LoveReading4Kids Says
LoveReading4Kids Says
Presenting a fresh take on Welsh myths of lake monsters, magical swords and dogs named Gelert, and driven by its spirited autistic protagonist, Lizzie Huxley-Jones’ Vivi Conway and the Sword of Legend is a fine story for readers who like adventures with heart. Just as The Mums (Vivi’s collective name for her Mam and Mumma) have decided they’re leaving Wales for London, Vivi hears a lake calling to her: “Come here. Come look”. Having resisted its calls for about a week, she finally succumbs, sneaks out at night and winds up finding Excalibur and encountering a terrifying monster that’s “basically a giant beaver”. Thankfully Dara and their talking dog Gelert come to Viv’s rescue, but that’s just the start of it…
As things turn out, Vivi’s move to London is but one of many big changes. In London, to her shock, Dara is at her new school, and she then learns that she’s one of a magical band of children, with the power to control water, and a responsibility to protect the world from evil King Arawn.
Alongside the adventure, Vivi’s new friendships are a joy, and her autism is presented with tender clarity, such as when she explains that her “version of normal is quite different from everyone else’s” and shares her “anxiety about things changing”.
Joanne Owen
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About
Vivi Conway and the Sword of Legend Synopsis
The problem with growing up listening to bedtime stories about monsters, magic and myth is that you don't really question it when a lake summons you...
The lake has been calling to twelve-year-old Vivi Conway. On the day she and her Mams will move from Wales to London, she sneaks out to investigate what is calling her there. Instead of a quiet swim, she finds Excalibur (much smaller than she expected), a ferocious monster (much scarier in real life than in her mythology books), a new friend (which she doesn't want at all) called Dara and a ghostly dog named Gelert (who can talk).
Gelert insists that Vivi is part of a magical group of children who share the souls of witches from legend and must protect the world from being taken over by the evil King Arawn of the Otherworld. Oh, and now she can magically control water. With a little extra help from spiky Avery and sweet-hearted Chia, can Vivi be brave enough to embrace true friendship and her magical destiny to help protect the world from evil?
The first book in a fantastical series that combines a quest for magic and friendship with Welsh mythology and a pinch of science, all within a contemporary setting.
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781913311421 |
| Publication date: |
1st June 2023 |
| Author: |
Lizzie Huxley-Jones |
| Publisher: |
Knights Of Media |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
353 pages |
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Press Reviews
Lizzie Huxley-Jones Press Reviews
'A remarkable, heart-pounding, reinvigorated story of the myths you think you know – with characters you can't forget and prose you will read again and again. Fun, fast, and Welsh legends have never looked this beautiful in print.' – Elle McNicoll, author of A Kind of Spark
'An edge-of-your-seat adventure underpinned by rich mythology and a brave heroine that will capture your heart. Hux has spun a classic tale for the ages.' – Laura Noakes, author of Cosima Unfortunately Steals a Star
'A heartwarming and spellbinding book, with wonderful disability and LGBTQ+ representation.' – Natasha Hastings, author of The Miraculous Sweetmakers: The Frost Fair
'Full of warmth and wit, Vivi Conway has captured my heart. The author brings the epic sagas of Welsh mythology to a brilliantly realised everyday reality – with a wonderful cast of children ready to save the world. The perfect magical adventure.' – Zohra Nabi, author of The Kingdom Over the Sea
Author
About Lizzie Huxley-Jones
Lizzie Huxley-Jones (they/them) is an autistic author and editor based in London. They are the author of the forthcoming queer holiday rom-com Make You Mine This Christmas (2022) from Hodder Studio and fantasy middle grade series Vivi Conway and the Sword of Legend (2023) from Knights Of.
They write joyful stories that centre queerness and disability. They are the editor of Stim, an anthology of autistic authors and artists, which was published by Unbound in April 2020 to coincide with World Autism Awareness Week. They are also the author of the children's biography Sir David Attenborough: A Life Story (2020) and a contributor to the anthology Allies: Real Talk About Showing Up, Screwing Up, And Trying Again (2021), which was chosen to be a World Book Day Title for 2023, renamed as Being an Ally (2023). They also work with writers and publishers as a sensitivity reader and editorial consultant, and were an editor at independent micropublisher 3 of Cups Press. In their past career lives, they have been a research diver, a children's bookseller and digital communications specialist. They tweet too much at @littlehux, taking breaks to walk their dog Nerys. They are represented by Abi Fellows of The Good Literary Agency.
FInd them on Instagram @littlehux
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