What Age Group Is 'Faerie Wars' Suitable For?

The book would likely be most suitable for readers of middle grade and upwards, i.e. around 10-15 years old and above. The protagonist is 12 and has been thrust into an unusual situation and the reader can expect to follow him on his journey as he deals with his own coming of age. The action and battles are not excessively gory and the faerie politics have been simplified enough that younger readers can follow without getting too bogged down. There are some creepy spider-like creatures and some magical items such as glowing portals, but overall it is a nice balance of danger and wonder. I would compare it to the ‘Percy Jackson’ books in that high stakes are created but the story remains accessible to the reader.

I have recommended ‘Faerie Wars’ to dozens of kids in our local library. It seems to appeal to kids between 11-14 years old. It is a very funny book, particularly as sporadic characters accidentally turn into frogs. A sarcastic hedgehog is also a main character in the book. Although the book is written for reluctant readers, the complexity of the plot keeps more advanced readers engaged as well as being hooked by the short chapters.

Brennan’s world is very similar to that of a Ghibli film, lots of bright color and imagination but enough complexity in the politics between the faerie rebels and human allies to keep the older readers interested. The emotional relationships between the characters and the scenarios in which they have to make tough decisions are classic adolescent struggles but are handled in such a way that they are not ‘angst’-ridden in a YA sense. And the best thing? It’s a standalone novel in an age of series upon series upon series of novels. If your child enjoyed ‘The Spiderwick Chronicles’ but is a bit older and looking for something with more depth and more complex plots and characters then this is the perfect novel for them.

'Faerie Wars' is just one of those stories that is so magical and versatile for a range of ages, from 9 years old and up. Written in simple language but clever, the YA author Herbie Brennan manages to weave in plenty of wonderful wordplay and tackles some quite serious moral issues that will also appeal to older YA readers. Child readers will adore the talking creatures and active, action-packed scenes which involve lots of portal-hopping between worlds, while older readers can appreciate the depth of Brennan’s exploration of themes related to war and the impact on the environment.

The book mainly follows the journey of the protagonist, Henry, from not believing in anything to saving the world. A large portion of the story revolves around Henry growing up from a pre-teen into a full-fledged teenager. This makes it a perfect book for this stage of life, and children looking for an interesting read while parents rest assured that there’s no gritty or edgy content. The violence is mainly in the form of ‘swashblinging clangs’ that will be far from too real for many younger readers, while the world-building is rich enough for older readers that have read plenty of books in the ‘Harry Potter’ mold.

One of the things that distinguishes The Faerie Wars from children’s fiction is that Brennan assumes his young readers can handle complexity, wrapped up in a story with flying pies and an evil Emperor. It would make a great gateway book for kids who are about to enter the much denser world of The Mortal Instruments, for example.