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Review: Clod Makes a Friend

Clod Makes A FriendClod Makes a Friend
by David J. Pedersen
174 pages
Genre: Middle-Grade Fiction/Fantasy
Publisher: Odysia Press
Release date: March 2018

Book Reviews - Loved ItLoved It

Synopsis:

Content Rating: PG (There is no bad language, but there is one "boss fight" scene.)

Best Friend Ever?

Bullies love to hate Clod. Not just because he’s bigger, clumsier, and uglier than his classmates – he’s also the only student in his school without magic. In a world where all magic is possible and everyone else is born with great gifts to do amazing things, Clod is alone.

Living with his mum in a broken-down cottage on barely enough, the only thing Clod has to play with is the clay she occasionally brings him. Bleak is an understatement. More than anything, Clod wants a friend.

After an angry visit from the worst of the bullies, his teacher Learned Yugen, Clod’s clay sculpture of a little girl comes to life and introduces herself as Ada. For a clay girl barely the size of his hand, she has more confidence and courage than he knows what to do with.  After many years, and too many pranks, Yugen becomes convinced that Clod is tainted by the evil slowly infiltrating the Kingdom of Pag.

Clod Makes A Friend is a bittersweet fairy tale for all ages from David J. Pedersen, author of the Angst series of fantasy novels.

Review:

Where to start? I loved this book, for so many reasons, but I don’t want to spoil the enjoyment of discovery by giving too much away. I even cut down the synopsis a bit because I really don’t want to spoil the joys of this book for anyone.

This is a book that you should curl up with, sipping your favorite drink, nibbling on your favorite snack and read all at once.

The characters are darling and lovable, well except for the villain, but that’s to be expected. The characters also have a real depth to them, which is more than I expected for a middle-grade book. The fact that all the people in the land of Pag have magic adds an interesting spin as Clod comes to age.

Also cake is a major player in the book. Not the band, the kind you eat. CAKE SAVES LIVES! I often feel that the power of cake is underrepresented in fantasy literature, and “Clod Makes a Friend” goes a long way in fixing that. 

If you are looking for a fun, quick fantasy coming of age story this is it. I highly recommend this book.

Bottom Line:

This book is a sweet treat of a read. I’m not just saying that because cake literally saves lives in this book, but because it was a great story, start to finish.

 
 
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