The Sapphire Society by L.C. Sarll Young Fiction Review (sent by Matador).

The latest young fiction book sent to me for review by Matador is The Sapphire Society. A blend of modern day and fantasy set in the Faroe Islands, where it seems the water might be hiding more secrets than we could ever dream of...

The story revolves around 12 year old Savannah, who moves to the Faroe Islands with her family, to live in her Grandmother's old cottage. While moving her mother finds an old dull sapphire necklace that had belonged to her own mother, and gives it to Savannah.

There are clearly mysteries on the island and Savannah very quickly befriends local lad Rich, son of the wealthy businessman Mr Froodroy. She also meets a woman known by the children as The Doomed Widow. The Doomed Widow is Doreen, whose husband was lost at sea several years beforehand.

Doreen tells the children she is a guardian for the islands and their secrets, and that a poison gas held under the sea must continue to be contained. A network of people, the secretive Sapphire Society, keep a watchful eye over the seas of the entire world, and Doreen's housemate Mai is actually an apprentice from Norway.

This is a great little story. There are some pretty fantastical parts such as gas gliding - using a Sapphire to raise you from the ground and hover to where you wish to go, and Selkies - seals in human form. There are lots of completely normal parts - loss of a loved one, being part of a family, going to school. It all winds together really well, and you almost believe these people could really be walking among us.

L.C.Sarll really does get across the atmosphere of living on an island, and the pace of living an 'ordinary life' while also saving the world when it needs it.

A good read for more confident readers aged around 9+, perfect for girls or boys, and very modern. I'm particularly impressed that there is a transgender character who just happens to be transgender. They are a regular person, not the story. Just like the majority of transgender people.

The Sapphire Society is written by L.C.Sarll and self-published with Matador. 256 pages, in a beautifully covered embossed hardback, rrp £10.99. Amazon affiliate link below:

We were sent our copy of The Sapphire Society for review. Amazon links are affiliate, which earns me a few pence if you buy through my link, but never costs you anything more. It helps keep free self-published book reviews on the blog.