The Lost History: Talismans of Fate, Book Two

By Melanie La’Brooy
Reviewed by Mia Macrossan

This is the sequel to The Wintrish Girl which delighted many readers with its originality, humour, engaging characters, and fast paced action. Here again are the same characters: Penn, still struggling to find her true place in this complex world; Seraphine wondering if she is the true heir of Alluria; Juniper the book nerd and Arthur the kind but hapless refugee from Candlemage.

The Lost History is an artefact that several people want as it is a true account of the casting of the Greying Curse which condemned so many people to silence and servitude. Throw in a charismatic inquisitor, some powerful talismans, a sinister game of Twenty Questions, a cursed Family Tree, many daring escapes through increasingly improbable portals and you have the reader hurtling through the text sometimes desperately trying to keep track of it all.

The humour and inventiveness of the first novel is still here but there is a lot of exposition. It’s as if La’Brooy’s imagination is working overtime to cram in as much marvellous detail as possible. You just have to go with the flow and enjoy the ride. One of my favourite sections is when Penn, Juniper and Arthur are in Candlemage – with its many coloured cows producing cheese with flavours a bit simiar to Bertie Bott’s every flavour beans, guard cows that let out blood-curdling screams and three headless Mages.

As well as being a rollicking adventure The Lost History has a serious undertone, touching on themes that give the reader pause for thought: leadership, how to rule, friendship, how to view history, the lessons of history, the difference between being smart and clever, and class are just some issues explored. La’Brooy writes with practised elan and has created a rich and densely populated marvellous world ( I don’t dare say ‘magical’) that will delight all her fans. I do recommend reading The Wintrish Girl first so as to fully enjoy this second instalment in the Talisman of Fate series..

UQP 2024 with extensive Teacher’s Notes availlable
Melanie La’Brooy