Manhattan, but not as you know it! (Sabrina the Teenage Witch: I'll Zap Manhattan - Mel Odom)

Member Name: AmyAmy

Product:	Sabrina the Teenage Witch: I'll Zap Manhattan - Mel Odom
Date:	02/05/08 (125 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: fascinating, adventurous, strong character

Disadvantages: Not for all, one chapter drags a little

I've always had a passion for New York and Manhattan, so when I discovered a book which combined what I thought was the fantastic city, and the amazing teenage witch, I was eager to read. However, Manhattan is not as we know it...


So, who is Sabrina?
Sabrina, played by actress Melissa Joan Hart, is a teenage witch living in the mortal realm in America, initially with her two Aunts; Hilda and Zelda, and her pet cat Salem (whom was once a warlock sentenced to 100 years as a house pet for attempted world domination). Now, she attends Westbridge High with her friends Valeria and Harvey.
Sabrina the Teenage Witch was a hit TV series in the 90s, with a total of eight series aired. Although it is no longer in production, it is still popular. Each episode takes us on a fascinating journey into the young witch's life, where we see her attempt to cope with being both a witch and a teenager at the same time; a task that seems terrifying!


Plot
-----
Sabrina is at a posh shindig in the Other Realm, when she and another young warlock, Adam, set out to liven things up. In an unused hall in the upper of the building, they create an amazing disco come concert, which tempted even the most mature of guests to relax and let their hair down!

The fun comes to a screeching halt when Ancient Greek Goddess Circe makes a sudden appearance, furious that Sabrina had created such a 'disturbance' in the event. She threatens Sabrina; this is something the young witch should be careful with - nobody gets away with upsetting Circe!

The Witches' Council zap Sabrina up a magical bracelet which will protect her from Circe's direct actions, along with the safety of her Aunts by her side. However, Circe can reach out to Sabrina in other ways; destructing what she cares about most.

Circe kidnaps Harvey and sends him to her Pocket World, a mini version of Manhattan, with a few 'copyright' alterations. Hilda and Zelda take Sabrina to see a German techno-wizard, Bajher, who sends her and Salem to the micro-world, breaking through the security barriers. Together, they must track down Harvey, whilst avoiding the horrors Circe could set upon them if she detected even a sniff of her magic! Will Sabrina and her familiar be able to rescue the mortal or will all be lost?


About the collection...
There are over fifty books in the Sabrina The Teenage Witch collection, written by a variety of authors. These books take us through Sabrina's life, from when she was sixteen and first discovered she was a witch, right up until her years at college. We meet a lot of her friends along the way, joining them on some magical adventures.

Book number 18, 'I'll Zap Manhattan', is written by Mel Odom. The bestselling American writer has written several other Sabrina' books, including 'Harvest Moon' and 'Sabrina Goes To Rome'. He has also written many titles for other series', such as Alex Mack and Buffy The Vampire Slayer.


Verdict...?
Not many of the books which I have read in the collection actually open in the Other Realm, which gave this one a special edge. Straight away I was hooked into the story, which I put down to Odom's superb skills; the characters are described so incredibly and vividly that even those who have not had the pleasure of watching the show could imagine. Circe in particular had a lot of detail in her description.

The story itself, a unique magical tale unlike any other, is fairly straight forward and simple to follow, the language nicely suited to its target childrens audience. Of course, its not just entertaining for the younger generation, but would bring a nice light read to any age, especially those who enjoyed the television series!

There was only one part which I felt was a little of a let-down. There's a chase-scene in the Pocket World which I felt went on for far too long, dragging out slightly However, putting that aside, I would definitely recommend this read!


© Amy 2008

Basic facts
-------------
Author: Mel Odom
Genre: Childrens' fiction
Pages: 161
Published: 1999

Summary: A magical tale in the collection!