Akarnae (Medoran Chronicles, #1)

by Lynette Noni

[Kelly]

Akarnae was wonderfully written and delightfully surprising, not to mention an incredibly enchanting fantasy. Alex's story begins with her parents abandonment in favour of their own adventure, leaving her at a new school without helping her settle in. Where most teens would be an emotional disaster, Alex takes it all in her stride but before she's had a chance to enroll, she's thrown into a world that is not her own.

Alex has no choice but to remain at Akarnae, with the only person who has the ability to return her to her world, now missing. Based on an age old method of sorting teens by their potential, Alex now finds herself within a multitude of advanced skill classes, including combat. With her two new friends in Jordan and Bear, Alex hides the secret of who she truly is from her peers. I loved The dynamic between Alex, Jordan and Bear. Their friendship wasn't complicated by a romance but it's undeniable that both Alex and Jordan share a connection. The two worlds of Medora which is where Akarnae is based and Freya, which is our own world where Alex was born and based were both very similar, apart from Medora being the magical plane on Earth. It made the storyline incredibly easy to follow even for non fantasy readers and kept the world building simple, making Akarnae perfect for fans who also enjoy middle grade reads.

Akarnae features shades of Harry Potter, a boarding school for magically inclined teens. With strong, friendship based relationships and a chosen one based storyline where Alex's world has been turned upside down. Each student enrolled at Akarnae is there on the basis of their unique magical abilities, except Alex who has yet to discover what her ability is. My only gripe was Alex's parents and how unprepared she was for this next stage in her life, even based on her attending the supposed International Exchange Academy alone.

It was well written and incredibly enchanting, but felt as though it may be more suited for a middle grade audience, where young teens can grow with each installment. The world building although lovely, fell a little flat at times and I wasn't able to grasp a sense of what Alex was experiencing around her. The renowned school library was magnificent. I loved the Wonderland type feel of the enchanted rooms and the history behind the building.

Akarnae was a wonderfully written, a mild fantasy that is not only entertaining but engaging. Reminiscent of Harry Potter, fans of light fantasy will enjoy this series, especially the younger teen audience. Looking forward to book two and seeing where debut author Lynette Noni takes the series. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
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