Viola and Wilmur have been waiting for their parents for fifteen boring years in the colorless town of Caveat. Their lives are a drudge of salt, trash, pirate stories, and what-ifs . . . until one very stormy night, when Captain Cadence Chase breaks down their door. They cut a deal with the Chase can take their most prized possession, a mysterious book, but only if she takes them, too. After all, if their parents aren’t coming, Viola and Wilmur might as well have a grand adventure to find them. |
Scarlet Morning is a series opener in the tradition of favorites like Septimus Heap, Sir Callie, Wilderlore, Strangeworlds Travel Agency, and The Dark is Rising, with characters I’d follow anywhere and a delicious, absorbing setting. This is a book I would’ve reread over and over as a middle schooler until I knew every detail of the colorful worldbuilding, every character memory, every scrap of foreshadowing backward and forward.
The world of Scarlet Morning creates an almost science fiction-tinged fantasy world where the layers of past and present are woven into an elaborate and riveting narrative, and the layers of secret and reality keep this story moving forward at an electric pace. Viola and Chase in particular thoroughly won my heart, with just the right blend of fierceness and vulnerability. The character relationships are incredible; by the end of this book, I felt as though I’d known everyone in Scarlet Morning for years, and I can’t wait to dive into the sequel.
I couldn’t finish my review of Scarlet Morning without mentioning the illustrations, too. Stevenson’s art brings Viola, Wilmur, and the entire world to vivid life, and I love the detail and whimsy that it brings to the tale. I also love how the illustrations often blend text and art, allowing you to truly step into the world.
I truly can’t recommend Scarlet Morning enough—this is a must-read for fans of middle-grade fantasy and anyone who wants to become absorbed by a pirate adventure!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.
Book description credited to the publisher.








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