GNW: Mercury by Hope Larson

In Mercury, we are told the story of two different girls, separated by time. In 1859, Josey meets a strange and intriguing stranger who promises to help her family find gold by mining on their farm. Even more important to Josey, he promises to love her and even to take her for a wife one day, a prospect which has her heart soaring. The only problem is that her mother doesn't like Josey's new suitor and isn't shy about letting her feelings known. She worries that the bad omens she has been seeing are directly related to the appearance of this particular young man and that tragedy will soon strike in his wake.

In 2009, Josey's descendant, Tara is living with her aunt and uncle after the fire that took her house left her virtually homeless. Her mother is across the country working on a temporary job and trying to find a more permanent solution. In the meantime, Tara must begin attending high school with her cousin and classmates she hasn't seen in years. When she finds an old pendant that used to belong to Josey, she soon learns it has magical properties that might just lead her to some of that gold that was once rumored to be hidden on the land where the ashes of her home now stands.

Filled with lovely illustrations, interesting characters, and a good dose of magic, Mercury is a fun graphic novel. After all, who can resist hidden treasures, intrigue, and romance? Each of these themes can be found within the pages of Mercury. The artwork compliments the story well and brings a simple beauty to the pages that ties it all together. 

Mercury was a fun, quick read that took me on a short, but thoroughly enjoyable adventure. If that isn't reason enough to give it a try, I'm not sure what is. 

Rating: ★★★★☆