Rialto Review: Not the Magical Mystery You Hoped For

 

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)

If you read and loved Milford's book, Greenglass House, you know what to expect: rich atmosphere and mysteries with a touch of wonder that pulls you right in. That’s exactly what I hoped for when I picked up Rialto and what I got was... something very different. 

The story follows sisters Ivy and Dahlia Vicar, who travel to Rialto, Missouri, for a summer visit. Twelve-year-old Dahlia is an artist who lives with anxiety, and she’s eager for a change of scenery. Fourteen-year-old Ivy loves mysteries, but she’s struggling to figure out how to be a good big sister lately, and she misses the carefree vacations they used to have when they were small. 

Rialto sounds like the perfect place for adventure: it sits in the middle of a strange forest and there’s even an abandoned theme park that feels like it’s full of secrets. 

Here’s the thing, the blurb and the cover make this sound like a magical, theme park-centered mystery. But that’s not what this book is about at all. The story’s real focus is on mental health issues. That’s not a bad topic to explore, and it’s handled with care. But if you pick this up expecting the whimsy and adventure promised in the description, you’re going to be disappointed. 

There's another issue with the writing style, it’s almost entirely telling, not showing. We’re told over and over how magical, wonderful, and extraordinary Rialto and its park are. We hear about the legends, the wonders, and the secrets but we barely see any of it. For almost the whole book, the park is just something people talk about. We don’t get to explore it, wander its paths, or feel its magic until the very last few pages. We never actually get to experience the park properly and never really step into the magical world the book kept describing. It feels like the main setting and core premise were merely there to tease us, without ever delivering on their full potential. 

If you’re looking for a story about growing up, anxiety, and sisterhood, you might enjoy it. But if you loved Greenglass House for its mystery and the sense of wonder, this one will likely disappoint you.