Rise of the Mythix: Mighty Minotaur by Anh Do

cover image

Illus. by Chris Wahl. Allen and Unwin, 2020. ISBN: 9781760876401.
(Age: 9-13 years). Highly recommended. 'The world will suffer at his hands yet hope remains. With the return of long-forgotten magic, slumbering spirits released from Purgatory will find new homes in human souls. The Golden Unicorn, the Minotaur and the Griffin will be born again as children of humanity. Only these three united in common purpose can fell him who seeks to triumph over all.' (Anh Do p43)
Mighty Minotaur by Anh Do is the second much anticipated book in the Rise of the Mythix series. This story begins with Kelly's mother being held captive by William James aka The Collector of Souls. She is eventually punished for not answering questions about Kelly and painted onto a canvas forever. Meanwhile Kelly and her mentor Stanley Solomon are hidden beneath the city, concentrating on learning about and refining her amazing unicorn powers. One of which is her ability to read the minds of others and as she later discovers her ability to control minds to help others remember information long forgotten. While in hiding, news breaks of a possible lead on the whereabouts of another mythical creature, the Minotaur, who has been discovered in the city. Kelly and Stanley track the teenage boy down and after a terrifying battle against Hornets and the Elite eventually team up together to try to find Kelly's mother and others who have been painted onto canvas by William James. The journey taken to discover these lost souls is fraught with danger, battles and clever twists and turns.
Anh Do keeps the reader entertained throughout this compelling story and when the Griffin appears on the last page to aid the three trapped main characters, there is a sense that Book 3 will have a powerful and gripping climax to this exciting story. Once again Chris Wahl has cleverly interpreted the author's story and characters with eye-catching and impressive illustrations. The fine detail gives the reader a wonderful insight and understanding of the story.
This is a thoroughly enjoyable read that will appeal to students from middle to upper primary.
Themes: Fantasy, Myths, Legends, Dystopia, Adventure, Power, Good vs Evil.
Kathryn Beilby

booktopia