Book Details
Title: Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston
Author: Esme Symes-Smith
Publisher: Labyrinth Road
Publication Date: November 8, 2022
Genre(s): Middle Grade, LGBT, Fantasy, Adventure
Pages: 400
Bookshop Purchase Link: https://bookshop.org/a/67041/9780593485774
Title: Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston
Author: Esme Symes-Smith
Publisher: Labyrinth Road
Publication Date: November 8, 2022
Genre(s): Middle Grade, LGBT, Fantasy, Adventure
Pages: 400
Bookshop Purchase Link: https://bookshop.org/a/67041/9780593485774
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Reading Details
Finish Date: June 27, 2022
Format: Digital
Representation: Nonbinary, Bisexual, Transgender
Trigger/Content Warnings: Transphobia, menstruation, abuse, violence
Finish Date: June 27, 2022
Format: Digital
Representation: Nonbinary, Bisexual, Transgender
Trigger/Content Warnings: Transphobia, menstruation, abuse, violence
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Rating: 5/5
Favorite Quote/Scene:
"Family are the people who love you...exactly as you are, regardless of blood and bond."
Review:
This book was my most highly anticipated read of 2022 and I was willing to wait as long as it took to read it! I was slightly worried that I had over-hyped this book and it wasn't going to live up to my expectations, but that turned out to not be an issue. This book was everything I wanted it to be and more. I'm going to try and write this review without spoiling anything big, and hopefully I'll still be able to get my thoughts and feelings across.
This is a book that tackles topics such as transphobia (deadnaming and misgendering), abuse, menstruation, and other topics that might be hard to handle. I highly recommend you check for trigger/content warnings in order to ensure that you are fully prepared. If you need to take a break while reading this book, do it. The book will be there later, take care of yourself first.
I don't know where to start with this review because there are so many things that I want to talk about. I think the best place to start is with the characters because they are the heart and soul of this book. One of the things that I thought was handled really well in this book was the characters. All of the characters we are introduced to, whether playing major or minor roles, are fleshed out. No one feels randomly added to the story and left without a purpose. They feel complex and detailed, like they have a life outside of what we're shown.
Our main character is Callie. They are our hero who wants to be a knight in Helston, but they also realize that not everything is as they've imagined. Callie is a bit of a stubborn character about things that mean a lot to them and that's not always a good thing. Watching Callie grow and learn more about other people's lives and the world around them is an absolute pleasure. They learn so much about themselves, Helston, and others throughout the story and I can't wait to see them continue to grow in future books.
Some of the other characters in this book are Elowen, Edwyn, and Willow. Out of the three, I think Elowen is my favorite. She's someone that's easily underestimated to the other person's detriment. The more of the book that passes, the more Elowen's true self shines through the pages. She's absolutely fierce and dangerous, even if she doesn't always seem it. I am a bit concerned about one thing and how that could play out, but until I know for sure I'll keep hoping for the best. Willow is absolutely dear to me, like a little brother that I can't help but want to protect. He is loving and trusting, even if that's not always the best thing. He's a sweetheart and I absolutely love him. Edwyn takes a bit to warm up to. I never really disliked him, he's just a complicated person to understand. It isn't helped that he's the last of the main 4 that you spend extended time with, so you don't get a whole lot of time to truly get to know who he is.
The story in this book is probably one of my favorites. It's full of adventure and growing bonds and I'd be hard-pressed to find a moment that I thought was dull. I was drawn in to this story from the absolute beginning and every page that passed drew me further and further into the lives of these characters. This book moved at a steady pace that never really dragged or felt too quick. There was a good amount of build-up to the conflict(s) in this story.
The magic in this world is one of the things that I'd love to read more about. I really enjoyed how Esme described the sensation of feeling and repressing magic. The way that it couldn't be denied, but rather was meant to be embraced. I absolutely loved it and I'm excited to see what else magic can do in the future.
The world that Esme created in this book is one that I am immensely curious about. I wouldn't call it a world I wanted to live in, at least not some of the places that we're shown, but it's definitely an interesting world. A world with magic and knights and dragons. A world with good and evil and everything in between. Esme did such a good job writing the antagonist (specifically the one in the forest) that I am impatiently waiting for more information about her motivations.
If I had to describe this book in one word it would be: bravery. The bravery to be yourself, to fight the things wrong in the world, to fight the injustice in your own house or town. Bravery runs through all of the characters in this book, even if it takes them a while to see it or they haven't quite seen it in themselves yet.
