I received a digital advance reader’s copy (ARC) of The Girl Who Kept the Castle by Ryan Graudin. Since this version is just a proof and not the final version, I won’t quote directly and will keep my comments general.

In The Girl Who Kept the Castle, Faye has lived in Celurdur—the castle-mansion of the Wizard of the West—for her entire life. She’s used to the place, and knows the magical hallways well. But when Wizard West dies and returns as a ghost, a wrench has been thrown in the gears. He never chose a successor, and so the magic is beginning to fail. This has bigger ramifications than anyone realizes, though; it turns out that each wizard of this land has magic to hold back the Shadow Witch, and West’s death has given her minions a chance to slip free of their bindings to rise again. So Faye and the other inhabitants of the castle must muster their skills to defend their home, all while dealing with Wizard West’s ill-advised attempts to choose a successor to his magic. How is Faye supposed to save the world and wrangle local royalty at the same time? This isn’t her usual job description…

This is a charming story! The setting, a magical castle, is a tried and true one by now, but still so much fun. And I quite liked Faye as a protagonist. She’s quick-witted and determined, even when she’s stuck in a situation she’s unprepared for. I also really liked Max and Illian, the royal siblings who team up with Faye. Together they made a wonderful trio. I also found Wizard West to be an entertaining character, one of those self-centered jerks who, over time, is revealed to have lots of insecurities and therefore becomes more sympathetic.

As for the story, it’s fairly fast-paced, loosely structured around a series of magical tests for the candidates vying for West’s now vacant position. The tests end up being pretty silly, due to West’s personality, and also kind of end up taking a backseat to the real threat of the evil witch trying to return to the kingdom. I would have wanted to see more development of that character, perhaps a bit more worldbuilding, but I was also left with the impression that there might be a sequel. I guess I’ll have to wait and see.

In the end, The Girl Who Kept the Castle was a fun middle grade adventure in a magical setting. The main three characters are excellent, and the story keeps your attention. It’s not the most extraordinary book I’ve ever read, but there are many strong elements. Fans of Studio Ghibli movies or the Nevermoor book series would enjoy this.

The Girl Who Kept the Castle is available now!