Penny, The Review Group's reviewer Penny for Your ThoughtsThe Review Group
Series ✦ Penny’s Take

The Keeper of the Mist

Rachel Neumeier · 2016
77/100
👍 Worth It

Neumeier delivers a quietly charming YA fantasy that earns its Robin McKinley comparisons — a reluctant young leader, a kingdom exposed and vulnerable, and a magic system rooted in the land itself rather than flashy spectacle. Keri is a protagonist who leads through intelligence and loyalty, and the Kirkus and SLJ endorsements give it real credibility. It opens slowly, but once the stakes arrive this is a thoroughly satisfying standalone fantasy that is completely safe for faith-conscious families.

✦ Penny’s Take — this is The Review Group’s own editorial assessment. Penny’s analytical review line researched this book from real sources and scored it across the lenses shown below. It’s an honest first-party read — not a page-by-page personal one. The gold ✓ Penny Tested mark is reserved for books Penny reads cover to cover herself.
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Show the math
Verdict receipt0–100
safety95
substance72
craft75
originality68
accuracy80
hype74
age-fit90
human-eye76
Penny’s verdict77
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