The Scarlet Oak Chronicles—Book One/ No Place Like Home
GENRE
YOUNG ADULT FANTASY
Core Theme
STORY. THE VIRTUE AND IMPORTANCE OF STORY.
TIME PERIOD
Contemporary
COMPARABLE TITLES
THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES, A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS, HARRY POTT ER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE
CHARACTER LIST
• WYATT (M/12) — LEAD. ADVENTUROUS, INNOCENT, LIKABLE BROTHER TO DARLA AND SON OF MARISSA AND EARL.
• DARLA (F/13 OR 14) — LEAD. OUTSPOKEN, CONFIDENT, ADVENTUROUS OLDER SISTER TO WYATT AND DAUGHTER OF MARISSA AND EARL.
• MARISSA (F/30S) — LEAD. CAREWORN, YET DUTIFUL AND RESILIENT MOTHER TO WYATT AND DARLA AND EX-WIFE OF EARL.
• EARL (M/30S) — SUPPORTING. DEADBEAT, GAMBLER AND EX-CON; FATHER TO WYATT AND DARLA AND EX-HUSBAND TO MARISSA.
• MALCOLM/MARTIN/HARRIET (M/M/F) — SUPPORTING. A TRIO OF HIGHLY INTELLIGENT CATS TASKED WITH WATCHING OVER AND PROTECTING SCARLET OAK AT ALL COSTS.
• RANDOLPH (M/??) — SUPPORTING. GHOULISH ENTITY DEAD-SET ON RECLAIMING SCARLET OAK FOR HIMSELF BY WAY OF PERNICIOUS MAGIC AND POSSESSION.
Logline
After a sudden and coercive eviction from their brownstone home, careworn Marissa and her two precocious kids Wyatt and Darla discover they are inheritors of a massive ornate estate in the countryside. There, they are introduced to a world of immense privilege and wonder— with Wyatt and Darla being schooled in the ways and possibilities of magic and the power of story. However, evil is afoot in the form of a ghoulish entity who seeks to take over the estate for himself, putting himself on a collision course with our heroes, joined by a trio of talking cats and a number of magically-enabled benefactors...
Target Audiences
Age: 7-12
Target Gender: Universal
Setting
Boston
Based on a True Story
No
Publishing Details
Status: No
Starting Description
A down and out family discovers they've inherited a magical mansion and the responsibility of saving lost stories.
Ending Description
The author has not yet written this
Group Specific
Information not completed
Hard Copy Available
No
ISBN
Information not completed
Mature Audience Themes
Information not completed
Plot - Other Elements
Happy Ending
Plot - Premise
Overcoming Monster/Villain
Main Character Details
Name: Darla
Age: 13
Gender: Female
Role: Protagonist
Key Traits: Adventurous, Charming, Funny, Engaging, Faithful, Confident, Leader, Sarcastic, Outspoken
Additional Character Details
Name: Wyatt
Age: 12
Gender: 12
Role:
Key Traits: Adventurous, Crazy, Decisive, Masculine, Clumsy, Criminal, Greedy, Secretive, Manipulative, Gracious, Desperate, Narcissistic, Power-hungry, Villainous, Unapologetic, Visionary
Additional Character Details
Name: Marissa
Age: 30
Gender: Female
Role:
Key Traits: Empathetic, Naive, Flexible, Selfless
Additional Character Details
Name: Earl
Age: 30
Gender: Male
Role: Antagonist
Key Traits: Adventurous, Crazy, Decisive, Masculine, Clumsy, Criminal, Greedy, Secretive, Manipulative, Gracious, Desperate, Narcissistic, Power-hungry, Villainous, Unapologetic, Visionary
Genre
FANTASY, SUSPENSE, THRILLER
Brief
Careworn single mother Marissa and her two kids Wyatt and Darla are evicted from their brownstone family home, and they are shocked to find out they are the inheritors of a massive ornate estate in the countryside. There, they are introduced to a world of profound mystery and privilege—not to mention magic—guided by a series of benefactors that come with and staff the estate. However, evil is afoot in the form of Marissa’s deadbeat ex-husband, who ends up possessed by a nefarious ghoul of a man, only to be defeated by a loyal custodian of the estate and a trio of talking cats. Later, Wyatt and Darla must venture into the world of the Wizard of Oz, where they seek to recover their lost father and where they learn of their untold magical destiny and responsibility...
