Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 07/01/2016 Gr 4–6—Once a year in the Protectorate there is a Day of Sacrifice. The youngest baby is taken by the Elders and left in the forest to die, thus appeasing the witch who threatens to destroy the village if not obeyed. Unbeknownst to the people, Xan, the witch of the forest, is kind and compassionate. When she discovers the first baby left as a sacrifice, she has no idea why it has been abandoned. She rescues the infants, feeds each one starlight, and delivers the shining infants to parents in the Outside Cities who love and care for them. On one occasion, Xan accidentally feeds a baby moonlight along with starlight, filling her with glowing magic. Xan is smitten with the beautiful baby girl, who has a crescent moon birthmark on her forehead, and chooses to raise her as her own child. Twists and turns emerge as the identity of the true evil witch becomes apparent. The swiftly paced, highly imaginative plot draws a myriad of threads together to form a web of characters, magic, and integrated lives. Spiritual overtones encompass much of the storytelling with love as the glue that holds it all together. VERDICT An expertly woven and enchanting offering for readers who love classic fairy tales.—D. Maria LaRocco, Cuyahoga Public Library, Strongsville, OH - Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Bulletin for the Center... - 09/01/2016 The people of the Protectorate leave a baby in the forest as an annual sacrifice to appease a wrathful witch. The witch Xan, not actually wrathful and mighty confused by the squalling children she finds yearly in the woods, takes the babes to the New Cities, where she places them with loving families. Little Luna is different, however: Xan takes the girl home to raise herself after she accidentally “enmagicks” Luna with moonlight. Growing up with a tiny, mischievous dragon for a friend, a sage old swamp monster for a father figure, and a witty, loving old woman for a grandmother makes for a delightful childhood, but as Luna’s thirteenth birthday approaches she yearns to see the world outside her tiny makeshift family. She’s unaware, however, that her shift into adolescence will bring alive the dormant magic within her while simultaneously draining Xan’s power and her life. Meanwhile, the mother from whom Luna was taken, the man involved with the taking, and the real witch, the reason for the taking, converge with a dying Xan as she makes her last trip to save a Protectorate baby. Barnhill writes with gentle elegance, conveying a deeply emotional and heartrending tale with accessible, fluid prose. Characters are skillfully developed: the heroes are flawed, the villains are humanized, and they are forgiven for sins they may or may have not intended. The swamp monster and dragon provide plenty of moments of humor to leaven the pathos, while the setting is infused with fairy tale elements, both magical and menacing, and given a tragic history. Fans of Barnhill’s The Witch’s Boy (BCCB 1/15) and Iron Hearted Violet (BCCB 12/12) will find similar intersections of love, loss, and identity here. KQG - Copyright 2016 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

Booklist - 07/01/2016 *Starred Review* Every year, the elders of the Protectorate sacrifice a baby to appease an evil witch—though, in truth, it’s a facade to subdue the populace. Xan, the witch in question, actually rescues each baby and finds families for them. One time, however, Xan accidentally feeds moonlight to the baby, which fills her with magic. Xan thereupon adopts her, names her Luna, and raises her with the help of a swamp monster and a tiny dragon. Luna’s magic grows exponentially and causes such havoc that Xan casts a spell to suppress it until Luna turns 13. But the spell misfires, clouding Luna’s mind whenever magic is mentioned, making proper training impossible. As the fateful birthday approaches, Xan fears dying before she can teach Luna everything she needs to know. Meanwhile, in the Protectorate, a young couple dares to challenge the status quo, a madwoman trapped in a tower escapes by way of paper birds, and a truly evil witch is revealed. Barnhill’s latest, told in omniscient point of view, is rich with multiple plotlines that culminate in a suspenseful climax, characters of inspiring integrity (as well as characters without any), a world with elements of both whimsy and treachery, and prose that melds into poetry. A sure bet for anyone who enjoys a truly fantastic story. - Copyright 2016 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 12/01/2016 Gr 4–6—In a vividly created fantastical realm, a baby is left in the forest, according to an annual tradition of sacrifice. Discovered by a kind witch, who mistakenly feeds the child moonlight, the girl grows up with a potent power she must learn to control. This swiftly paced and highly imaginative title expertly weaves myriad threads into a memorable story that will easily enchant readers. - Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.