Dastardly deeds aren’t exactly the first things that come to mind when one hears the name “Clementine,” but as the sole heir of the infamous Dark Lord Elithor, twelve-year-old Clementine Morcerous has been groomed since birth to be the best (worst?) Evil Overlord she can be. But everything changes the day the Dark Lord Elithor is cursed by a mysterious rival.
Now, Clementine must not only search for a way to break the curse, but also take on the full responsibilities of the Dark Lord. As Clementine forms her first friendships, discovers more about her own magic than she ever dared to explore, and is called upon to break her father’s code of good and evil, she starts to question the very life she’s been fighting for. What if the Dark Lord Clementine doesn’t want to be dark after all?
I'm always on the lookout for good middle-grade books, and this one sounded interesting. I definitely enjoyed it, though it felt a little uneven to me. The first half of the book seemed more on the younger side of middle-grade, while the second half of the book felt more on the older side (themes-wise). Having said that, the characters were well-written, the plot interesting, and the ending appropriate (by which I mean that the choices made sense). This would be a good choice as a read-aloud within the classroom, and would probably be more appropriate for 4-7 grades, depending on reading level. Overall, it's a fun tale about family, friendship, and becoming who we were meant to be.
