Jophiel’s Secret, by Johanna Frank

Characters

As there were simply too many characters to count, I have decided to focus on the following three: Pipiera, Matthew, and Joppha (AKA: Jophiel.)

First, let’s discuss Pipiera, a lovely, kind soul who resides within The Kingdom. She proves herself to be inquisitive and deeply caring, sometimes going so far as to interfere when she is specifically told not to by the powers that be. She was such a caring and empathetic soul that I found myself instantly warming to her. She also holds a deep sense of longing inside – to confess her true identity to her Earth family, even though she knows she is forbidden to do so. This longing became a deep emotional pain and struggle for Pipiera, one which could be felt in every scene she appeared in. I really felt for her in those moments, having to hold back so much. However, despite her willingness to be cautious at times, she was also a bit of a rebel, foregoing the rules of how she was to act on Earth when situations seemed to call for more of a risk-taking approach. Overall, I adored her as a character.

Next, I would like to examine Matthew Mckenzie, Pipiera’s Earthly nephew. Since book one of this series, Matthew has grown so much. No longer is he the selfish and angry young man he once was, being easily pulled in by the forces of The Deep. Now, he is much more caring, considerate, and relaxed, although his old dark thoughts do surface as things get tough throughout the book. While Matthew began the story with this deep need to feel loved, he ends the story transformed, feeling more of a need to give love and care to others than to receive it himself. In every scene, I found myself admiring the young man he had become since book one, making tough decisions, trying to be there for others, and putting others first for a change.

Finally, we come to Joppha (AKA: Jophiel), Pipiera’s close friend originally from The Kingdom. Joppha takes the form of a young boy on Earth, one who is curious, highly intelligent, and sensitive in nature. He also shows himself to be a serious boy, always on the lookout for danger and threat wherever he goes, despite having no recollection of his former life in The Kingdom as an escort for arriving souls. However, Joppha always seems to feel like he is out of place, like somewhere his ‘real’ home is waiting for him, a place where he would feel truly understood. It made me ache to feel this sense of longing in his character, to return to a place where one feels understood. Following his lengthy journey to return to such a place was both heart-breaking and oddly moving.