Vanya and the Wild Hunt is a high fantasy middle grade novel.
To be honest, I'm not always a huge fan of middle grade fantasy books. They seem peppered with too many "made up" words, and that usually turns me off completely. Vanya had these moments, but the twists kept me reading to the end, which hints at more to come. Fans of The Unwanteds series and Percy Jackson series will enjoy this new middle grade fantasy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Rep: Indian main character, ADHD main character, queer side characters, autistic side character, multiple POC side characters

Vanya and the Wild Hunt's cover initially drew me in. It gave me the same magical feeling that Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban gave me the first time I saw it on the shelf as a child. Sangu Mandanna delivered that magical feeling and so much more! The world of Auramere is so beautiful and I want to learn more about it! I loved how different many cultures are represented through the various Old Ones and how they weave together. I also loved how aspects like disabilities and queerness are just a normal part of the world with no questioning or challenge. Everyone can be their authentic self.

Vanya gave me so much joy as a main character! She reminded me a little bit of young Percy Jackson with her quick wit and natural desire to help her friends even if she does not understand the world around her quite yet. She is strong-willed but also knows when to step back and let those with more experience step forward, but she will still do things her way. Vanya is a character I hope to see more of, especially in her world. This book made me want to watch her grow up like I did so many other characters in my youth.

Also Ben, Jasper, and Roman were some of my fav side characters. I love them to pieces and their relationship with Vanya. Ben especially, I love that the friendship built over time and wasn't instant. Ben balances Vanya in so many ways.

Overall, for those looking for an alternative to the Harry Potter series (due to lack of rep among other reason), look no further! Pick up Vanya and the Wild Hunt to fill that void. I hope there are many more adventures of Vanya to come!!

Sangu Mandanna became one of my favorite middle grade authors with Kiki Kallira, so I had to jump on Vanya and the Wild Hunt immediately. And no surprise, I LOVED IT! Of all the magical schools I've read about, this is the one I want to be a part of!

Magical doors that fit into a piece of wood, runes, weapons made from sunlight, animal familiars that talk, talking books, magical beings of lore, evil creatures of lore, a spell that makes you instantly able to translate what others are saying. Just....give it all to me now please!

And then there is Vanya, our young character who finds out she is part of this magical world when she finds herself saving her mother's life one morning. But Vanya is not like other kids her age; she has ADHD and it is truly a part of her character in large and small ways. I appreciate how Sangu represented this in the book and didn't make Vanya out to be abnormal. Representation matters!


Ohhhh I just had a thought of a most excellent crossover! Vanya + Kiki! oh my gosh, it would be so cool!

The audio narrator was Safiyya Ingar, and she did a phenomenal job with the various voices for the characters. Eager to listen to more of her work.

Soooo when is the next book coming out? Because I need to know what happens next, like right now. Please and thank you.

Mandanna is providing Middle Grade readers with their next favorite magical series with VANYA AND THE WILD HUNT! The cast is diverse and side characters have depth to them. Vanya's struggles with her ADHD and not knowing a whole lot about her parents add additional layers to a book about a kid who finds out magic is real and that the human race is in danger. As an adult I was fascinated with Auramere and I am positive that if I met Vanya when I was Eleven-years-old like she is, I would have been devastated that I would never be able to visit a place like it in real life. Also, I wish books would talk to me!

While I impatiently wait for the second book to be written, I will ponder what my familiar would be.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, and Roaring Brook Press in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. I literally said “No!” when the book ended because I wanted to read the sequel and couldn’t because the first one isn’t even officially out yet.

Vanya and the Wild Hunt brings together mythical monsters (like in Percy Jackson), a school of magic (like in a lot of series), and an enchanted library (cooler than the one in Beauty and the Beast). And the story is set in the UK and India. Whenever the characters drink tea, I have a strong urge to drink masala chai (and I made a batch of concentrate specifically for cozy drinking while reading this book).

I rate this book 5 stars.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.

Highlights

This book has plenty of secrets for the reader to unravel as well as magical creatures and adventure in a gorgeous setting that is now on my list of fictional places I’d most want to visit. The book also has great representation. The gender and race stuff is great but not a big deal thematically. There are two gay couples, one just mentioned and one made up of major characters. For any librarians who might have to fight book banners, for the record, there is no physical interaction that book banners could frame as “inappropriate.” The gay characters don’t even kiss. They just are married and exist, and it’s not a big deal.

The more relevant issues for the plot are disabilities and neurodivergence. In a world where magical people hunt ancient monsters, characters have both the magical and normal mortal disabilities you’d expect, and the book doesn’t use magic to erase this diversity.

The protagonist, Vanya, has ADHD, and she has a classmate who is also neurodivergent. The Percy Jackson approach to ADHD and dyslexia, where it turns out Percy et al actually have demigod powers, is fun, but Mandanna takes an approach that will be more helpful to readers (especially kids) with ADHD. Vanya struggles throughout the book with how to balance being herself with the masking she needs to do to exist in society. She grapples with the ways in which ADHD is both a strength and a weakness for her and with what “be proud of who you are” actually means for her.

