Deep Is the Fen

Love interests and elements of realism combine in Deep is the Fen, a fantasy that loosely reminds one of the classic The Frog Prince. However, here the frog is a toad with questionable morals and the princess is a fox (or is that a witch?) in a magical tussle for power and survival.

Bonds between the main three teen characters (Teddy, Sol and Merry), friends since childhood, are strongly drawn. On the first page author Lili Wilkinson establishes this bond by character Merry acknowledging “the mettle between us is connected- intricately braided together over the years of our friendship. We’re inseparable, and that’s the way I want it to stay.” The friendship bond is contrasted by teen outsider, wealthy intellectual Caraway, who challenges the friends’ way of thinking, but also empathises as events unfold: “It hurts when the person you love wants somebody else.”

Readers will relate to relationship issues that the characters encounter, and be entertained by the roller coaster of toad hierarchy challenges.

Witches in this story add to the complexities of good versus evil where nothing is as it seems and one is reminded of the paranoia and prejudice towards witches during the Salem Witch trials. “Doctor Veil is a monster. He takes their strings. He takes their mettle. He takes these women - these intelligent, powerful women full of fire- and he breaks them”.

An entertaining one-sit read that teens will devour.