The Other Side of Luck

by Ginger Johnson

Follows two children from opposite circumstances as their fates cross and change both their lives forever.

Ever since her mother's death, Princess Una has suffered through years of loneliness in the royal palace, where girls are treated as an afterthought. She yearns for a different life but is unsure how to make anyone notice her. Then her father announces a special contest: Whoever finds the rare Silva Flower can present it to Una for her twelfth birthday and receive a reward. Frustrated by her father's grand but empty gesture, Una decides to take her fate into her own hands.

Julien, a young pauper, has tried his whole life to make something of nothing, alongside his hardworking Baba. When Baba is arrested by terrifying debt collectors, Julien's only hope to save his father is to win the palace contest--to find the elusive Silva Flower. Little does he know that Una has decided to embark on a journey to find the prize, as well. As Una and Julien search for the flower, their destinies intertwine and offer a reward greater than anything either could ever hope for.

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Adventure, Family, Childrens, Audiobook, Science Fiction Fantasy

240 pages, Hardcover

Published August 10, 2021

About the author

When Ginger Johnson was six, her mother asked her what she wanted for Christmas. “A typewriter,” she said. She didn’t get a typewriter, but instead had to make do with pencil and paper for her writing endeavors. Thankfully, she now works on an iMac.

Since those early days, Ginger has put her fingers to work. She earned her MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts where she won the Marion Dane Bauer prize. In 2014, she received Honorable Mention for the SCBWI Work-in-Progress Grant. Her debut middle-grade novel, A Splintered Light (Bloomsbury) will be released in September 2018.

Ginger lives in the Seacoast area of New Hampshire with her husband the Gingerbread Man, her two sons, a coop of sassy chickens, and a tank of doctor fish.

Reviews

[emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here's all I have to say:

This is about a rich kid (princess) and a poor kid (son of some guy who smells stuff in the forest for a living) who team up and go on adventures in the woods.

It's cute. It's sweet. It's too much of both. It's fun. It's a good solid middle grade fantasy. I will probably not remember it for very long and that's fine.

Bottom line: This review is one of the shortest I've ever written and it's still unnecessarily long!

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pre-review

cute + sweet overload.

review to come / 3 stars

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tbr review

nothing hits quite like middle grade fantasy

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challenging myself to read as many review copies as possible this month because i'm addicted to projects!

ARC 1: spaceman of bohemia
ARC 2: in search of us
ARC 3: aerialists
ARC 4: the sound of drowning
ARC 5: unleaving
ARC 6: the other side of luck

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was just an okay read. A middle grade fantasy story that was actually great on audio with Soneela Nankali (one of my fav narrators). I really wanted to love this story more but it was just an okay listen. Recommended for fans of The scent keeper.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julien has always been surrounded by love but on the edge of poverty. Together he and his father, Baba, collect ingredients from the forest to sell to merchants in the market. His mother died when he was very little and he's training to become a collector like his father. His biggest problem is that he has no idea what his father means he says to smell the plants. Julien doesn't think he can smell, but he isn't sure exactly what smelling is. He learns to tell the plants apart by how they sound. He hears the water under the ground, the sap running through the trees, and how gently the leaves rustle in the wind. He becomes just as adept at gathering as his father is. But, when soldiers come to arrest Baba, Julien's only chance to save him is to find the rare and precious Silva flower for which the king has offered a reward.

Princess Una has been raised in the palace in luxury, but also loneliness. Her mother, whom she adored, died in childbirth with her little brother and no one has let her anywhere near him since. Her father barely acknowledges her existence and now, 5 years later, he's getting remarried to a woman who smells like paste. Una desperately wants to smell the happiness and love again that she always smelled around her mother. She misses her so much and worries she's losing all her memories of her mom - she can't smell her distinctive scent anywhere in the palace anymore. All Una wants is to find her mother's smell so she won't lose her memories of her mother completely. Feeling abandoned by her family and desperate for a place to belong, Una escapes the palace. Julien and Una's paths intertwine, but will they be able to help each other?

The writing is gorgeous and the plot is perfectly paced. The world Johnson has created is intriguing and I would love to see more stories set there! This is a fantastic adventure story for the middle grade crowd. There's tension and excitement and danger, but nothing too scary for this age. There's just enough consequences and real-life sadness to be believable, but not so much that it's soul-crushing for the reader. Johnson has found the perfect blend of telling and showing in her writing and you'll love the characters and root for them the entire way through the story. I couldn't put it down and finished in one sitting. Brilliant!

