Charlie Bone

Well, I've started the Charlie Bone series, another one of those "Life after Harry Potter" recommendations. As it turns out, this is one of the better ones. Imagine if Harry had been born to the Malfoys and if Hogwarts was run by Crabbe or Goyle's parents. In fact, I bet Sirius Black could commiserate on dealing with female relatives who hate everyone without magical talent.

The biggest difference between Harry and Charlie lies with their families. While Harry is an orphan living with relatives who don't appreciate him, and who hate his magical abilities, Charlie has a loving mother, grandmother, and paternal uncle who accept him with or without his "special talent" for hearing the voices within pictures. However, Grandma Bone and her sisters only take interest in Charlie once his talent is discovered, and the attention they give is anything but loving. They force him to go to a school he dislikes, and they try their best to keep him from helping others with his powers. Things get really complicated once you understand that all of the magically endowed characters are descended from The Red King, and thus related.

To compare schools, Bloor's has the same cool/creepy castle vibe as Hogwarts, but it isn't nearly as friendly. The corridors are dark and silent, the rules are unbearably strict, and the food... well, a pear for desert doesn't quite compare to the feasts served in Hogwarts' great hall. Plus, not everyone who attends Bloor's has magical talent. This divides the magical kids into two camps--those who wish to use their power to intimidate other students and those (like Charlie) who wish to protect their fellow students. And, because every magical ability is different, the students must work together to defeat their opponents.

So far, I've only read the first book. I'm looking forward to getting deeper into the series and seeing how Charlie's powers develop. While not as complex as Harry's world and the lore that surrounds it, Charlie is a fun diversion that may bloom into a favorite series for me.