Jinx

In a world of mystical creatures and deep woods lived a boy named Jinx. He was rescued by a wizard called Simon after being ditched in the Urwald forest  by his step dad. For seven years Jinx worked for Simon under fairly good conditions cleaning, milking the goat, and became very good at using an axe from chopping wood. Jinx wanted badly to be a wizard like Simon and became his apprentice. It took him long to be able to perform spells but learned a lot of them. Jinx was able to read and speak in many different languages and could see people's thoughts/emotions through colorful clouds above or around their head. One day going out into the Urwald Jinx dug his toes within the soil finding out he could understand the trees. The trees called him “ The Listener.” Jinx was wondering around in the forest when he spots a werewolf. Remembering a concealment spell taught to him by Simon he tries to make himself  unseeable to the beast, drawing power from the Urwald. That's when he figured out he was not able to do much magic in the closed of area away from the trees that is Simon’s house.

After a while the urge to explore became unbearable to Jinx. Simon has been in an accident and his wife Sophie is taking care of him. Jinx sets off into the world trying to find a way to get his power to see thoughts back that Simon had so rudely took from him. On the way to a witches house whose name is Dame Glamour, he gets robbed from a boy not much bigger than him. He explains to the thief called Reven, that there is a “Truth of the path,” where you can’t harm anyone on the path. Reven then tags along with Jinx meeting another person or girl named Elfwin. They all make there way to Dame Glamour’s house who is also Elfwin’s grandma to find out she cannot help any of them with the curses placed upon them. Dame Glamour sends them all to the evil wizard Bonemaster. The Bonemaster keeps them at his castle not allowing them to leave. The Bonemaster tries to get Simon to come by saying he has Jinx, unfortunately Simon did not get the message until the day before the Bonemaster was ready to kill them all. Jinx, Elfwin, and Reven find a way to escape but not soon enough. Jinx gets in a deadly situation, but Simon saves him. Jink, Elfwin, and Reven are now on their way the Keyland so Reven can claim the throne as king.

In this story there are several main characters. Jinx is the Character the book is based off of and is in throughout the story. He is a boy with dark hair and a slim body. Simon is another person throughout the story. He is a giant wizard who is cranky at times, but really cares. Next is Sophie. Sophie is the wife of Simon, and lives in Samara. She is a lovely person, but gets in fights often with Simon about magic. Reven is a boy relatively the same age and height of Jinx. Reven is mentioned later in the book when he robbed Jinx of most of his money then just tags along. Elfwin is a witch's daughter and the granddaughter of a witch named Dame Glamour. She is mentioned early in the book when Jinx looks through a magic mirror and sees her, not knowing who she is until they meet in person.  Last is the evil Bonemater. He is another old wizard who is enemies with Simon. The Bonemaster draws power from the deaths of other caught in bottles and bones. He lives all alone in a giant castle on a levitating island. Those are the main characters you will meet in the book Jinx.

Jinx main theme would be knowledge is power. Mostly near the beginning of the story Jinx finds a book within Simons workshop that says, “ Knowledge Is Power.”  He finds a way to use that saying to his advantage in opening a secret door that leads to Samara.

“He knew there was a door here. It disappeared a few inches into the stone, which suddenly wasn’t really there. He touched the wood. He ran his fingers over over the rugged surface to where he figured-no, he knew there was a latch” (110). Then when Jinx is speaking with the Bonemaster, He says to Jinx that Simon is evil and only cares about power gained from reading books and gaining that knowledge that he shares with no one. “Power means to much to him. He’d do anything for new magic, for new knowledge. He’d do anything for power” (234). Again with the Bonemaster, he and Elfwin are talking while trying to make a potion. Elfwin asks the Bonemaster what he would do with a way to get to the books within Samara. “Do? With access to Samara, to the libraries? I would learn all the magic I could of course. Knowledge is power” (261). This shows that one of the mains themes found in the book Jinx is Knowledge is power.

I would definitely recommend this book to others. I believe that both children and some adults would find this book worth reading. Jinx is a fantasy book with ware-animals, trolls, witches, wizards and other dastardly creatures. I personally love books like this. If you like magic, mystery, death, lies, and treachery this is the perfect book.Along with Jinx there are two sequels, Jinx’s Magic and Jinx’s Fire.