The Scroll of Chaos

by Elsie Chapman

Join Astrid Xu in this action-packed adventure as she ventures into the world of mythological China in order to save her mother -- and the world!

When Astrid Xu stumbles upon a magic Chinese scroll, she can't help but wonder if it holds the key to helping her mom's depression. What Astrid doesn't expect is to be transported along with her little sister, Marilla, to Zhen -- a realm where the Chinese legends of old are real!

But all is not well in Zhen. An ancient evil known as Chaos is wreaking havoc throughout the land, and Astrid is the only one who can stop it. With her sister -- who has been transformed into a cat! -- and two great mythological figures by her side, Astrid sets off on a journey to face her destiny. Can she save the world before Chaos reigns supreme?

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Mythology, Childrens, Fiction

320 pages, Hardcover

First published March 7, 2023

About the author

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Elsie Chapman grew up in Prince George, Canada, and has a degree in English literature from the University of British Columbia. She is the author of the YA novels Dualed, Divided, Along the Indigo, and Caster as well as the MG novel All the Ways Home, and co-editor of A Thousand Beginnings and Endings and Hungry Hearts. She currently lives in Tokyo, Japan, with her family.

Reviews

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

This is a little different than the standard culturally based Rick Riordan style fantasy books, the difference being the concentration on the mother's depression and how it affects Astrid; her hero's quest is saving her mother. Well written and engaging if you need more of this style of fantasy book.

[Kay S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this book. I enjoyed such a deep dive into Chinese mythology without the expectation to know any of it. The explanations of the myths and figures felt very nearly natural but the MC's enthusiasm about the myths is infectious. The asthma representation is also a great touch - it's not something that's talked about enough and can be very debilitating as a child (speaking from experience).
It followed an almost too-familiar structure though. I wish it had a more unique overarching plot. (I do read A LOT of fantasy though so it may not be as familiar to folks who aren't neck-deep in dragons 90% of the time). It's a great story for this age group with great representation across gender-lines, successes on a relatively normal scale (saving the world through music!), emphasizes struggles with mental health and the effects on family... i just really want an original fantasy...

[Shelly Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has been my kid’s favorite book through 3rd and 4th grade, and is a great read for those ages. It’s a fun adventure with lots of interesting characters and stories from Chinese mythology, and I would highly recommend it for that age group/reading level.

Mental health is a prominent issue in this book (Astrid’s mother suffers from depression) and I was worried while I was reading it that it would have an inappropriate message about children saving their parents from depression with magic. I had a conversation with my kid about that when I started the book and was told not to worry, that it wasn’t up to Astrid and magic doesn’t cure depression. Thankfully, the author made that point very clearly, and I appreciate her ability to navigate a difficult topic in an age-appropriate way.

Overall, I enjoyed reading it, and it hit me in the feels in a good way.

[Elena · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a journey for me. I really enjoy Asian fantasy, and I enjoyed how this book has a lot of mythology, but what annoyed me was the way everything was kind of shoved together. This story didn't really pull me in and the characters were more or less pointless. I really wanted to like this book, but I felt like the plot was really predictable and there wasn't a lot of good tension at any part in the book.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Astrid finds a book on Chinese Mythology in her mother’s things, she also discovers a folded up paper inside. When she and her sister are squabbling, they break the seal on the paper and discover it is the Scroll of Chaos, a portal to a mythological realm and that only they can close it and save the realm from destruction. Will that also save their mother from the fog of her depression?

[Justine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite enjoyed all of the mythology that was included, and the subject of mental health was treated with maturity.

[Giselle]

DNF'd 18%

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Will pass on this one....

[Elley Shin · Rating 3 out of 5]

2023 aapi month book #12

[Trisha Roberson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Epic adventure through Chinese mythology of a girl and her sister. Also deals with parental depression and how the girls deal with it in their own way. Be like water.

[Samiha Hoque · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the idea of this book, but the start was slow and confusing. I thought the scroll/book as a portal to Zhen was cool! However, Astrid is a flat character; Marilla has more personality, and she is a cat for most of the book. I also thought the description of depression was flowery...which is so weird since it's a literal mental illness that is debilitating Astrid's mom. Maybe I could understand those lines in adult poetry, but a middle schooler talking about it? No way.

Identities: Chinese American, LGBT character Lan Caihe (I didn't understand since the myth said Lan is written as a boy OR girl, not both. So shouldn't "she" or "he" be used, not they? Idk, that's how I took it when I read it.)

Pet peeve: throwing in a ton of names at the beginning of the book felt tacky, e.g., "Mom's coworker Raj" (you couldn't find a normal name for a South Asian character?) and other cultural identities of characters (Jewish and Korean, I believe) who don't even show up in the book for more than a few lines. Overall, it was flat.