My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Crystal Keyis the first book in the Wellspring Trilogy written by Robert Gronewold. This young adult and fantasy fiction novel is about Felicity Bough, a sixteen-year-old orphan who was adopted when she was two by her mother's best friend, Lenora. Every year, her birthday wish is to become just like her mother and Lenora, a Doorward.
A Doorward is a caster who helped protect and maintain the mirror was. On her sixteenth birthday, unexpected guests arrived on their doorstep and informed Felicity that she could be more than just a Doorward; she could be a Turnkey just like her dad. A Turnkey is an expert in combative magic who prevents Horrors from the Dark from slipping in the mirrorways.
The first eight chapters of the story tackle character development and world building. Thus if you are waiting for the better part, you have to wait until chapter nine because that's where the conflict begins. In the said chapter, Felicity, Harry and Margo went to the grand unveiling of the new mirrorway central hub. During the event, there was a catastrophe in the venue and Felicity was able to save Harry. However, the Horror grabbed Felicity through the Mirrorgate and then the gate was shattered, making her trapped inside.
If you are a fan of young adult and fantasy fiction, you will appreciate this kind of story even though that it's quite long. It took me a week to be able to finish this 388-page novel, but I could say that it's worth it.
