Book Review: The Angel’s Curse

Reviewed by Elizabeth Reiser

A spunky heroine must save her beloved Imaginationville in this fun middle grade fantasy. 

Zena, an outspoken and fearless 12-year-old, is on a quest to quell her inner villain in the first of a new series from author ~CRK. 

Fiercely independent, Zena lives with only her pet penguin Guinnie for company. She enjoys her quiet life in Wonder Prairie but is forced to leave the comfort of her home when she learns the aptly named Volea Villain is waging a war in Imaginationville (I*V). Once in I*V, Zena must rely on new friendships if she wants good to prevail. 

This complex, multi-faceted world is easy and exciting to visualize. From detailed descriptions of each location to a town tour via a super slide that all towns should consider adding, the imaginative worldbuilding helps set the tone nicely. From the scenery depicted of the town and the adventures of the misfit group of friends, it becomes quite clear that there is plenty of Anime influence on this book

Another area where ~CRK shines is in their creation of the friend group. Zena, for all her independence, is actually quite lonely, and the friends she makes along the way all seem to have traits that she has or aspires to have. For instance, her new friend, 5, has a great sarcastic sense of humor while his sister, Calla, is a kind and caring pacifist who embodies the patience Zena knows she lacks. It is a supportive friend group, and Zena realizes along the way how much she needs that element in her life. 

As the story progresses, it is also revealed there is something more complicated at play regarding the friendships Zena is forming, and the story is not necessarily what it seems. It is a compelling twist to the storyline that has been lurking underneath the surface, though the tone of the book changes significantly when this is revealed. 

This is a complex plot, and it is made more challenging due to an occasional lack of context. The introduction is a bit of a mystery since there are terms specific to the book and not used in real life, so it requires some patience, but we do later receive a useful character breakdown and a short story explaining the origins of Zena at the back of the book. As this helps explain the more complicated details of the story, I’d probably recommend you read this before diving into the book.

The Angel’s Curse is a successful middle grade fantasy that exudes the allure of an Anime hero’s quest. It’s darn close to impossible not to root for Zena to find her way, so jump on board before the next book comes out.

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