SpellBoda by J.C. Clarke

Just before Christmas, I was contacted by J.C. Clarke on social media asking if I would be interested in reviewing Spellboda. I knew nothing about the book or story but I never turn down a chance to find a new favourite.

Spellboda follows the journey of Trevor, a young boy who has lost his mother and doesn’t like to speak to anyone, as he figures out that he has a special gift. Along the way, he makes friends with animals and people alike, who help him to uncover his true self.

Something I really loved about Spellboda was the way the birds are all described. As someone who has a limited knowledge of falconry (My sister did her degree in ornithology and birds of prey) it was a great way of learning about how the birds fly and the terminology used when handling/flying birds of prey. The birds themselves all have their own personalities that are reflected in the ways that they interacted with Trevor and you can picture how they are behaving around him.

The story itself is amazingly written, drawing in the struggles that Trevor faces with being non-verbal, his relationship with his father and how he deals with his new gift. I was gripped from the first page and really felt for Trevor as he navigated being someone that is having to straddle two worlds. Through the story, I was drawn to make conclusions about some of the characters in the story, their intentions towards Trevor and how they add to his journey.

An added extra, and one of the reasons the author contacted myself, was the setting of Spellboda. SpellBoda takes place in the Peak District, the area that I luckily get to call home. As I was reading, places like Shining Tor and Derby were mentioned, which only helped me to picture the amazing sights that the birds experienced while they were soaring above the Peaks.

I would definitely recommend reading this book if you want to loose yourself in a well crafted tale about the relationship between humanity and the natural world with a sprinkle of ancient magic thrown in.