Lyrical, emotional, and gripping.
In Hatefi’s heartfelt middle-grade adventure, two siblings risk everything to save the person they love most. Eleven-year-old Leonardo and eight-year-old Leili’s lives change forever when they learn their father has a terminal illness. Rumors of a company pursuing the Tree of Life spark a dangerous hope. Could the legend be real? With their father’s time slipping away, Leonardo and Leili set out for New York, ready to face whatever awaits them.
Hatefi writes the siblings’ dynamic with authenticity. Leo is impulsive, decisive, and almost stubbornly optimistic. Leili is quieter, more observant, but no less brave. Together, they carry the emotional weight of the story, their bond deepening as they step into the unknown. Their journey is tense not for high-octane danger but for the very real risk of being stopped before they can even try. Snow-packed sidewalks, a maroon door framed by winter light—Hatefi uses these quiet details to keep the story grounded, even as the children step into something far bigger than themselves.
Where the book takes its boldest turn is in the philosophical undercurrent beneath the plot. Elixir is more than a company; it’s a stand-in for humanity’s longing to outwit mortality, the modern-day manifestation of the Tree of Life myth. Through Monde’s public speeches, Hatefi gives voice to the allure and hubris of that pursuit—ideas about the hydra’s regenerative powers, the possibility of cellular renewal, and the belief that reason should not extinguish wonder.
Both accessible to younger readers and layered enough for adults, it’s a heartfelt narrative that fuses mythic wonder with the rhythms of daily life.
Pub date August 7, 2025
Long Drive Press
ASIN B0FLRSKS7C
Price $8.99 (USD) Kindle edition
