The Obsidian Pebble

I'm still torn on whether this story is aimed at an MG, or a YA audience. It's true that The Obsidian Pebble features an 11-year old protagonist. However these characters don't act, think, or even talk like most 11-year-olds that I know. On the one hand, I loved that. I adore when authors don't think they need to talk down to their audience. On the other hand, this may be a difficult read for younger readers to get into at first. Just something to think about before you put it in your reader's hands.

Yes, The Obsidian Pebble does take a little while to get up and moving. It makes sense though. Rhys A. Jones uses the first few chapters to introduce the reader to Oz's town, his amazing home, and give the reader some back story on how he came to live there. I was enchanted by the idea of Penwurt. This massive home, big enough to house boarders even, came to life in my mind. What better place to have an adventure? What better place to uncover a dark mystery? Penwurt became a character in its own right, and I ate it up.

Oz and his friends were also great characters. They were funny, bantered like best friends should, and were extremely smart. I couldn't get over how quickly they managed to sort out any problems that came their way. My only gripe is that I didn't get to know them as much as I would have liked. The author does a great job of quickly introducing each one, and showing how they work as team. I just wasn't as invested in them as I thought I should be. In the story, yes. In them, not so much. The mystery really pulls the story forward.

I honestly ended up enjoying The Obsidian Pebble in the end. It did take me a little while to become immersed in the story, but once things picked up in the mystery department I was hooked. Again I say, just keep reading on. The story does pick up! By the ending, I was ready for more. I think this would be a great read to share between a parent and a child.