The named by Marianne Curley
Bloomsbury, 2010 (c2002). ISBN 9781408804483.
(Age 13+) Recommended. A re-issue of the first in Marianne Curley's The
Guardians of Time series is a welcome addition to the fantasy genre.
Ethan has seen his sister attacked by a monster and has trained as a
Guardian, one of the Named who fight against the chaos that would occur
if history was changed. At the same time he has to pretend that he is
just an ordinary schoolboy. Then he is told that Isabel, the sister of
Matt, his once best friend, is to be his apprentice and that he has
only weeks to train her. Will he manage to teach her the skills
necessary to survive when they go back in time to fix the mess that the
Order of Chaos is trying to make?
Told in the first person by Ethan, I was drawn once again into the
magical world of the Guardians and the everyday life of the main
characters, Ethan and Isabel. Ethan's family is dysfunctional after the
death of his sister, his mother falling into depression and his father
unable to cope. The arrival of a new girl Rochelle creates rivalry
between Ethan and Matt, and has destroyed their friendship. Matt
certainly doesn't want Ethan anywhere near his sister. Meanwhile Ethan
is desperate to win his wings in the world of the Guardians, but even
his friend Arkarian, who has electric blue hair and violet coloured
eyes, has a difficult time convincing the court that he is mature
enough. Curley keeps the reader in suspense about the relationships
between the teenagers, wondering about the notion of soul mates and
whether the romances will flourish.
The action is gripping and the time travel to different historical
periods adds an extra dimension to the story. There is a mysterious
prophecy that foretells what is going to happen. I was challenged to
try and work out who was mentioned in it and who was to die.
I enjoyed this compelling story when it first was published and found
that it still has a timeless appeal. It would appeal to both boys and
girls.
Pat Pledger