The Lost City

Gr 7-10–Hocking’s fast, engaging fantasy will draw in new and seasoned fans of the genre. Ulla Tulin lives among the trolls she was left with when she was a baby. As Ulla grows up, she leaves Kanin for Forening to nanny and live with a family of six. Her employer’s connection to the royal family grants her an internship at the Mimirin, a prestigious institution for trolls of mixed blood. It’s there that she hopes to find information about her mother. She meets Pan Soriano, who attempts to help Ulla discover her family lineage. They both have their hands full when they meet Eliana, a girl who remembers nothing but seems to be running from something. In both plotting and characterization, Hocking keeps the surprises coming. Hanna, a whiny teenage girl, is so real she may remind readers of their own bratty younger sibling. There is extensive detailing of troll life, with information about different tribes and terminology. A cliffhanger will keep readers guessing.