Overall Rating
FAIR
Narrative Elements
Authors Writing Style: GOOD
Characterization: FAIR
Commerciality: EXCELLENT
Franchise Potential: EXCELLENT
Pace: GOOD
Premise: FAIR
Structure: FAIR
Theme: EXCELLENT
Accuracy of Book Profile
It is accurate.
Draw of Story
What drew me in immediately was the authors’ friendly and accessible writing style— It is a virtue that the authors seem to value the story, character, and themes enough to let these crucial elements do the storytelling, as opposed to flowery, superfluous prose. The writing style is direct, potent, and efficient, which is a strength of this work. Moreover, this work starts out effectively in media res. Unfortunately, in many other works it takes ages for the story to get started, but here, the inciting incident happens even as soon as the first line, in the form of stranger at the door. And just like that, we are off and running. Well done.
Possible Drawbacks
A small handful of things come to mind, unfortunately. For one thing—and there is no way to sugarcoat or skip around it—the depiction of the Chinese character in Jin is staggeringly offensive to say the least. Jin reads more like a repugnant political cartoon that a supporting character— Speaking in the most hackneyed, caricatured fashion. Moreover, he seems to be depicted as a little bit of a simple-minded fellow, and he is seemingly played for comedic relief at times. This is not just one reader’s opinion— It is a fact that this depiction would be deemed abhorrent and profoundly racist by many an industry professional reading for consideration for adaptation to screen (not to mention any AAPI anti-hate and advocacy groups). Secondly, there are a number of typos and spacing errors in this work— well north of 50, unfortunately. While a handful are more-or-less understandable, this number of errors risks irking an industry reader, and it would be well worth it to invest in a proper proofreading safety net. Finally, there is a sense of a little bit of disjointedness in the plot and structure in this work. Notably, Wyatt, Darla, and Marissa—evidently the key protagonists of this story—are effectively sidelined for much of the middle third of this work, in favor of the cats and Fanny. It feels odd and a little bit jarring that the three newcomers to Scarlet Oak are left more-or-less idle to such and extent, only for Wyatt and Darla to come back into the fold in the final third, taking their place once again as leads. All in all, there is a curiosity and even a hope that the authors would give another pass to reconfigure the sense of flow, momentum, and sustained purpose for their leads.
Use of Special Effects
THE STORY RELIES A LITTLE BIT ON SPECIAL EFFECTS
Primary Hook of Story
This work seems to have a number of different hooks— It’s a moody, gothic, atmospheric, escapist adventure with ample special effects and spectacle opportunity. It riffs on some beloved schemas and series that have dominated best seller lists and box offices, and it features some noble and rarely explored themes. This is a healthy balance of virtues that would hopefully draw in a loyal, if not a large audience.
Fanbase Potential
It is possible that this could have a large fanbase, but it would entirely depend on the quality of the adaptation— the director, the cast, the script, etc. Even the marketing. It is worth noting though that the probability does seem to be low-- For every Harry Potter or Hunger Games, there seems to be half-a-dozen or more franchise attempts that falter.
Awards Potential
No. Candidly, this work would not seem to have any awards potential. It does not seem like it is intended to, and there does not seem to be any precedence whatsoever for stories of this ilk faring well come awards season, at least not at the most esteemed ceremonies/festivals. For example, if Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II did not garner nominations in major categories, it does not bode well for any other YA fantasy stories it its relative ilk.
Envisioned Budget
MEDIUM BUDGET
Similar Films/TV Series
THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES, A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS, HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE
What’s New About the Story
There is a fair amount about this story that comes across as original, and that is despite the fact that it very much wants to play into the kind of coming-of-age hero’s journey we often see in this genre space. One element that stuck out as particularly original was the crystal and magical elements. The authors tie in the mythology of Atlantis and ancient Greek deities, making a very unique and interesting mix and flavor. Moreover, the themes of this work, notably the importance and virtue of story, stand out as noble and original— It’s not your run-of-the-mill be brave and be yourself kind of messaging— It offers a bit more.
Lead Characters
Not to dodge the question, but to be perfectly candid, there is not all that much that makes the lead characters stand out. However, what does empower and make them interesting is the world around them and how they interact with it. The leads are rendered as common every-people, but when they get to Scarlet Oak, they increasingly come alive, operating as deft, accessible surrogates for the audience.
