May 10, 2010
This conspiracy tale has all the trimmings of a Dan Brown thriller, encompassing Mayan 2012 theories, feng shui, mystic runes, a secret society, and even a monkey that communicates through origami. The story is told by 16-year-old
Caity Mac Fireland, a teen of the hyperarticulate, hypercool type, who interpolates her breathless narrative with e-mail exchanges, sketches (art not seen by PW), and research snippets. She's been uprooted from San Francisco to spend the summer exploring a Scottish castle that her parents are thinking about turning into an inn (oblivious to Caity discovering secret passageways, mysterious inscriptions, and a local hottie, Alex). This being the first book in a series (called Prophecy of Days), the scope of the mystery is not fully revealed, but it will come as no surprise that Caity is at the center of the hints she discovers. The story has an appealingly frenetic energy, but debut author Raedeke is so busy delivering information and surprises that there is little chance for suspense to build or for Caity to develop as a character. Ages 12–up.