“WOVEN,” by Michael Jensen and David Powers King, Scholastic Press, Jan. 27, 2015, Hardcover, $18.99 (young adult)
Nels has always dreamed of becoming a knight of Avërand. He’s everything a knight should be — tall, strong, handsome and always willing to help. Even the people of his village think that’s where his future lies; they even call him the Knight of Cobblestown. It’s not what his mother wants though. She hates the nobility and everything that comes with them. Nels doesn’t know why she hates them, but he knows she’s hiding something from him. Nels never gets the chance to find out — shortly after defeating the kingdom’s favored knight in a wrestling match, Nels is murdered by a mysterious figure.
That’s not the end of Nels’ story. Nels awakens as a ghost, invisible to everyone, everyone except Princess Tyra. Tyra is your typical princess — spoiled and in love with the kingdom’s favored knight. She’s not exactly interested in helping Nels, but he’s persistent, and as the mystery surrounding his death unfolds, they find themselves bound by a deadly secret and a common enemy.
The two unlikely companions but to take up the quest placed in front of them, and that means running away from the castle without anyone knowing. Their journey will take them to dangerous lands and even more dangerous people, but the pair must move fast because time is running out and Nels will soon disappear forever.
Sometimes it’s hard to sum up a novel without giving too much away. Often the plot ends up sounding a bit convoluted, which is what happened above. That’s not really the case with “Woven.” The whole thing makes sense when you read it. In fact, it plays out quite well.
The ambiguity disappears with the telling — the good guys are obviously good and the bad, bad. Nels and Tyra are the reason “Woven” works so well. The two are a bit stereotypical in the beginning but quickly become more as their nuances are uncovered. Their personalities also play well off each other and by the end, you realize the title “Woven” refers to multiple elements in the book.
Strength also comes in a plot that is interesting and multifaceted. Kudos to co-authors Michael Jensen and David Powers King for artfully weaving interesting characters into a complicated plot without getting clunky. It’s not as easy as it sounds.
