Book Review: Mythical Voyage by Robin Ymer

I recently received a copy of Robin Ymer's new book Mythical Voyage for review. Published by Savant Books, it's part of the "Color Me Please" series, meaning that the interior illustrations are in black and white, allowing the young reader to have a hand in the ultimate appearance of the book.

About the author: Robin Ymer spent her formative years in France and North Africa. She attended university in California and earned a Master's degree. Moving about in support of her husband's career she raised two daughters and worked primarily as a Foreign Language instructor. She sculpts, draws, tends to her garden and writes.

About the book: we've heard tales of unicorns from the time we were children, and for many of us, they are our favorite part of fairy tales and stories about princes and princesses. In Mythical Voyage, we learn where the unicorn came from and how it ended up in so many of our tales.

Bibi is a little white unicorn born in a land where all the other unicorns, called poncas, are black. She has a unique destiny, one that has been prophesied for many years, but in order to fulfill it, she must go on a journey to learn things about herself she never knew. She comes to understand why she is different from the other poncas and to accept her true role - that of inspiring the hearts of mankind with beautiful and lovely things.

My thoughts: I enjoyed the concept of this story, and I liked Bibi's character. She thought and pondered and reasoned things out, never satisfied with the simple answers that placated those around her. She wanted knowledge and she wanted to learn and grow. This desire was necessary in helping her become the unicorn she was destined to become.

I did feel that we spent a lot of time in the beginning of the book setting up the story, and that the conclusion was short by comparison. I would have liked to see a little more about her mission in life there at the end. But those who have read stories of unicorns will be able to piece together what happened to her after the end of this book and know how she spent the rest of her days.

My daughter also read this book, and I've asked her to share her thoughts. She says: "I enjoyed reading Mythical Voyage; it was interesting. However, the ending could have been done quite a bit more smoothly, even if the dream the author says revealed the legend didn’t tell her all of the ending. You kind of read on forever before arriving at an uncompleted ending."

To read more reviews of Mythical Voyage, or to purchase it, be sure to visit it on Amazon.

FTC: I received a free copy for review purposes and was not compensated in any other way.