The plot twists were, for me as an adult, not totally unexpected but still very satisfying, and middle-grade readers are going to lose their minds with excitement about what happens.

Drawbacks

I’m sure if I went back and read the book again, I could come up with some negative things to say. I think the first page was a lot more lyrical than later parts of the book, maybe? And maybe that’s good or bad?

I honestly don’t know, nor do I care. This book is great, and I’m going to request that my library buy a copy, if they haven’t already.

Five stars.

If you love Rick Riordan's books, you'll love Vanya and the Wild Hunt!

Vanya can hear books talk. She also has ADHD, which is why she figures her parents wouldn't believe her if she told them. But when she comes home early from school because she forgot her homework, she saves her parents from an Old One and find out there's a lot they've been hiding from her, too.

Vanya's mother is an archwitch, and her dad is an archivist. Her mother made a deal with an Old One years ago to keep Vanya safe, but someone else broke the agreement. Now that her powers are known, they decide to send her to Auramere, a school for young Archlings.

There, Vanya lives with her parents' best friends, Jasper and Roman, who are professors at the school. For the first time in her life, she finds school interesting and something she's good at. But the Old Ones are stirring, and no one knows who is behind the attacks.

Vanya is a relatable heroine for kids. She gets herself in trouble, but has a huge heart and love for others. While this story isn't as complex as Riordan's, it is a good introduction to a series, and something younger kids will enjoy before they'll be ready for Riordan's books.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book.

An excellent entry into the magical boarding school genre, Vanya and the Wild Hunt introduces a new world of magical creatures. Vanya discovers a multitude of secrets about herself and her family and begins to learn skills to help protect this new world. Vanya's ADHD is handled well, as something that can cause problems for her, but also as something that helps her succeed and be herself. Not all the magical mysteries are explained in this volume, but as a beginning to a series, it's a good start.

A captivating read for young readers who crave imaginative adventures, diverse representation, and stories that celebrate neurodiversity, identity, and the power of creativity and courage.

Vanya Vallen (11) feels out of place in her nearly all white, small England town with her Indian parents and her struggles with ADHD. She does everything she can to try to fit in, to be normal, so she doesn't tell anyone, even her parents, that the rare books in the back of their bookshop talk to her. One day, the books are screaming warnings, but she hax to rush off to schoo and forgot her homework - again. She races home to find her father hurt and her mother on the floor as a creature attacks her. Vanya steps in and saves her mother, killing the Gildencroft Bogeyman, for now, anyway, and her parents secrets begin to unravel. They attended Auramere in India, a school for archwitches (mom) and archivists (dad) and to keep her safe for her to learn to be an archwitch they send her to the school with their bestfriend, Jasper. At the school, Vanya begins to learn to be herself, to accept her ADHD, makes a best friend in Ben who has autism, and begins to unravel even more of her families secrets. Things turn unsafe when the Wild Hunt appears in Auramere, a place no Old One, as these creatures are called should be, and Vanya must find a way to stop it before it hurst anyone at the school. Vanya is a well-layered, nuanced character surrounded by a diverse cast that add well to the narrative. The world-building and the various folk lore that is drawn into the lore - Bogeyman, Baba Yaga, a mermaid princes, the Wild Hunt - are well-drawn. India folklore, with the school based in India, is missing, but might become present in the sequel the book teases.

Vanya and the Wild Hunt is a treat for fantastical literary lovers of all ages!

Sangu Mandanna balances the world wonderfully, and writes luscious prose that is fluid and easy to escape in. Everything is well paced and although time passes fairly quickly, it doesn’t feel too rushed for the age and audience. It has the feel of early Harry Potter without the baggage of a problematic author, and with exciting myths and mythological creatures to explore.

Mandanna really solidified her place in the industry with her cozy hit, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, but she’s been around for quite a while writing a variety of stories from fantasy to sci-fi to shorts and middle-grade, and soon graphic novels too. Vanya and the Wild Hunt is about a young girl struggling with her newly diagnosed ADHD as well as her ability to talk to books…not to mention that she also discovers the existence of magic and realizes she has a she has a gift for it too. It’s a LOT! But she quickly gets her bearings and settles into her new normal, making new friends along the way.

A fantastical and fun book that I enjoyed through and through.

Fun MG fantasy novel with a diverse cast and unique magic universe. While the plot isn't exactly hard to guess, the last minute twist regarding how Vanya resolves her issues is intriguing. I would for sure read the next book in the series and would also welcome a feature film adaption - the special effects opportunities would be awesome!

Mandanna can genuinely do no wrong in my eyes. No matter the age group or genre, she knocks it out every single time. I cannot wait for more adventures with Vanya. Definitely making sure this book is going to be in our collection! I truly loved the disability rep and how true to life it felt. This is a book (and series) I feel will resonate with any reader.

Vanya and the Wild Hunt is a fun, cozy fantasy for middle grade readers and all ages!

