THE PRINCE OF NOWHERE

When 12-year-old Roda begins receiving notes from someone she calls Anonymous, the small, comfortable world she shares with her mom and Aunt Dora is upended.

The injured crow she bikes to rescue from the frozen mist of the town border turns out to be Ignis, a slightly cranky shape-changing boy with smoky, grayish skin and black hair. Ignis is missing memories about the events that propelled him through the mist and into the Aerlands from beyond the borders, where there are gryphons and other dangerous monsters. However, he feels compelled to follow the instructions in Anonymous’ notes to venture outside the mist and (literally) catch the comet that passes overhead every 10 years. Enchantments reveal themselves to Roda and Ignis: The comet is a portal to the past and future, bringing the possibility—and consequences—of time travel. A long-ago mage formed it as a place out of time and space, leading readers to contemplate interrelated concepts: nowhere, no where, and now here. Might Ignis prevent the disaster that wiped out his family? And if the past is changed, what happens to the timeline or to beings who try to change fate? Hassan’s visually rich and sure-handed prose, strong characters, realistic dialogue, and page-turning plotting offer a compelling adventure with a philosophical heart. In this fantasy world, human characters are diverse in appearance; Roda is pale skinned with blue eyes and dark, curly hair.

A marvelous blend of fantasy and time-travel speculation with a seasoning of steampunk.