As the third book in the series, Winne Zeng Shatters the Universe continues the story of young shaman, Winnie, in her battle against the evil spirits that threaten her world. Unlike the previous books in the series, this book takes place mostly in the spirit realm where Winnie and her friends are set to compete in a competition against other young shamans. The Shaman Youth Tournament quickly takes a turn, leaving Winnie and her friends to once again save the world.
Winnie Zeng is such a fun character. She is smart, interesting, and cares so much about her friends, family and the lives they all lead. Her relatability provides an easy starting point for getting wholly invested in the book. While most mid grade readers won’t find themselves battling spirits, they will relate to her worries, fears, hopes, dreams, friends, and family.
Winnie’s story is great for younger and older readers alike because of the fast paced nature of the story. From start to finish, Winnie’s story was quick to devour and the action never stops. While the fast paced nature of the story made the book hard to put down, it did leave the age old problem of feeling rushed in some spots. It would have been lovely to see more of the ending sequences played out for longer and a few of the middle scenes, where Winnie doesn’t quite yet understand what is going on, to take up slightly less of the book time.
Despite feeling rushed during the plot, one thing that the Winnie Zeng series really excels at is providing really fleshed out characters. Throughout the series readers encounter some of Winnie’s friends and family, and each of them eventually feel just as three dimensional as Winnie herself. It has been fascinating watching Winnie grow in her friendships, her culture, and her family structure.
⅘ stars for a book that I absolutely can’t wait to read with my family!
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children’s for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest opinions.
The Novel Llama 