Vanya is an eleven year old girl with ADHD growing up in the UK, but there are some aspects of her life that are pretty unusual. Like the fact that some of the books in her family’s bookshop talk to her. Or the white mongoose she sees fairly regularly near their house. Or the bizarre rules her mom reminds her to follow every day: go right to school and back home without detours, don’t follow any strangers no matter how lovely their singing is, and never go to the Gildencroft, a certain nearby neighborhood. Vanya knows her parents are keeping secrets from her and she soon learns that magic exists before setting off to live and learn at the magical library.

Mandanna artfully weaves the elements of numerous myths together to create a unique, but slightly recognizable, magical world. Readers will encounter a fresh magic system and a whole cast of funny and complex characters.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and love Mandanna’s world building and characters! Vanya wrestles with topics including identity, overcoming first impressions of people, processing the disappointment of unmet expectations from a parent, and developing self confidence.

The ending did feel a little rushed, though it is clearly setting up a series. I will say that I am confused with the major decision at the climax of the book, which didn’t seem that necessary or justified, but regardless of that ‘why’ I am eagerly awaiting the rest of Vanya’s story.

Thank you for Macmillan Children’s for gifting me an advanced reader’s copy.

Vanya and the Wild Hunt is an adventure that mixes the magic of Indian mythology and the realism of being neurodivergent. Vanya has ADHD and exhibits many of the common traits of someone with that diagnosis. This tale is an excellent story for those who feel less than because their brains work differently from others. The story is engaging and exciting. I would recommend it for middle grades on up.

I received a free advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.

This was such a wonderful book! It had action, adventure, family and wonderful neurodivergent representation. If you enjoy books like Percy Jackson or books with magical schools, this is perfect for you.

I read this with my daughter and she instantly connected to Vanya and the way she interacted and felt about the world. We got to see Vanya really embrace herself and the new world she gets introduced into. It has some really great growth for her throughout this book.

We found the subjects in the book were really appropriate for the middle grade genre and created some great discussion for us as parents with our daughter. I think this was such a great read and my daughter agrees also since she is already asking for the next one.

Loved the world building, as I do for all Sangu Mandanna’s books! I wish there were more about what exactly archivists do, but I suppose that’s what a sequel or two would be for.

Vanya and the Wild Hunt will definitely be entering the “too read” list for both of my children. Apart from being just a delightful fantasy novel that deals in world myths and fantastic creatures, the depiction of ADHD and general existence as an adolescent just trying to fit in at school was excellent. I loved how kind, independent, and brave Vanya was. And the adults in her life generally work very hard to help Vanya understand her life and the world around her. Unlike some young readers stories of the past, the adults don’t ignore or dismiss the concerns and questions of the children. Plus, talking animal companions, sentient mounts, and general magic school shenanigans really make this story a hit. I hope we’ll be getting many more tales from Auramere in the future!

Indian mythology meets a protagonist with ADHD! Be still my young heart that needed exactly this book growing up! Mandanna's writing is filled with whimsy, wit, and so much charm. I cannot wait to share this adventure with every kid I know!

Vanya lives with her parents in a small town in England, and she has trouble fitting in at school because of her ADHD. She gets accomodations, but she doesn't want to act differently from other students when she already feels like an outside because of her Indian heritage. She has long heard books talking to her; it's rather comforting, and she doesn't really talk to her parents about it. When monsters attack the family, Vanya learns about her parents' lives in the past, and about the fact that they went to a magical school called Auramere. Since her parents are worried that the monsters might attack again, they send Vanya off to go to the school and to live with their old friends, Jasper and his husband Roman. The school is a beautiful and fascinating place, the students are kind, and the food and magic are enthralling. Vanya loves her classes, and feels so much more at home. She even has a therapist to help her navigate her ADHD in her new environment, and talks to her parents frequently. Auramere is a very diverse community, and Vanya soon makes friends with Ben and Kasha. When Vanya decides to enter the yearly Monsoon races on a patrallak, a creature that is notoriousl hard to tame, she has plenty of challenges before her, but when monsters manage to infiltrate Auramere, there are even more important things to do. A lot of family history is uncovered, and Vanya makes some choices that put her in a very precarious place. This definitely leaves room for another book in the series.
Strengths: I don't want to give away too much of the story; of course there are things that jeopardize the wonderful magical academy, but they were a bit of a surprise. The best part of this was all of the cool stuff at Auramere; there's a village, and there are even many families who live there to stay safe. Vanya's ADHD and sensory issues, as well as Ben's autism, are given a good treatment, which is good to see since there aren't as many fantasy books with neurodivergent characters. (Lerangis Max Tilt is the only one that comes to mind immediately.)
Weaknesses: I had trouble getting my head around the idea that the "wild hunt" was a person/creature and not an event. Fantasy readers who love figuring out all the politics of the magical world will understand the back story of the Old Ones better than I did.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed this author's Kiki Kallira series or want magical academy books with lots of good world building, like Okogwu's Oneyka and the Academy of the Sun or Bell's The Uncommoners.

I really enjoyed the use of Indian mythology to tell the story in this children’s fiction novel. The concept worked well overall and enjoyed the way the characters worked with the fantasy element. Sangu Mandanna has a great writing style and was glad I got to read this. I hope there is more in this series and from Sangu Mandanna as I enjoyed this a lot.