CLARITY OF SIGHT, the second book in the Magic Shoe Series, is out this week. I previously enjoyed the first story a few years back but never had room in my schedule for a featured review. To catch you up here’s the official story line for that first book, COMPASS TO VINLAND:
Wren Larkin has a lot of things working against him-too tall, too thin, and living in a house that looks like an old boot. His only friends are a group of noisy crows that are always bringing him random trinkets. Needless to say, he’s not the most popular kid in town.
But things change when a girl named Maria moves to town and instantly befriends Wren. She continues to do the unexpected when she defends Rusty, the resident bad boy, who might not be as rebellious as Wren thought. Wren learns that it isn’t just coincidence that brought the three of them together when he discovers a shoe workshop under the heel of his house that’s holding-or hiding–three pairs of magical shoes intended for each of them.
When strangers arrive on Wren’s doorstep looking for the shoes, Wren and his new companions have no choice but to flee to Underfoot, an underground settlement full of magical creatures. In just a matter of days, Wren is immersed into a whole new reality that’ll take him on an incredible journey and reveal a lineage that might be better left secret.
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A question I always get when presenting a series is “Can I read and understand the second book without having read the first?” I’m leaning toward a “Yes” answer. The author does a good job with introducing the setting and characters . Of course the story line is so good you will most likely be going back to see how it all started. Regardless, the plot of CLARITY OF SIGHT let’s you know what’s in store in this continuing adventure:
Maria is struggling in Underfoot. A hooded figure haunts her dreams, her mind-reading abilities have grown so powerful that even her closest friends avoid her touch, she’s seeing strange threads of light everywhere, and her parents are still nowhere to be found. Having been banned from returning to the surface for the time being, she anxiously awaits word from the search party that went looking for her parents and the other missing Vins.
During what was supposed to be a joyous occasion, an evil entity strikes, creating chaos in the underground settlement, and Wren is captured by the Wrathful, along with Eyota. In order to escape the mayhem and rescue their friends, Maria, Rusty, and Pan must journey up top, find allies, and fight the enemy. Along the way, Maria finds answers to her never-ending questions and discovers fate is far more powerful than she realized.
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Another helpful background addition no matter where you begin is the author’s excellent description of the the three main characters:
Wren Larkin lives in a house that looks like shoe, has an unbelievable green thumb, and has no idea what to do with the magic shoes he found hidden under his house. But when others learn that the shoes lead Wren to a cloaked world called Vinland, he has no choice but to go on the run with his newfound friends. As the story progresses, it becomes clear that Wren and his shoes are pivotal to the fate of a mythical land and a long-standing family legacy.
Maria Tovar is the newest student at Lewisberry Middle School, granddaughter of the town’s number one baker, and most likely to know everything you’re thinking about. Since, ya know, she can read minds.
Especially now that she has put on the magic shoes that Wren’s grandfather made for her which have amplified her abilities. While we meet her in Compass to Vinland, get ready to delve into the truth behind her past, present, and future in the second installment in the Magic Shoes Series.
Rusty Whitaker is known as bad news in the small town he lives in, but he gets the chance to change his narrative when he finds a pair of magic shoes that give him insane fighting skills. Even though everyone in the magic world is confused that Wren’s grandfather made him a pair of shoes, considering he’s just an ordinary guy, Rusty is convinced his shoes were made for a reason and he intends to prove his worth with them on his feet.
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All of this background leads me to my:
FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: CLARITY OF SIGHT By Dani Resh
- Pan (no, not Peter Pan) takes a bigger role in book 2. He can only be seen out of the corner of one’s eye and his vanishing act is even more appealing since he can walk between two worlds. The author did a fantastic job of weaving him in the plot and making Pan a secondary character you won’t forget .
- The three main characters are so different and their interactions bring you closer to them. Maria especially stands her ground when dealing with Rusty and Wren.
- Top notch story and world building. Suspense and twists await readers, making the 260 pages fly by.
- A lot is learned in this second book and it ends on a cliff hanger. The anticipation for book three grows even more.
- Maria’s first person narration never sounds adult like and stays right in a 13-year-old mindset. Her ability to touch someone and read their thoughts had me glad this was a fantasy and not real life. A fascinating trait none the less.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR (WEBSITE—INSTAGRAM)
Dani Resh is a Michigan author and artist. She has a bachelor’s in fine arts from the College of Creative Studies, a bachelor’s in political science from Oakland University, and a master’s in fine arts from Pennsylvania State University. Dani has worked in a wide variety of fields, including a position as a prosthetic-eye painter and a legal aid paralegal for domestic-abuse victims, and is currently working in higher education. However, her true passion is storytelling. Whether it be through the written word or her artwork, she feels most alive when she is creating.
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COMMENTS ARE WELCOME BELOW!
BE SURE TO ALSO VISIT THE OTHER BLOGGERS ON TODAY’S MARVELOUS MIDDLE GRADE MONDAY!
GIVEAWAY RESULTS: Last Friday’s Giveaway opportunity for a copy of National Geographic Kids Almanac 2024 goes to…
CAROL BALDWIN
Congratulations Carol!
Always in the Middle... 
Thanks for sharing the examples of how the author brings us up to speed. I think it’s cool that the story involves magical shoes and that the author is from Michigan like I am. Thanks for featuring it this week.
I’ve never seen this series before, and it sounds like it brings fascinating characters and an adventurous plot to the table! It’s great that readers can jump in with book 2 and then return to book 1 to get the full backstory. Thanks so much for the thoughtful review, Greg!
Thanks for sharing! I’ll check it out.
It sounds worth reading just to see how the author manages the character of Pan. Fascinating. Thanks for the review.
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on my series! I really appreciate you taking the time to read both books and I am over the moon that you found them enjoyable!
This sounds an interesting and magical series! Thanks for sharing!