Highly recommended!! 5 enthusiastic stars

Disclaimer: I received a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Robin Kirk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely story: fanciful, with a magic realism vibe, and great characters. Highly recommend!

[Katie Proctor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was cute and fun. I liked the fairy-tale feel of it.

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story was beautiful, with language evocative of a lyrical fairytale. The characters were earnest and tender, and impossible not to support, and the synesthesia conceit of everything possessing a smell and sound was so creative. I was disappointed by the ending, though, which seemed rushed, as characters process deep grief and forgive a lifetime of rejection in the space of a few pages, wrapping everything up into a bow that didn't quite ring true. It's still a beautiful book, but it would have benefited from more space at the end for characters explore the complex emotions that are otherwise dealt with so well.

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, heart string tugger. Loved the unique 'talents' of Una and Julien. Loved the love stories.

[Annemarie O'brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like in Johnson's first book, she develops characters that are so real with meaningful goals that I immediately become invested. Her characters are the kind I wish could walk off the page and become my friend. Perfect for any kid--girl or boy--who wants to read a story with heart.

[Kate Waggoner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to #NetGalley and Bloomsbury Children's Books for allowing me the opportunity to read a digital ARC of The Other Side of Luck by Ginger Johnson. This book will be published in July 2021. All opinions are my own.

Una is the daughter of the Magister Populi and lives a life of luxury at the Official Residence. Though it seems like her life is a dream, she's misses her mother, who died giving birth to her younger brother, horribly. Since her mother's death, her father has locked himself away and rarely sees or talks to her, so when a long-lost uncle presents himself, Una jumps at the opportunity to have a family and connect with her mother. Julien is the son of a gatherer. His mother died giving birth to him, but his father has devoted his life to him. Now, his father is ill and Julien will do whatever it takes to help him get better. These two will learn that everything isn't what it seems and all face challenges. It is how you handle these challenges that determines your happiness.

This is a beautifully written and lyrical middle grade novel. I would categorize it as magical realism as it has some fantasy-esque and fairytale like elements, but it doesn't necessarily have magic. The story is well paced and includes action and adventure. It's told from alternating and intertwined perspectives. Una and Julien are strong protagonists who form an instant and strong friendship. The book includes themes related to friendship, family, and loss. One of the major themes is about challenges and how everyone faces something. We often covet what others have and have a tendency to think that the lives of others are better than our own. The Other Side of Luck reminds us that everyone is facing something even if we can't see it from our perspective.

[Ree · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was such a delightful book, emphasizing friendship and family bonds with not a hint of romance. A book on self-discovery, it was equally heartbreaking and heartwarming.
Una is a princess, but her life is far from comfortable. After her mother's death, she becomes starved for love, as her father hides himself away in his rooms and her baby brother is hidden from her. She has the special ability of smelling various things and one day, as she's looking out her window, she smells something which she thought she lost with her mother but she doesn't know where it comes from or even what it is. And so begins her journey to find the ever-elusive smell.
Julian is merely a pauper boy, but he loves his ailing father with all his heart. So much that he's willing to put his life at stake as long as he can save him. He and his father are vegetational gatherers, but he also has a secret: he can't smell. He finds plants purely by sound because everything has a distinct tone to it. On the day Julian's father is unjustly arrested, he decides to pursue the highly valuable silva flower to free him.
Together, Una's and Julian's stories interwine to create a compelling narrative filled with kidnapping, criminals, the Soup of Life, hope, and above all else, what love really is. The Other Side of Luck is perfect for readers who seek magic in everyday life.

[Vera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of The Other Side of Luck!

The Other Side of Luck is a really sweet middle-grade fantasy novel that centers on two characters from completely different walks of life: Una, a princess, and Julien, the son of a poor herbalist. Una is lonely after her mother dies, since she feels that her father prefers her baby brother and her new stepmother. Julien's father is sick and Julien would do anything to help him. When Julien's father is arrested on false charges, Julien works out a plan to save him, and he ends up meeting Una in the process. The two become friends and work together to save those they love and find their place in the world. The world-building is beautiful, and the story just swept me away. I loved getting to know these two sweet young people, and I loved watching their friendship develop. The story is full of hope and is extremely heartwarming. The book deals with some heavy themes in a gentle and loving way, and it is honestly one of the most delightful middle-grade fantasy books I've read in a while.

