Deep Is the Fen (Lili Wilkinson, A&U Children’s)

Lili Wilkinson’s latest fantasy novel is set in the same magical world as her Victorian Premier’s Literary Award–winning novel, A Hunger of Thorns. It’s a realm where all magic is controlled by corporations who sell magical disguises and trinkets to the masses. This is the story of three friends—Merry, Sol and Teddy—who, at 17, are inseparable. All Merry wants is one last summer of fun before they all grow up, but fate has different plans. Merry’s dad is a Toadman, a member of a secret society that bans women from entering. She thinks they’re harmless until she discovers Teddy intends to join them. Desperate to stop him, Merry sneaks into his initiation with Caraway Boswell, her academic rival, and witnesses forbidden magic. Caraway convinces Merry to accompany him to a secret Toad ritual, promising he will help her rescue Teddy from the Toadmen if she does him a favour. They travel into Deeping Fen, the marshy, dangerous forest, where Merry must escape the Toadmen’s plans and work out who she can trust. Deep Is the Fen is a well-written, romantic fantasy with multi-faceted and engaging characters. The Toadmen are particularly slimy and repugnant, both in behaviour and description. The enemies-to-lovers storyline between Merry and Caraway is sizzling, and the plot thread focused around witches, particularly the Spitalwick Hag, is intriguing. As always, Wilkinson has delivered a compelling novel for young adult readers aged 13 and up.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Angela Crocombe is a senior buyer and bookseller at Readings Kids. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

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