Prophecy of Days: Book 1 The Daykeeper’s Grimoire
Publisher: Flux
Pub. Date: June 2010
Format: Electronic (Kindle)
(Also Available in Paperback)
Pages: 384
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: Bookstore
Review: I love a good conspiracy theory and THE PROPHECY OF DAYS by debut author Christy Raedeke is filled with some doozies.
Caity Mac Fireland, the heroine of the novel, is spunky, humorous, and has a delightful narrative voice that pulls you into the story from the get-go. She’s smart as a whip and takes after her parents who don’t have your ordinary nine-to-five jobs. Caity is a little unusual, and how can she not be when her mother is a safe-cracker and her father breaks codes for a living? But I really enjoyed that her parents are a part of her life and weren’t stock character parents who aren’t often in the picture.
Living in a Scottish castle on the Isle of Hurcan — practically out in the middle of nowhere — Caity’s having a hard time figuring out what to do with herself during her summer away from San Francisco. She likes to draw and keep in touch via e-mail with her best friend, Justine who she misses desperately. And of course, play with her pet monkey, Mr. Papers, who is an origami master. Now you’re probably thinking how does Caity have a pet monkey in Scotland? Well, the story goes like this…
Caity’s father inherited Breidablik Castle from his great-uncle Hamish. Mr. Papers was abandoned years ago by a Chinese visitor and Caity convices the groundskeeper she wants to take care of him.
This castle has some strange things — including a secret room with weird markings. Caity notices the rubbings look like words, so she decides to make rubbings of them. Thinking nothing of it, she asks Justine if her grandfather who works at Princeton as a Professor of old languages can take look at them. Boy, does this open a can of worms!
Caity not only discovers the writing on the wall, but she’s part of a bigger movement to help change the world through the Mayan calendar, one kid at a time. Some feel that the Mayans, who were great astronomers, believed the world would not necessarily come to an end in 2012 (due to the Galactic Alignment prophecy), but it would transition. It’s too hard to explain in my review, but there’s plenty of information about the Mayan prophecies online and it’s fascinating stuff!
I really enjoyed the story. It was unlike anything I’ve ever read. The characters are fun, including Justine who’s eager to help her friend, very adventurous and more than willing to play spy. I also like Alex, a boy who lives on the Isle of Hurcan, who’s cute, intelligent and has definitely caught Caity’s eye.
The only thing that I had trouble believing is the fact that everyone does things so easily without even thinking anything through. I would have liked a little more conflict in the story. Caity needs to get the message out about the Mayan calendar and an organization set on destroying the world, called the Secret Government. But when she does everyone from Justine to Alex to her classmates at school and various people she knows in other countries, including an old family friend who comes to visit them in Scotland, goes along for the ride with very little questions asked. Even her super smart parents are oblivious to what Caity’s up too. I think it would have been more realistic to have some resistance — it would have upped the stakes for Caity.
But despite this, I kept reading the story to find out what happens to Caity because I’ve went along on the ride as well. The end was very surprising and has a fantastic twist I never saw coming. I’m looking forward to reading the second book in the Daykeeper’s Grimoire series, THE SERPENT’S COIL — which comes out next year.
If you like stories featuring intrigue, historical mysteries like The Da Vinci Code, then PROPHECY OF DAYS will be right up your alley. Heck, I’m even thinking of visiting my Scottish relatives in the Orkney Islands! I also wonder if I it would be too much to ask for a pet monkey for Christmas…
I love that Raedeke wants to get out the message of the power of change and believing in oneself to make a difference in the world. YA authors do a great job with this — whether it’s teen pregnancy, drug use, bullying, discovering you have magical powers, fighting feelings for a handsome vampire or beautiful werewolf, and even slay dragons.
I’m giving THE PROPHECY OF DAYS 4 “Relaxing with a Good Book” retro pictures for being adventurous!
Purchase PROPHECY OF DAYS at:Amazon | The Book Depository | IndieBound | Powell’s
BetterWorldBooks | Biblio | Barnes & Noble
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Glad you liked the book. I can tell that I won't read it simply because of the 2012 connection. The Mayan calendar thing gave me nightmares when I was a kid and still makes me uncomfortable even though I don't believe it.
That was a great review!Now I have to get this!!Thank you!!
Great review
I'm still on the fence about this one.
I've been wondering about this one. It looks really good, and it sounds interesting, but I haven't heard a whole lot about it. Glad you enjoyed it though!