Vincent wants nothing to do with art. But when shipped to his Uncle Leo’s home while his parents travel the world, Vincent’s little sister, Lili, mysteriously vanishes into a famous art piece. Confused, angry, and afraid, Vincent discovers that he has been born into a family of Restorationists, a secret society charged with protecting beautiful art pieces.
Not only that, but Lili hasn’t just vanished. She’s been kidnaped by the Distortionists, those determined to use art for power and their own personal means. Rescuing Lili means Vincent must face his fears, overcome his pride, and discover that every person was made to create.
Artwork That Comes to Life? Why This Concept Was Better Than I Imagined:
Beneath the Swirling Sky takes readers on a contemporary adventure of artwork, paintings, and world-famous museums. Between being chased by bad guys in the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam, hunted by Distortionists in the National Gallery of London, and hopping through the Met in New York City, Vincent and Georgia brave danger, threats, and temptations to rescue Lili and bring her safely home.
When I first heard of Beneath the Swirling Sky, I was skeptical. Adventures through art pieces? Turns out that it was a lot crazier (and much better!) than I had expected.
Beneath the Swirling Sky is the first book in The Restorationists series, written by author Carolyn Leiloglou. It is the only series she has currently written, with the third book in the trilogy released just a few months ago. I hope to soon review the remaining books in the series, and for now, Noteworthy elements for Beneath the Swirling Sky are listed at the end of the article.
“You Were Made to Create”: The Truth Young Readers Will Remember
Personally, my favorite element of this story was the time and effort poured into the world-building. Between traveling through paintings, uncovering the mystery of the Restorationists, and working to preserve great art pieces from Distortionist hands, there was never a slow moment in this tale. But throughout all of that adventure, Mrs. Leiloglou wove a beautiful and priceless theme throughout Beneath the Swirling Sky:
You were made to create.
Ultimately, the story revolves around the central idea that we as human beings were made in the likeness of a creative God… to create. Vincent goes from being a shy young man who despises embarrassment, to understanding that creativity is a gift. And sharing it with others is part of that joy.
Why Your Kids (Even the Non-Artistic Ones) Should Read This Story…
I first laid hands on a copy of Beneath the Swirling Sky when I met Mrs. Leiloglou at a writer’s conference last fall. It took me just a few days to finish the first book and I can’t wait to explore the second and third stories in this trilogy.
If you’re a reader who loves adventurous tales that send characters spinning though time and reality, heroes and heroines who discover shocking gifts they never knew they had, and traitors whose lies sink deep into the bones of a painting… then Beneath the Swirling Sky should be the next book on your shelf.
Believe me. You’ll never look at a painting the same way again.
I recommend Beneath the Swirling Sky for readers as young as ages 8-11. There was no sexual content, graphic violence, or explicit profanity. I have included my thoughts on the story’s Noteworthy Elements below.
Noteworthy Elements in Beneath the Swirling Sky:
- Sexual Tension: While traveling through paintings, Vincent and Georgia, his cousin, travel through a painting of nude figures. Nothing explicit is stated, but the children cover their heads under a canoe and escape the painting as quickly as they can.
- Profanity: Uncle Leo uses the word “heck” twice, “gosh darn” once, and “darn” once. The words “idiot” and “dumb” are each used once and Georgia comments on “the whole stinking Van Gogh Museum”. The phrases “heaven knows” and “thank God” are each used one time.
- Spiritual: Vincent refers to the heavenly hand in Belshazzar’s Feast as a “wizard hand”. His cousin corrects him by saying “angel hand”. There is one reference to an Avatar and one reference to a Zombie. There are references to artists like Van Gogh who felt closer to God through their paintings. When traveling through The Storm on the Sea of Galilee by Rembrandt, Vincent sees Jesus and Vincent realizes that he no longer wants to be selfish and prideful on their journey. There is a reference to the Jesus figure in the painting nodding as if in approval of the mission Vincent and Georgia are on.
- Other: Vincent’s parents, in order to protect him from the Distortionists, lied to him as a child to keep him away from museums and famous art pieces. Though the conflict between Vincent and his parents does not resolve in the first story, the book closes with Vincent resolving to ask his parents why they kept the world of the Restorationists a secret from him for so long.
