The Autumn Equinox Festival marks a time that the town sends hundreds of lighted floating lanterns down the river. Legend says that the lanterns will rise to the sky and become stars. Ben and his buddies want to see if the legend is true. They make a pact that on the night the lanterns are released, they will follow the lanterns on their bikes and not stop until they learn the truth. No one goes home, no one looks back.
As they embark on their trek, Ben realizes that Nathaniel is following the group. Ben, having a past history with Nathaniel, wants him to go away. He is not part of the pact, he's nerdy, he doesn't fit in. As they travel further, members of the pact drop out, one by one, until only Ben and Nathaniel are left. As they cross the river at a point that their parent's have warned is forbidden, Ben's and Nathaniel's real adventure begins. The adventure will test their ability to persevere, and to understand what real friendship is.
I knew nothing of this book when I started, so judging by the cover, I had expectations on where the story would go. I couldn't have been more wrong. The realistic beginning becomes an Alice in Wonderland type adventure/fantasy. While fractured, unusual fantasies are not my cup of tea, the theme stays rooted in friendship, and that is what kept me going. The artwork is beautiful, sometimes cinematic, with changing color palettes that set the mood. While I gave This Was Our Pact a middle rating, many of you will find it quite enjoyable!
Reading Level: 3.0 • Interest Level: 5-9 • AR Points: 3 • Lexile Level: GN350 • Publisher: Roaring Brook Press • Pages: 329 • Copyright: 2019 • ISBN: 978-1-626-72053-4 • Available in Perma-Bound Binding