Uniqueness of Story
This is not quite a rare gem, as there are a handful of elements that feel like they could be improved— Between the stock, offensive side character in Jin, the need for proper proofreading, and the questions of balance and structure would seem to disqualify this work from the prized designation of a rare gem.
Possible Formats
Film: Studio, Indie, Streaming TV Series: Network, Cable, Limited Run / Mini-Series, Streaming
Analyst Recommendation
WORK IN PROGRESS
Justification
Even considering this work’s evident commerciality and its ample number of positive attributes, there are a handful of shortcomings that warrant immediate and considerable revision— As mentioned prior, the depiction of a Chinese person in the driver Jin is bafflingly racist. Through the lens of adaptation alone, it calls into question the credibility of the authors and risk staining the otherwise often rewarding reading experience. Moreover, there are a number of spelling, spacing, and punctuation errors totaling in the several dozen— This reader stopped the tally after about page 131. These would need to be ameliorated in order to maximize the credibility of the text and once again to avoid irking a reader. Finally, there is a sense of disjointedness in the plot and structure— It feels like Darla, Wyatt, and Marissa are left idle for much of the middle third of the text, and for balance and consistency’s sake, it would seem to behoove the authors to give them more meat to occupy them, especially as the high-stakes battle and pursuit of Earl/Randolph is unfolding behind the scenes.
Tips for Improvement
This answer should echo that of the last question— The authors would need to remedy the alarming depiction of Jin, to engage in a proper proofreading checks and balances, and to reevaluate the structure and plot in service of better balance and mobilizing those who are set-up initially as the leads.
Brief
After a sudden and coercive eviction from their brownstone home, careworn Marissa and her two precocious kids Wyatt and Darla discover they are inheritors of a massive ornate estate in the countryside. There, they are introduced to a world of immense privilege and wonder— with Wyatt and Darla being schooled in the ways and possibilities of magic and the power of story. However, evil is afoot in the form of a ghoulish entity who seeks to take over the estate for himself, putting himself on a collision course with our heroes, joined by a trio of talking cats and a number of magically-enabled benefactors...
What We Liked
There is a lot to like about this story. For one thing, the authors effortlessly carve out a distinct visual identity for their unique world— The book is teeming with cinematic and atmospheric imagery, from the suspicious figures almost posing like classic horror villains to the ornate, wondrous Scarlet Oak mansion and its many charms and secrets. This work presents an a pure opportunity for escapism for the audience— Viewers of the hypothetical adaptation will find themselves enthralled by the ambience.
Moreover, the authors present a kind of take on the magical world that strikes as inventive and original. Pairing ancient Greece, Atlantis, magic crystals, ghosts, and talking animals—among
several other concepts—the authors present a unique and robust flavor, with more than enough to occupy the minds and imaginations of the young target audience, much less those of the parents.
Finally, this work is notable for its interesting and original themes. By the end, the authors make a bit of a statement about the importance and magic of story itself. This work bodes well for encouraging creativity, open-minded, and, of course, reading, for its young audience, and it should be commended for it.
Film: This work would be a more-than-capable candidate for adaptation to the big screen. This is to say that the world of Scarlet Oak is well-realized and vivid enough to sustain the largest format—
Audiences will have no choice but to submit to this world and its characters— It’s easy to imagine the incomparable light and color afforded to them by the big screen— Think of the magic crystals, the giant corridors of Scarlet Oak, and the dramatically-lite, shadowclad villains.
So much of this work demands to be seen on the big screen, and it’s easy to imagine wide-eyed children (possibly with 3D glasses on) perched on the very edge of their seats.
TV: This work would be an ideal candidate for adaptation to the small screen. Not only has the streaming market opened many doors for this kind of story to be told over several, adequately- budgeted season, but as noted just above, there is endless opportunity for spectacle, wonder, and thematic value as a result of the authors’ impeccable foundation. Moreover, this work contains a plethora of interesting side characters, which brings to mind the Harry Potter series—one that is particularly ripe with endearing and certainly interesting side characters, from the animals and professors to, of course, the villains. This is the first chapter in what appears to be a planned, ongoing saga, and that bodes well for sustaining several seasons worth of TV, which might be the ideal vehicle in that it would afford the wide swath of players to be developed and to breathe.
Key points:
1. The Look — This is a gothic, moody, and enchanting world of infinite possibilities, using the ornate Scarlet Oak mansion as its staple, much like Hogwarts to Harry Potter.
