*Beyond Mulberry Glen by Millie Florence

Beyond Mulberry Glen is a deeply satisfying, enjoyable fantasy that would make a great family read aloud.

*Beyond Mulberry Glen by Millie Florence. Waxwing Books, 2023. 288 pages.

Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 10-12

Recommended for: ages 8-15

Beyond Mulberry Glen: The Story

Lydia Green doesn’t want to be apprenticed. She doesn’t want to leave Mulberry Glen. In fact, she doesn’t want to grow up at all. But it’s time. Everyone her age gets apprenticed to someone, and to find an apprentice requires leaving the glen. Harumph.

If minds were forests, Lydia’s was a particularly tangled and beautiful one. She had lived in Mulberry Glen her entire life, raised by a philosopher, her guardian fairy, and the whispery wisdom of the trees. So her mind had always been a pleasant place to wander. At least, until recently.

Lydia has been having dark dreams. Troubling dreams. Then, when she and Livy (the apprentice cook in her home) head to town, a stranger prophesies that she has Darkness in her. Is it true? What is the Darkness?

When Livy and Lydia return home, Lydia asks about this Darkness. Lydia, Livy, and the Z’s (twin troublemakers) listen as Pit, the fairy, tells a strange tale of a forest now called Tenebrae. The forest wasn’t always dark, and after the Z’s question her, Pit reveals that the fruit of Omnis Res Mundi can destroy the Darkness. The only catch: that fruit is on the mountain in the center of Tenebrae, and no one has ever returned from its quest.

True to form, the impulsive Z’s are gone the next day. Where? Lydia surmises they have gone to save Tenebrae. She also feels she must stop them, so she too heads off on the quest. Her quest leads her to more than the fruit of the Omni Les Mundi.

Beyond Mulberry Glen: The Rest of the Story

It’s not too much of a leap, from the very beginning of this captivating story, to equate Darkness and Light in this story with their spiritual counterparts. And indeed, it is a tale of sacrifice, love, and the triumph of Light over Dark. It’s also a story of growing up, a story of friends and found family.

Florence writes elegantly and thoughtfully. The characters are nuanced, the plot intricate, and the fantasy elements and world-building convincing. As an added bonus, this book is beautiful: well-made and designed. This may seem a small thing, but it makes for a great gift book and a great reading experience!

Fans of stories like The Green Ember and The Wingfeather Saga will enjoy Beyond Mulberry Glen. But it also reminds me of stories like The Winter King or a coming-of-age story like Jack Zulu and the Girl With the Golden Wings.

Bottom Line: Beyond Mulberry Glen is a deeply satisfying, enjoyable fantasy that would make a great family read aloud.

Related Reading at Redeemed Reader:

• Reviews: Definitely check out the books I mentioned above: The Green Ember, The Wingfeather Saga , The Winter King, and Jack Zulu and the Girl With the Golden Wings.
• Resource: Browse all our books in the Family Read Aloud category!

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