, is saying something.

Recommended for: tweens, fans of Harry Potter
Red Flags: some mild fantasy violence
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars

Read-Alikes: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, The Lightning Thief, Midnight for Charlie Bone, The School for Good and Evil

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