A young explorer and his friends search for a long-lost treasure in the boisterous and bouncy middle-grade graphic novel The Moonlit Spiral by Mike Maihack (Cleopatra in Space series).
In the land of Helix, "treasure hunting was once a way of life." Explorers "unearthed the artifacts of past civilizations," and magical creatures known as guardians protected "treasure and sacred places." Then the guardians disappeared. Years later, Orion Flynn, the most famous treasure hunter in Helix, also vanished after venturing out to find a "final, mysterious discovery." And thus, the "great era of exploration" came to an end.
Punky blond-haired, brown-skinned Orion "Rion" Corsair grew up hearing stories about his namesake from his treasure-hunter parents. Rion lost interest in exploration and the possibility of magic after his parents died searching for Flynn's treasure. He prefers to spend time playing video games with his friend, the redheaded, pale-skinned Zyla, and working in caregiver Henry's bookstore. One dark and stormy night, Rion awakens to the sound of his window unlatching. Rion's "parent's old journal" gets soaked, revealing clues hidden on previously empty pages about Flynn's lost treasure. Before Rion can read the mysterious text, he encounters a "fox-like girl" named Quill in his room as she bounds past him and tries to eat several of his possessions. Rion, now burdened with new information and understanding about his parents' quest, decides to honor his parents' memories by finding the treasure, and he sets out with Zyla and Quill. The trio travels "in the same footsteps of Orion Flynn and [Rion's] parents," solving puzzles, fighting beasts, and rediscovering magic.
The Moonlit Spiral is a zany, earnest story of adventure and friendship set in an elaborate and whimsical fantasy world filled with creatively imagined fauna. Cautious, cynical Rion's push-pull with daring Zyla and perky Quill is an entertaining throughline. His insistence that "there's no such thing as magic" is challenged by Quill's strange powers and the bizarre species they meet on their journey, such as a reptilian orange blob that "tastes like mango." Maihack's eye-popping illustrations brim with color and detail as Rion and his companions trek through mountainous cities, verdant jungles, and spiny caverns. Simple yet distinct character designs make Rion, Zyla, and Quill stand out against the graphic novel's intricate settings.
Although some of the novel's plotlines become muddled, the focus on the trio's evolving friendships shines bright. Fans of detailed world-building and offbeat humor should enjoy this inventive romp. --Alanna Felton, freelance reviewer
Shelf Talker: This adventurous, eccentric middle-grade graphic novel follows a group of young treasure hunters on a quest through an elaborate and whimsical fantasy realm.