Review by Kelly Jarvis: The Wrath of Peace or How the Wellikans Saved the World by Jack Zipes

In this captivating new fantasy story from professor and scholar Dr. Jack Zipes, two young witches named Anja and Zack set out to save the world from the technological power of an evil dictator named Nexus. Zack and Anja are sixteen-year-old twins with the power to shapeshift into the form of birds and bees as they descend upon an island restoring joy with their dancing. Separated from their parents after the rise of Nexus and guided by a benevolent witch, the twins must locate the Wellikans, the indigenous beings who dwell under the ground and resist Nexus’ tyrannical control.

Young readers will be delighted by the engaging characters of Anja and Zack who maintain positive mindsets as they meet adversity, and they will also be sensitized to the dangers of spreading false news and the importance of maintaining resistance against unlawful power. Zipes’ background as a scholar of fairy tale and a political activist permeate the story, but the rich plot and well-rounded characters will keep children reading. Although the adventure narrative is exciting and the moral is poignant, my favorite part of the book is its deep understanding of story itself. The narrator speaks directly to readers, claiming what follows is true and penetrating the action to explain details and assure readers that he does not lie. The book contains brilliant layers of narration, and even as it reaches its conclusion, it tells readers that “this ending is only the beginning.” Young readers looking for a compelling adventure and adult readers interested in contemplating how stories interact with perceptions of power will find much to love in Zipes’ excellent prose.

The Wrath of Peace or How the Wellikans Saved the World is a hopeful tale that will inspire readers to stand up to oppression while they recognize the beauty still to be found in nature and humanity. I truly enjoyed it and look forward to reading more of Anja and Zack’s adventures! You can find it here, and you can see The Fairy Tale Magazine's interview with Dr. Jack Zipes on our YouTube Channel here. Like and follow to watch Fairy Tale Voices, a series of conversations with writers, scholars, poets, and artists who use fairy tale and folklore in their work.

Kelly Jarvis works as the Contributing Writer for The Fairy Tale Magazine. Her work has also appeared in A Moon of One’s Own, Baseball Bard, Blue Heron Review, Corvid Queen, Eternal Haunted Summer, Forget Me Not Press, Mermaids Monthly, Mothers of Enchantment: New Tales of Fairy Godmothers, The Chamber Magazine, and The Magic of Us. Her debut novella, Selkie Moon, publishes in June, 2025. You can find her at Kellyjarviswriter.com.