Name: Bridge of the Gods
ISBN: 9781631522444

Diane Rios

When twelve-year-old Chloe Ashton is abducted and sold to vagabonds, she must call upon her keen survival skills, a host of human and animal friends, and nature's magical powers in an attempt to return to her beloved home and reunite with her mother.

The Silver Mountain Series, Book One

Bridge of the Gods

Paige Green

Rating: 5/5

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy

Recommended Age: 12+ (very age appropriate, but sometimes the story is a little heavy at times).

I received a free copy of this book courtesy of KidLitExchange. All opinions are my own.

Twelve-year-old Chloe Ashton is an only child living in the remote wilderness of Oregon. She spends her days happily exploring the forests around her home, and is astonished to find the animals seem to know her, to follow her, and even try to speak to her. When a family tragedy results in Chloe's abduction and sale to the vagabonds, she is taken deeper into the woods, and finds out just how much the animals know. 

Set at a time when technology is first touching the west, there is an evil rising in the land. The country is under attack, and all creatures, man and beast, must hide. The old legends speak of an ancient, natural magic deep within the mountains and rivers, and as Chloe struggles to survive, she finds that it still exists deep within the forests. Friendship can be found even in the darkest of places, and it doesn't always come in human form.

Bridge of the Gods is a novel for all ages about the magical power of nature, and of finding friendship in the darkest of places. - Amazon.com

When did we stop putting illustrations in books? When did we stop believing in things that live beyond the tree line of our yards? And when did we stop wishing for a big adventure into the unknown? These are some of the thoughts I had while reading this wonderful book! The first in its series, this book focuses on a young girl named Chloe who, in the wake of a tragedy and a kidnapping, finds things that she only thought existed in books. The book is absolutely extraordinary. The characters and creatures in this book come alive not only through the illustrations but through the vivid story telling the author excels at. The plot development is amazingly well done as well and the pacing is on-point. The book is basically an English teacher’s ideal book for teaching students how different devices can come together to make a beautiful story.

My only sole complaints of the book is that it ended on a cliffhanger and now I have to wait for the next book. I also felt that the way that humans were described in this book might make some people upset because the book is very focused on nature and the beauty of it. Humans in this book are the villains and because it’s a children’s book the adult characters are a bit unrealistic. 

Verdict: A definite must read for any middle grader, anyone who wants to study English writing devices, or anyone who wants to enjoy a simply pure and beautiful tale about what lies in the woods. The book is also inspirational in how Chloe handles the issues that come into her life and is able to make friends wherever she is. Definitely a must read for any child and a recommended for any adult fantasy lover.

Bridge of the Gods The Silver Mountain Series, Book One

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