The Language of Ghosts | Book Review

Book: The Language of Ghosts by Heather Fawcett
Release Date: September 8th 2022
Tags: Middle Grade | Fantasy | Fantasy Languages | Magical Powers | Oppression
Trigger/Content Warnings: War | Murder | Loss of a Parent | Grief | Mentions of Human Experimentation | Talk of Murdering a Child

Forced into exile on an enchanted, moving island, ex-princess Noa Marchena has two missions: reclaim her family’s stolen throne and ensure that the dark powers her older brother, Julian, possesses don’t go to his head in the process. But between babysitting her annoying little sister, Mite, and keeping an eye on the cake-loving sea monster that guards the moving island, Noa has her hands full.

When the siblings learn that their enemies are searching for a weapon capable of defeating Julian—whose legendary spell weaving is feared throughout the kingdom—once and for all, they vow to get to it first. To everyone’s surprise, the key to victory turns out to be a long-lost magical language.

But what if by helping her brother, Noa ends up losing him?

The Language of Ghosts is a middle grade that was recced to me by Jenna from Falling Letters. But even before that it had caught my eye because of that pretty cover. The Language of Ghosts is a beautiful story about 3 royal siblings trying to surive a war because of their magical abbilities.

We start the story in the night that the mother of Julian, Noa and Mite is assisinated and they have to run from the place they called home. It was a coup to take over the ruling of their country from those who were opposed against magic users. They succeeded. It drove the three siblings and their supporters to take up residence on an island that Julian then puts a spell on so it can move.

Years later they are still on that island, trying to find ways to keep from the grasp of those who want them dead while also finding ways to taking their place as rightful heirs to the throne back. Julian was meant to be king as the oldest (and most powerful in magic). He can speak all 9 magical languages. Mite seems to have some magic as well. But Noa doesn’t seem to have none. But that doesn’t matter when you have a smart brain, does it?

I think what I loved the most about this book was the relationship between the three siblings. How Julian seems to dote on young Mite, Mite who follows Noa everywhere, Noa who tries to keep her brother from becoming ‘evil’ as she calls it. It felt real. Siblings fight and argue. But the love was there. I loved how Noa would be the one that could always criticize Julian, and even if it frustrated or angered him, he still listened. He still heard her in the end. And he would always be there for her. I think that is so the heart of this story and its beautiful.

The magical system of the languages was really interesting. Different kinds of magic attached to a language. And one can only understand and use it if you were born with a natural inclination to it. I would have liked more on the wizards that hid the other languages but perhaps that is for another story. Wink Wink. Hope Hope.

There are also different creatures in this world like the sea serpent Beauty that Julian has tied to the island, who by the way was a great addition~.