The Nutcracker and the Four Realms ~ Review

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms
The Secret of the Realms: An Extended Novelization
By Mere Rusu
Art by Thomas Fluharty
Screen story by Ashleigh Powell
            and Tom McCarthy



A delightful and engaging story that draws the reader in from the first illustration and the first word.

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms: The Secret of the Realms is told in what is called a time-slip fashion, in other words, two different times are presented that as a whole explain the world of the Realms.

We are told about the creation of the Realms through the story of Marie a young orphan who comes to live with Drosselmeyer. Now Drosselmeyer is an inventor who shares his skills with Marie who soon becomes an inventor as well. Marie and Drosselmeyer come across a unique and unknown passage within his home - one that leads to a magical land. It is here that Marie comes into her own and the Four Realms are born.

Upon the death her mother Clara is at loose ends - no one truly understands her need to tinker and create as her mother could. This is the first Christmas without her and the family is about to spend yet another one at the home of Godfather Drosselmeyer. This year Drosselmeyer has strung strings to lead all to their gifts. Clara's string leads her deep into the house to an unexplored corridor which opens upon a beautiful world.

But the beautiful world is in trouble an internal threat may bring down the Realms and Clara as Marie's daughter may be its only hope.

I was enchanted by this world and drawn into it as the two stories worked towards the climax that would determine the fate of the Realms and Clara. I was a little surprised at how it ended which is a good thing because I like being surprised. I also enjoyed the illustrations that opened each chapter - these were black and white and corresponded with the chapter.

I borrowed a copy of this book from my local library system.

About the Book:
This dazzling novel will not only retell the moving story from The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, but half of the book will expand and explore the world of the Walt Disney Studios film with brand-new, exclusive content. Complete with beautiful full-page chapter opener illustrations and never-before-seen details that add new depth to the story, this novel will have readers eager to step into the resplendent world of The Nutcracker and the Four Realms for generations to come.