Review: The Monster in the Hollows

Pursued by the ruthless Gnag the Nameless across the land of Aerwiar, three children of royal descent, along with their mother, take refuge in the country of Green Hollows. Instead of friendly hospitality, the Wingfeathers find themselves regarded with mistrust because one of the siblings has been transformed into a Fang, an enemy of all Aerwiar. The problem gets worse when livestock begins to go missing from the land. Is one of the children to blame? Or is another monster haunting the Hollows?

Andrew Peterson's Wingfeather Saga series (Rabbit Room Press, 2011) encourages familial love and sacrifice. Characters learn that duty is not always doing what you want to do but what you've been called to do. As Peterson brings the Wingfeather family through many character tests, he prepares them to launch a final attack against Gnag the Nameless.

The Monster in the Hollows is an easy read, and a wholesome read-aloud. Though some of the names-noblins and Dark Sea of Darkness-are strange, the book is well-written. It is the third book in the Wingfeather series, and Peterson sometimes refers to past events, which might be confusing to readers not already familiar with the first two books. For that reason, it is probably better to begin at the beginning of the series.