2. The Heroes — Wyatt and Darla are exceptional every-people. They are perfect surrogates for the audience to explore a world of magic and wonder vicariously.
3. The Villains — From the troubled Earl to the pernicious Randolph, this work is chock full of complexity and darkness, which constitutes a proper counter-balance to the hopefulness and innocence of its heroes.
4. The Action — This work contains a number of different interesting set-pieces, notably a center-piece battle between Randolph and the trio of endearing talking cats. It’s a pulse-pounder, and this work is better for it.
5. The Themes— It feels like the authors are starting to get at something new in their exploration of themes, for one example the power and importance of story.
Synopsis
The doorbell suddenly rings out in the beloved brownstone of the Harringtons, a tight-knit family constituted by careworn, yet dutiful mother Marissa and her precocious, bookish, intelligent children Wyatt and Darla. The strange figure on the doorstep reveals terrible news— Wyatt and Darla’s deadbeat, absent father has apparently gambled away the deed to the house, leaving the family little time to move out before a forceful eviction. Marissa is distraught for a moment, but word soon arrives that she and the kids have inherited a gargantuan mansion and estate in the countryside— Scarlet Oak. A car soon comes for them and delivers them to their new world— The kids and their dog Bandit are immediately enchanted and overwhelmed by the estate— A place full of nooks and crannies and evidently teeming with secrets to uncover.
They are greeted by the chief custodian of the property in Fanny, who immediately positions herself as a bit of a mentor figure to Marissa. All the while, a trio of highly intelligent talking cats —Malcolm, Martin, and Harriet—watch over all, steadfast on their unyielding mission to protect this estate and its secrets from the self-interested and corrupted at all costs…
Time passes as the Harringtons get acclimated to their new world— Marissa begins soft training of sorts to become the chief caretaker and custodian of the estate, while Wyatt and Darla wonder and increasingly uncover objects and phenomena of utmost wonder and fascination.
Operating under Fanny is a slew of upwards of a dozen staff and role players on the property— a clique of eclectic and strange persona. Soon, Wyatt and Darla are introduced to a series of magic crystals, which guide them. The crystals have deep mythological origins and contain a number of magical abilities and qualities. Wyatt and Darla meet their distant ancestors through the crystals—Preston and Evelyn, the creators of the estate and pioneers of magic—and are soon told that they will be schooled in the ways and possibilities of magic, working towards a noble duty/destiny to come... All the while, their father Earl arrives at the property, and Marissa reluctantly lets him in. Fanny, the cats, and co., all the while, are sure to keep careful watch over him— He is acting strangely after all. Soon, Earl is overtaken by Randolph, a spiteful descendant of Preston and Evelyn who is hellbent on claiming Scarlet Oak for himself. However, his plan to overtake the property is narrowly thwarted by the selfless and watchful trio of cats, who engage him in battle through the attic and corridors of Scarlet Oak. Soon, Fanny is there waiting for Earl/Randolph, and she uses her magic abilities to trap Randolph inside of a book— an indefinite prison for Randolph’s soul.
Earl regains control of his body, but he continues to act strange and to draw the concern of his children. Soon, Wyatt and Darla witness Earl effectively be “eaten” by an enchanted trunk, and the embark on a journey to rescue their troubled father. However, the trunk transports Earl to the land of Oz, where he is known and seen for his true self— Umbra Flank, a pernicious and tyrannical warlock engaged in a long-running vendetta with a series of witches— the very kind we know from the classic of “The Wizard of Oz.” Soon, Wyatt and Darla enter into the land of Oz, and they use their knowledge from the screen adaptation of the story to their advantage in navigating the strange world and seeking out their father. With the help of the townsfolk in Oz, the siblings realize that storybooks are real— The characters in them are alive as anyone, existing in a plane of reality of their own. Unable to convince their father of his former, human identity, they decide to return to Scarlet Oak. There, Marissa has a letter from her distant ancestors in Preston and Evelyn which outlines a few key tasks for the family— Number one, to document and preserve as much of the magical world as possible, and number two, to read and protect as many literary works as possible to ensure they are not forgotten by people and time.
Together, the family braces for their trials to come— They have a lot to learn and a lot
depending on them. Welcome to Scarlet Oak.
Last we see, a young boy climbs out of a framed painting— None other than young Randolph himself. He locates the book that Fanny used to trap Randolph’s entity and prepares to free the trapped soul, a wry smile on his face as he does…