This book is an absolute dream to someone like me. A nonbinary protagonist in a high fantasy book fueled by love and bravery. This book is beautifully told with a moving story and charismatic leads. It's magical even when it's filled with harsh truths and uncomfortable situations. There are a lot of books that I wish I had had when I was a kid and this one tops that list. I wish I had a book with a nonbinary protagonist that discusses the not-so-great parts about being transgender and being a kid in a place run by adults. It's messy and complicated and sometimes painful, much like life. But there's also fun and whimsy and it had lines that legitimately made me laugh out loud. This book is everything I could have wanted as a kid and while I'm disappointed it wasn't available to me then, I am absolutely thrilled that it's available to myself, other adults, and children now. I hope other people pick up this book and it means something to them too. And I hope the second book gets here soon so I can read that one too!
Favorite Quote/Scene:
"Family are the people who love you...exactly as you are, regardless of blood and bond."
Review:
This book was my most highly anticipated read of 2022 and I was willing to wait as long as it took to read it! I was slightly worried that I had over-hyped this book and it wasn't going to live up to my expectations, but that turned out to not be an issue. This book was everything I wanted it to be and more. I'm going to try and write this review without spoiling anything big, and hopefully I'll still be able to get my thoughts and feelings across.
This is a book that tackles topics such as transphobia (deadnaming and misgendering), abuse, menstruation, and other topics that might be hard to handle. I highly recommend you check for trigger/content warnings in order to ensure that you are fully prepared. If you need to take a break while reading this book, do it. The book will be there later, take care of yourself first.
I don't know where to start with this review because there are so many things that I want to talk about. I think the best place to start is with the characters because they are the heart and soul of this book. One of the things that I thought was handled really well in this book was the characters. All of the characters we are introduced to, whether playing major or minor roles, are fleshed out. No one feels randomly added to the story and left without a purpose. They feel complex and detailed, like they have a life outside of what we're shown.
Our main character is Callie. They are our hero who wants to be a knight in Helston, but they also realize that not everything is as they've imagined. Callie is a bit of a stubborn character about things that mean a lot to them and that's not always a good thing. Watching Callie grow and learn more about other people's lives and the world around them is an absolute pleasure. They learn so much about themselves, Helston, and others throughout the story and I can't wait to see them continue to grow in future books.
Some of the other characters in this book are Elowen, Edwyn, and Willow. Out of the three, I think Elowen is my favorite. She's someone that's easily underestimated to the other person's detriment. The more of the book that passes, the more Elowen's true self shines through the pages. She's absolutely fierce and dangerous, even if she doesn't always seem it. I am a bit concerned about one thing and how that could play out, but until I know for sure I'll keep hoping for the best. Willow is absolutely dear to me, like a little brother that I can't help but want to protect. He is loving and trusting, even if that's not always the best thing. He's a sweetheart and I absolutely love him. Edwyn takes a bit to warm up to. I never really disliked him, he's just a complicated person to understand. It isn't helped that he's the last of the main 4 that you spend extended time with, so you don't get a whole lot of time to truly get to know who he is.
The story in this book is probably one of my favorites. It's full of adventure and growing bonds and I'd be hard-pressed to find a moment that I thought was dull. I was drawn in to this story from the absolute beginning and every page that passed drew me further and further into the lives of these characters. This book moved at a steady pace that never really dragged or felt too quick. There was a good amount of build-up to the conflict(s) in this story.
The magic in this world is one of the things that I'd love to read more about. I really enjoyed how Esme described the sensation of feeling and repressing magic. The way that it couldn't be denied, but rather was meant to be embraced. I absolutely loved it and I'm excited to see what else magic can do in the future.
The world that Esme created in this book is one that I am immensely curious about. I wouldn't call it a world I wanted to live in, at least not some of the places that we're shown, but it's definitely an interesting world. A world with magic and knights and dragons. A world with good and evil and everything in between. Esme did such a good job writing the antagonist (specifically the one in the forest) that I am impatiently waiting for more information about her motivations.
If I had to describe this book in one word it would be: bravery. The bravery to be yourself, to fight the things wrong in the world, to fight the injustice in your own house or town. Bravery runs through all of the characters in this book, even if it takes them a while to see it or they haven't quite seen it in themselves yet.
This book is an absolute dream to someone like me. A nonbinary protagonist in a high fantasy book fueled by love and bravery. This book is beautifully told with a moving story and charismatic leads. It's magical even when it's filled with harsh truths and uncomfortable situations. There are a lot of books that I wish I had had when I was a kid and this one tops that list. I wish I had a book with a nonbinary protagonist that discusses the not-so-great parts about being transgender and being a kid in a place run by adults. It's messy and complicated and sometimes painful, much like life. But there's also fun and whimsy and it had lines that legitimately made me laugh out loud. This book is everything I could have wanted as a kid and while I'm disappointed it wasn't available to me then, I am absolutely thrilled that it's available to myself, other adults, and children now. I hope other people pick up this book and it means something to them too. And I hope the second book gets here soon so I can read that one too!
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