Highly recommend!

[Traci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lyrical language, magic realism, and fairy tale elements are all present on this middle grade fantasy. As the Magistrate’s daughter Una has grown up wanting for nothing except her father’s love and attention. Julien and his father work hard every day just to have enough money to buy stale bread to eat. But the one thing Julien has had and abundance of is love. There are some things Una and Julien have in common like loneliness and unusual sensory gifts. Julien can’t smell but can hear things that others cannot, like the sound of a leaf unfurling. Una enhanced sense of smell allows her smell things like love. Much of her interaction with the world and others is strongly tied to scents.
When their paths cross Una and Julien realize they can help each other with a quest to find a rare flower. Julien needs the flower to help his sick father and Una has her own reasons for wanting to find it. In the end they find so much more than the flower. They find the love & support of a true friend.

[Jessica Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I became a fan of Ginger Johnson’s with her debut novel, The Splintered Light, and was excited to read her sophomore novel. I was not disappointed. The Other Side of Luck has a more fairy-tale-esque feel to it. And that’s not a bad thing. In fact, it adds a certain charm that you don’t immediately expect.

Each of Johnson’s characters are memorable, with bold, well-developed personalities. This is true from the minor to the major players, creating a richer experience overall. At the center of the story are Una and Julien — each with their own gifts, and each with their own trials. Their strengths play off one another and they’re both compelling in their own right.

The Other Side of Luck is a fast-moving book that readers won’t want to put down. Themes of family and friendship set agains the backdrop of action, adventure, and mystery should appeal to a large cross-section of middle-readers.

[Haylie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Julien has been raised by his father in the village and has learned how to collect plants and herbs to sell to the villagers. Julien uses his talent for listening to help him navigate the world, including identifying plants.
Una has been raised in the palace by servants ever since her mother died. Her father has neglected her and now has a new family to spend time with. Una has the special ability to smell things that others cannot, including how people are feeling. She is losing the smell of her mother and wants to find a way to recapture her smell so that she doesn't lose her mother forever.
When Una's father asks for a rare flower to be found for, Julien sees it as a way to save his father from false imprisonment and Una wants to take charge of her own life. What ensues is an adventure and self-discovery.
A beautifully written story. You cannot help but to root for Una and Julien as they discover more about themselves and each other on their journey.

[Marilu · Rating 5 out of 5]

What happens when a princess, tired of her lonely life in the palace, and a pauper, to save his hardworking father from debt collectors, go on the same journey, without knowing each other at first, to find an elusive flower?
The book has a similar language to a fairytale, is very lyrical, and of course, the story is beautiful. Sometimes bittersweet.
The characters are tender, with an emphasis on the bonds between friends. The world itself is richly described. You will naturally, effortlessly, root for them. I believe many readers will enjoy this middle-grade fantasy novel that centers on two characters from completely different walks of life (one is royalty and the other is a commoner).
Cannot wait to have a physical copy of this book!

Thank you, NetGalley and Bloomsbury Children's Books, for the ARC for an exchange of my honest review.

[Carolina Colleene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG
Being First Daughter of the Magister means that Una has meals to eat and lessons to attend to, but she’s been lonely ever since her mother, the Magistrix, died. Julien never knew his mother, but his Baba made sure Julien never wanted for love. Their worlds start to fall apart when the Magister remarries and has a new baby while Baba is wrongfully thrown in prison. These two eleven-year-olds must help each other with their unusual talents to rebuild happiness.
Una and Julien’s story has a distinct fairytale feel though it is not a retelling of a classic story. Maybe it feels like a fairytale because there are unexplainable gifts that no one questions or because love is highlighted as the most important thing to the protagonists. Whatever the reason, this story was comforting to settle into, like drinking a perfect-temperature hot cocoa in winter.
Reviewed for https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/

[R Waterfall · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was heartening and refreshing! I loved the distinctive characters, especially Una, Julien and Vita. The world was different but not overwhelming, and I felt like the story moved well. I loved how Julien could "hear" plants & things, and Una's strongest sense was smell, and how they worked together. ✨

"Una followed, thinking of her mother, and how she could remember pieces of her. She'd wished she had something to glue those pieces back together into a whole. She thought her mother's scent would do it, but Una now realized that she had been wrong. She carried all those pieces of her mother's love and memory within her, and she always would."

