Itarah 1: Rabbit Hole

Itarah 1: Rabbit Hole is an intriguing coming-of-age, fantasy novel. Eden's grandfather, who raised him, is a high-ranking official in the government. The High Council, the land’s governing body, has outlawed the use of magic, and all magical creatures must have all magical properties removed. This means fairies must have their wings cut off, gorgons must have their eyes removed, etc. 

In this dystopian and draconian system, all magical creatures suffer. This is done under the pretense that magic use will open a portal to another realm. If opened, this portal will unleash horror upon the world.  

The book features two interesting calls to action for the soon-to-be hero. First, his grandfather is tasked with reopening the portal. This will cause destruction but hopefully squash any rebellion that may be brewing. Simultaneously, Eden accidentally causes a stuffed rabbit to come to life. The now-living rabbit claims to be inhabited by a farm boy. But as the story progresses, the rabbit's knowledge of magic and other matters makes this seem less likely. In any case, Eden is tasked with bringing the rabbit back to a distant land where he can reunite his spirit with his body.

Along the way, Eden makes friends with Sera, a fairy, whom he rescues mid wing-removal surgery, and Phil, a faun.

The book has quite a few story arcs. I don’t want to spoil anything, so I will only mention the portal, the rabbit, and Eden’s conflict with his grandfather, but there are quite a few more. 

As I mentioned before, there are two calls to action. And likewise, I find the book hard to plot on Freytag's Pyramid, especially as one arc is resolved and we move into another. The book ends with a delightful mystery and foreshadowing for the next book in the series.

I would recommend this book for readers who might be interested in an unconventional fantasy. The characters are compelling, the world is vivid and emotional, and the book is hard to put down. 

Length: 345 pages

Perspective: 3rd-Limited

Tense: Past  

Kindle Unlimited: Yes

Where to buy:

https://link.amazon/B03Vhgt94