The Reviews Are In
Mattson Academy has been out for over two months now, and I’ve managed to get a solid number of reviews. What’s even better is that not all of those reviews have come from friends and family! This is not to discount the love and support I’ve gotten from said friends and family, but it has been so exciting to see the response from readers I’ve never met before and to hear that they’ve also enjoyed the book. It’s also been really cool to see what exactly folks have liked about the book. I know what I like about it; of everything I’ve ever written, Mattson Academy is very much an instance of me writing the book I would want to read. Seeing that other people have also liked those things, or that they’ve liked completely different things, has blown me away. Therefore, I thought it would be fun to take a look at a few of those reviews and break ‘em down (and also again say thank you to all the people taking the time to write them).
Last things first, not just worth a read, but worth a reread? Heck yeah! This reader also hit on the character dynamics between Connor and Garrett early on. Connor meeting Garrett early on was pretty critical to the story I wanted to tell. I wanted Connor to not be a complete outsider to the world of magic, but that meant the reader didn’t have an insert to see things with quite as much wonder (or explanations) so Garrett served that role. He’s also a more timid character so it helped me showcase Connor’s protective tendencies (something he gets from his mom).
They said the book is perfect for the fall, and I’m glad because it was a pretty targeted decision to release it in the fall. We follow the characters through their first year at school, and I thought releasing it at the start of the school year would be perfect. That or at the end of the school year when the climax takes place, but this wasn’t the only reader to comment on the fall vibes so I guess we made the right choice. Thanks so much for the review!
This one caught me off guard. I know the book isn’t all laughs—there is certainly action and drama as well—but I didn’t really think of it ever as a tear-jerker. A lot of the character relationships formed almost incidentally, and I was almost always more focused on the action and the bigger, flashier set pieces, so I’m glad I did those relationships and those characters enough justice to really get folks emotionally invested in them. I won’t get into what I assume was the tear-inducing moment (or moments) but if they are what they think I are, they weren’t even planned. Bonus points! Thanks for the review!
Another fall reader, though they also recommend reading it throughout the year. This one brings up all the magical and mythical creatures and I’m glad they liked it because that’s something I love, too. I made up a few, but most are pulled straight from real myths (a funny phrase). I love mythology. I took two Greek mythology classes in college and I love reading about Norse mythology, Japanese folklore, and anything else. Heck, one of the creatures cut from the final draft was a Chupacabra. One of the best parts of the “world” of Mattson Academy is that it’s our world (with some liberties taken, of course). That means whatever type of lore I’m into at any given moment can find its way in and be a part of the world. Glad you liked the creatures, there are plenty more to come!
The bottom line is, Mattson Academy has been a huge part of my life. I spent a TON of time in that world before anyone else did, and I imagine I’ll be spending much more time there in the years to come. It’s a great place to be, made even better by the fact that other people are enjoying spending time there with me.
