The Luck Uglies by Paul Durham

The first book in a trilogy, this fantasy is dark and marvelously filled with monsters.  Rye has grown up in the worst part of Village Drowning.  Her mother owns a shop in the market section of town where Rye helps out.  Together with her two best friends, Rye begins to piece together the story of her family and her father.  It all has to do with the monstrous Bog Noblins, creatures that are considered extinct but that Rye is convinced have returned to the village.  The problem is that the only people who can defend the village against the monsters are the illegal Luck Uglies, a troupe of villains who had been driven from the village and are considered just as evil as the monsters.  But all is not what it seems in Village Drowning as Rye is soon to discover.

Durham has crafted a fabulous fantasy for middle-grade readers.  The book is filled with moments of real fear and true danger, making it ideal for that age.  It also has plenty of humor along the way, usually involving Rye’s friends and family, allowing a lightness in the novel that is very appealing in such a dark novel.  Durham has created a world in this book that is unique and fascinating but also pays homage to more traditional tales.  This book slips neatly into European tales of monsters and goblins, yet still manages to be telling its own story.

Rye is a wonderful heroine.  She is bright and inquisitive and immensely brave particularly when someone she loves is in danger.  At the same time she is fully human, frightened at times, holding on tight to her own viewpoint, and learning to trust too.  She is certainly not without flaws, but she is immensely likeable and exactly the person you want when the Bog Noblins return.

Dark, dangerous and delightful, this book is a strong new fantasy series for middle-grade readers.  Appropriate for ages 9-12.

Reviewed from copy received from HarperCollins.