Tasha Marie Marie itibaren Voshchilovo, Tverskaya oblast', Rusya, 171616
I really struggled on whether to give this 2 or 3 stars. The writing for this fantasy book was only so-so as was the story, although it did keep me interested until the end. Some of the fantasy creatures and situations seemed a little over the top. I was reminded of a character in a cartoon that has painted themselves into a corner. Suddenly they use the paintbrush to paint a door or window so they can escape. Some of the things in the book felt that way, as if they were created at the last minute just to extricate the characters out of the corner the author had placed them in rather than because they actually belonged in the story. This is a series and the 1st book definitely does not reach a conclusion. I am interested enough to read the 2nd book so will stick with the 3 stars. NOTE: Other reviewers seem to really like this book, especially the younger kids so if the synopsis appeals to you, it could be one you'd end up liking.