Assessment:
Plot: Though Dietrich's novel is somewhat inconsistent in its pacing, the story introduces a well-drawn magic system and a heartfelt adventure to an uncommon fantasy realm.
Prose/Style: The world of Mesopo comes alive spectacularly in Dietrich’s rich, lyrical, and inviting prose.
Originality: Mesopo is stunning in its originality. A world evoking the love of words, Mesopo is unforgettable and colorful – a vibrant and highly visual setting that will live on in memory. Dietrich's characters sing and the love of words flows through the ink on each page.
Character Development: Although Ankido often comes across as younger than his years, the characters are generally all distinct and finely developed. Written in third-person POV, the reader is able to fully experience the characters within Dietrich's novel.
Date Submitted: April 30, 2020
Mratclif
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent and Detailed Fantasy Adventure
Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2020
Verified Purchase
Mesopo by Eva Dietrich
5-Stars
Mesopo by Eva Dietrich was an excellent fantasy adventure. I loved following Ankido and his cousins in this amazing tale. Ankido, a young twelve-year-old, is given the task of saving his father and the magical land of Mesopo. Mesopo is the land where all fantasy originates and it is full of amazing creatures and individuals. Ankido has an amazing ability that makes him unique for the position he is given.
I loved the detail this author used on describing every scene and character. It made it very easy to visualize as I read. The storyline was difficult for me to get into at first but I was eventually pulled in to the point that I didn’t want to put this book down. This book took me on an unforgettable adventure. I highly recommend this book and easily give it 5-Stars.
LOVEREADING VIEW ON MESOPO
A high-stakes quest. A magical kingdom. A boy in possession of a coveted power. This mythology-rich novel for 10+ year-olds has all the ingredients of an epic adventure. Ankido is a twelve-year-old British-Iraqi boy with a passion for words. So much so, his beloved grandmother calls him her “Word Boy”. One morning, his grandmother announces the terrible news that Ankido’s father, an eminent archaeologist, has gone missing on a field trip in Iraq. When she leaves to search for his dad, she entrusts him with a special book: “The cover was made of fine, gold-inlaid leather. The title read, The Land of Mesopo. Ankido wondered why it was so special but thought it best not to ask.” Left with his aunt and uncle, Ankido is destined to be sent to boarding school, but not before he’s forced to burn Grandmother’s special book when his aunt tries to take it from him. He knows the book is special - “When I started reading it, it felt so real. Almost as if it was calling me to step inside “ – and indeed it does turn out to be special. Rather than end up at boarding school, he finds himself in the Library of Nineveh after being pursued by “a creature of the dark” who “feeds on words. And she knows that you can make your own words.” Ankido’s quest to find his father, and to save the fantastical word-world of Mesopo as the Kingdom’s newfound Tale Smith is sharply evoked, and packed with heart-pounding peril, mysterious atmosphere and intriguing characters, among them scribes, princes and magicians.
Joanne Owen, A LoveReading4Kids Ambassador
