Age: 13
Title: The Rithmatist
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Publisher: TOR Teen
Pub Date: 05/14/13
Galley: Yes
Top 25: Yes
Convince us to read the book: While I liked the characters, the best part of the book was the effort Sanderson took to quantify Rithmatics. Everything was explained in a crystal clear way, and better yet, there were diagrams of various Rithmatic drawings at the end of chapters. Sanderson also manages the plot nicely, making it so that there is never a moment not used to further the plot, character development, or the reader's understanding of Rithmatics. The ending also had two very nice twists.
Memorable or Forgettable: As I mentioned above, the best part of the book was how hard Sanderson tried to quantify Rithmatics. Another of my favorite parts is the alternate history world the story is set in, in which China has conquered much of Europe, causing the fifty islands that make up America to be settled by European refugees, who discovered Rithmatics and based a religion off of it. Small details about the world's history are slowly revealed, such as when they eat stir-fried spaghetti and meatballs.
Cover: The cover was intriguing, though all the clockwork that was shown was actually only a minor part of the book.
Age Range: Under 12 through 15
Quality: 5Q Hard to imagine a better book
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal
Annotation: Joel wants to be a Rithmatist, someone who has the power to create chalk drawings that come to life. While he, due to a tragic accident, missed his chance, he gets a chance to study at a Rithmatist school when students disappear, leaving trails of blood, and he becomes an assistant to the chief investigator.
tags: fantasy / suspense / magic / mystery / steampunk / ya lit
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