I bought Beneath the Swirling Sky by Carolyn Leiloglou because I was drawn by its cover. This is only the second time I can recall doing that.
It turned out to be a Christian middle grade book with an interesting plot and memorable characters. In short, a winner! And, it’s traditionally published by one of the big publishers. It bucks the trend of progressive books from these publishers. I’m glad to see some “diversity” going on!
This is Book 1 of the Restorationists series. Debut author Carolyn Leiloglou has pulled together a story about Restorationists. These are gifted people who can travel through paintings and restore damage. They’re not the only ones who can travel through paintings, though. There are the Distortionists, who have the same gifts but use them to injure, kidnap, and wreck.
Young Vincent, age twelve, doesn’t want to be an artist, despite his mother’s encouragement. He and his six-year-old sister Lilli are sent to Uncle Leo’s for spring break . Vincent and Lilli have been kept in the dark on their Restorationist heritage by their parents, who apparently hope to keep them safe that way.
At Uncle Leo’s they get to know a twelve-year-old cousin, Georgia. When Lilli accidentally travels into a painting and vanishes, Vincent gets an education from Georgia very quickly. How can they rescue Lilli? Time is of the essence. They have to dive into the painting too.
This rescue tale takes some very unexpected turns. It’s an art education in itself. It has a strong Christian theme. Highly recommended: five stars.
