W.I.T.C.H. Book 7: The Light of Meridian

The Light of Meridian by, Julie Komorn. ISBN-10: 0-7868-1796-8

Sandwiched between fourteen pages of a graphic novel lies the heart of the story that is The Light of Meridian. The W.I.T.C.H. series, which originated as an Italian comic book created by Elisabetta Gnone, has since become a series of comic books, chapter books, and an animated television show. The series focuses on five girls who live seemingly ordinary lives in a town called Heatherford. However, they are secretly the Guardians of the Veil and are responsible for protecting Earth form evil creatures that could enter through one of twelve portals from the dark world of Metamoor. The girls suffer with classic teenage fashion and boy problems, which helps make the characters easy to relate to. Each girl has two basic personality traits and almost all of their actions and dialogue could be predicted by these two traits. Will, the leader of the group struggles with feelings about the boy she likes, Matt; Taranee goes on a date with Nigel, the boy she likes, and Cornelia deals with dreams about her unknown soul mate and memories of her old best friend-turned-enemy, Elyon. Cornelia, who sets off for the other world of Meridian in hopes of saving Elyon, happens to meet the boy of her dreams and learns that he is the leader of a rebel movement set on destroying the evil Prince Phobos, who is Elyon's brother. Far more of the book is filled with descriptions of boy dramas than with the fantasy parts of the story or the major battle that gets fought between Phobos' army and the rebels. The battle takes place without much violence-- it is definitely geared towards a female audience. Nonetheless, the story moved quickly, the action was exciting, and the friendships felt real. The story does not come to a true ending, but leaves readers hanging so that they will want to read the eighth book in the W.I.T.C.H. series, Out of the Dark. This book follows the current trend in modern fantasy books like the Percy Jackson or Alcatraz Smedry series of taking modern, normal kids, giving them special powers, and still having them behave like modern, normal kids. Ultimately, this is a girly book that will appeal to fans of the Candy Apple series.