Blue Window

The style of Gewirtz’s fantasy trades on the classic: five siblings fall through a mysterious window into another world and must find their way home; along the way, they meet cryptic characters with names like “the Genius,” “the Guide,” “Master Watcher,” and “Shepherdess.” A third-person narrative moves among Susan, Max, Nell, Kate, and Jean as they wander about, confused and frightened, trying to get their bearings in a bleak and frightening world. The siblings stand out for their smooth skin and striking beauty, which endanger them almost constantly. Though the children develop special powers (Susan can summon the wind in times of need, for example), the narrative lacks momentum. The children are unmoored, and even the strange school where Nell learns the dark history of this world isn’t an adequate tether to anchor the narrative. The siblings spend the bulk of the book stumbling about, trying to understand where they are and why the people are so strange, moving through a series of events that never quite coalesces into a cohesive fantasy. Ages 10–up. (Apr.)