Dandelion Fire by N.D. Wilson
Dandelion Fire is the second book in N.D. Wilson’s 100 CUPBOARDS trilogy for children. In the first book, 100 Cupboards, we met Henry, a boy who went to live with his aunt and uncle in Kansas and discovered 100 oddly-shaped doors behind the plaster in his attic bedroom. There are different worlds behind all those doors and toward the end of the book Henry finally gets into one and inadvertently sets free an evil witch queen. I thought this was a great premise, and I liked Henry, but I was disappointed that so little time was spent exploring the other worlds.
At the beginning of Dandelion Fire, Henry is about to be sent home to live with the overprotective but unloving parents who adopted him when he was a baby. He knows, though, that he was born in the world behind one of the doors in his bedroom. Wondering if (and hoping that) his “real” family is still alive and missing him, he goes into that world to look for them. His curious cousin Henrietta follows him because she knows her father (Henry’s Uncle Frank) also originally came from behind the cupboard doors. When a bad wizard blasts Uncle Frank and Aunt Dotty’s house out of Kansas, that forces them, and Henry’s friend Zeke and a local policeman, to retreat into the cupboards. That’s how they all end up in the middle of a war involving that evil witch queen, her minions, and some funny faeries.
Dandelion Fire is better than its predecessor because it mostly takes place in the fantasy world behind the doors, unlike the first book which spent little time there. I’m still disappointed that there are not 100 unique fantasy worlds behind the 100 doors, which is what I was expecting based on the title of this series. I was hoping we’d be visiting numerous unique worlds instead of just one. In that sense, this series is similar to NARNIA where there is an evil witch queen, her minions, and the good guys in a parallel world that can be entered and exited at will, if you know how. Also like NARNIA, there is a bit of Christian allegory going on but, at least in this book, you won’t notice it unless you look for it.
Though Dandelion Fire is more interesting than 100 Cupboards, and though many of Henry’s questions are answered, there are frequent moments when it definitely feels like a middle book. The pace sometimes lags and toward the end there’s a sense that things are finally winding up for the finale which takes place in book three, The Chestnut King.
As far as the language goes, sometimes it is quite lovely, especially in the descriptive passages, though I can’t say that Wilson’s world, or the events happening in it, are always adequately described. There is not always a complete sense of place. The narrative also tends to be choppy in places. Fortunately, Russell Horton, the narrator of the audio version I listened to, helps even this out and I rarely noticed except for when I was specifically listening for it.
The strengths of this series so far is Henry’s appealing characterization, his sweet relationship with his uncle’s family, his concern about who he really is and what will be expected of him, and the occasional quirky sense of humor. I especially enjoyed Wilson’s amusing faeries. The trilogy will appeal mostly to children, its target audience, but it has more crossover potential than many children’s series I’ve read. It is gruesome in parts, though, so sensitive or easily frightened children should approach with caution.
100 Cupboards — (2007-2008) Ages 9-12. Publisher: Twelve-year-old Henry York wakes up one night to find bits of plaster in his hair. Two knobs have broken through the wall above his bed and one of them is slowly turning… Henry scrapes the plaster off the wall and discovers cupboards of all different sizes and shapes. Through one he can hear the sound of falling rain. Through another he sees a glowing room — with a man pacing back and forth! Henry soon understands that these are not just cupboards, but portals to other worlds. 100 Cupboards is the first book of a new fantasy adventure, written in the best world-hopping tradition and reinvented in N. D. Wilson’s inimitable style.
I haven’t read the books, but just in reading your reviews, I’m noticing a lot of potential connections to Baum’s Oz series–magical portal fantasy, Kansas, shared names like Henry and Dotty and Zeke. Did you notice that as well, or am I swinging in the dark? :)
And his uncle’s name is Frank.
Chapter one starts with “Kansas is not easily impressed. It has seen houses fly and cattle soar. When funnel clouds walk through the wheat, big hail falls behind. As the biggest stones melt, turtles and mice and fish and even men can be seen frozen inside. And Kansas is not surprised.”
Aha, so it’s intentional!
I read this straight after 100 Cupboards and found it to be a huge and exciting children’s fantasy, sometimes so complicated that I gave up trying to figure out who had done what and when. It’s full of magic doors, openings, light that’s darkness and vice versa, an enormous battle, lies and treacheries, and wonderful truths that have lain hidden, and pretty much everything else.
It’s long, and there are perhaps too many characters and deaths, but what the heck: it’s a greatly imaginative tale, and well worth the reading.
Mccrowl, thanks for your rating! Did you hear that there’s a prequel called The Door Before? I just received an audio copy. I’ll review it soon.
I think I have heard about the prequel, but don’t know anything about it. I’ve still got the second Outlaws of Time on my Kindle to catch up with…plus all the other books I’m supposed to read!