Emilie & the Hollow World by Martha Wells

"You should go back to the ship," Daniel told her, his tone bearing an unfortunate resemblance to the way Emilie's brothers spoke to her. 
Seth and Cobbier and Mikel were all protesting to Charter that they should stay together and Emilie knew there wasn't time to argue. She said to Daniel, "You mistake me for someone you have the right to order around."

Emilie & the Hollow World was one of those books that I picked up randomly at the library. I was perusing the "New" section and this one's cover jumped out at me. Boy, am I glad it did.

Emilie & the Hollow World  begins when Emilie runs away from the home she lives in with her aunt and uncle, who are unkind and stifling. She plans to run away to the girls school where her cousin is and see if she can live with her. Only, when Emilie tries to stow away on the ship that will take her there, she ends up on  another ship- one that is headed into the depths of the earth.

Soon, Emilie finds herself under the care of Miss Marlende, an adventuress who has commissioned this ship and its sorcerer to help her reach the Hollow World in search of her father, who made it there a few months earlier, only to have his ship fail before they could return. Now Miss Marlende and her crew are in search of her father, but there are many dangers standing in their way. It's up to Emilie to find the courage within herself to face the many obstacles standing in their way, and maybe even save the day.

Emilie & the Hollow World is essentially Treasure Island with a female protagonist and a little steampunk science fiction thrown in for good measure. How could I not adore it? Emilie is a fun and smart heroine who finds herself thrust into a situation she could never have imagine and yet doesn't think twice about stepping up to the plate. She's the perfect heroine for young girls who love adventure and are tired of not getting to see women take part in the action. (And she's not the only woman who doesn't shy away from danger and capable of handling it, she's just the youngest of them.)

If you're looking for a fun adventure novel with a twist of fantasy, this is definitely the book for you. I was thrilled to get my hands on it and I'm sure you will be too!

Rating: ★★★★☆

Kenar broke it off, shook his head, and smiled down at her, though the smile was a little wry. "When you get back to your own world, will you really be content to sit meekly in a school after this?"
Miss Marlende, engrossed with her spyglass again, snorted. "Whatever she does, I doubt she'll do it meekly."