Violet Wings - Softcover

Victoria Hanley was born in California. She now lives in Colorado with her husband and her two children.

Grade 4–6—When Zaria Tourmaline and her fairy classmates receive their wands at age 12, she is shocked to discover that she and her friend Leona have extraordinarily high levels of magical ability and power reserves, talents that have become almost unheard of in Feyland. For Zaria the news is tinged with bitterness, for she cannot share it with her parents, who disappeared three years earlier on a mission to Earth. Despite (or perhaps because of) this, she is drawn to the human world, and creates a stir when she is spotted by a pair of children. Now Zaria must face the consequences of her carelessness while fending off the attacks of her sinister mentor, Lily Morganite, who seems determined to get her hands on Zaria's powers. Themes of classism and responsible use of power are touched on but get lost in the uneven plotting. The fairy world and Zaria's struggles with Lily make for a solid fantasy adventure, but the story grinds to a halt when it moves to Earth, where the action feels perfunctory and extraneous.—Christi Esterle, Parker Library, CO
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