[Lyla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmm, I’m not sure how I want to review this book. I really liked the idea of the story and the cover art and Una and Julien. Those parts were really good. The rest of it felt…not real enough. It seemed like every chapter had to end with some stunning sentence - and maybe that’s just me criticizing this book like I would my own work, or maybe it really WAS too over the top, like some parts of the story just didn’t seem to fit in. How did Una immediately see Julien when she got back to the city? How did Florian just happen to get covered in a bunch of manure AND get stung by bees? I don’t know, it just felt too perfect. Besides that, the idea of the story was wonderful.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Other Side of Luck by Ginger Johnson is a fairytale-like story with just enough magical realism to make the story enchanting without actually including magic. The plot is interesting and perfectly placed and I could not put it down.

This is a book that any reader of fairytales will love.

I love how well this story deals with loss and love. I think this story gives middle-grade readers something to relate to if they are dealing with the loss of a loved one. And the struggle of step-parents. The characters have hardship and trouble and the ending is perfectly bittersweet where

Ginger Johnson has crafted a story that perfectly balances the telling common in fairy tales with the action needed to draw a story foreword. A style that reminds me of Neil Gaiman.

Read it. You will not be disappointed.

[BookofCons · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Bloomsbury USA for an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. The Other Side of Luck features two dual perspectives. The first is Julien, who is a young pauper and has amazing hearing. And Princess Una. Una has exceptional smell and uses it to try to identify the flower her late mother loved. With a stroke of luck and misfortune, Julien and Una meet and go on an adventure to find a rare flower. It's a beautifully written middle grade novel and a quick read.

[Caity · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing of this book is so beautiful and really draws you into this world. I also appreciated the special abilities of the two main characters and how their enhanced smell and hearing added to the beauty of the story and helped them on their journey. I did find the actual plot of the story was thin compared to the world building and descriptions. That said this is a beautiful if slightly melancholy story that I think readers looking for a bit of beauty will greatly enjoy.

[Sharelle Don Larsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an excellent middle grade read. I enjoyed how two kids from opposing worlds within reality, come together and have adventures. It was sweet, fun and enjoyable. I really wanted more resolve with the ending, which is why I only gave this 3 Stars. The beginning of the book is a love letter and you can tell the author devoted so much to her characters. But I just needed a little more of that in the end. Endings are always hard so I understand that. Thank you Netgalley for the arc!

[Laurie]

A lyrical, imaginative story with lots of adventure and heart. THE OTHER SIDE OF LUCK is full of lovely writing and a richly described world. I especially enjoyed the focus on the sense of smell and hearing, since one main character has a gift for smelling what others can’t and another has a gift for hearing what others can’t.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bittersweet story that shares a place in my heart alongside A Little Princess and The Secret Horses of Briar Hill. The Other Side of Luck is a middle grade novel, filled with lovely characters, heartfelt lessons, and a few fairytale elements. Thoroughly enjoyable, and I look forward to sharing this story with my girls when they are old enough.

#TheOtherSideofLuck #NetGalley

[Amanda Sanders · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was ok--a little on slow side as far as action goes. The main characters each have a heightened sense--hearing and smelling. It is these senses that are their "super powers" and their senses guide their actions throughout the book. There is a discussion of sexism in the book. I think the author did a good job of using how children learn history to show that society is sexist.

[Clarissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick middle school read. The characters are likeable, and the conflict is real. It’s definitely a young read, and the author goes so far as to explicitly state the moral for you… which is fine for a 12-year-old. I prefer the story to allow the messages to be sorted and interpreted. But still a nice enough story about luck, friendship, loyalty…

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the ARC of this title.

A lovely fantasy tale for the middle-grades reader. The author has crafted a beautiful story full of rich language and powerful messages.

[EJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just a lovely, warm, friendly-feeling middle grade novel. I got an advance copy from NetGalley and I'm so glad I did - I loved going back to this little adventure in the middle of a very chaotic week! Beautiful descriptions and I'm always here for herbal/botanical lyricism!

[Burningfeather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the lessons the kids learned seemed a little forced and out of the blue (mostly Julian), but I enjoyed this lite, warm hearted story. I like the message it portrayed for Una and ended on a nice note.

Moved a little fast, but it was pleasent.

[Kimberlee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall I enjoyed the vibes of The Other Side of Luck. The story fell apart in the end, but it was a quick, if shallow read. I enjoyed that it gave a very fairy tale-esque feel throughout. This has been in my tbr cart for a bit, so I was glad to finally get to it.