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froydis's review
4.0
Thanks to Netgalley.com and Arthur A. Levine Books for early access to this title.
I am really enjoying this series! I love Mroiarty's writing style, and the humor in it. She really touches on some deep philosophical and scientific ideas as well. The characters are great and very believable. I'm very taken with Elliot! I love Madeleine and her friends. The Kingdom of Cello is written as realistically as is our own world. I LOVED the episode at the Lake of Spells! This is a great story, and I can't wait for the next installment. This is a wonderful read for kids and adults who like fantasy, sci-fi and just great stories with suspense, mystery and a fair amount of humor.
I am really enjoying this series! I love Mroiarty's writing style, and the humor in it. She really touches on some deep philosophical and scientific ideas as well. The characters are great and very believable. I'm very taken with Elliot! I love Madeleine and her friends. The Kingdom of Cello is written as realistically as is our own world. I LOVED the episode at the Lake of Spells! This is a great story, and I can't wait for the next installment. This is a wonderful read for kids and adults who like fantasy, sci-fi and just great stories with suspense, mystery and a fair amount of humor.
rosen462's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
thetomatowriter's review
5.0
I know I read this a few years ago (never finished the series and I'm trying to now) but man I barely remembered ANY of it. I don't know what was going on in my life at the time. I'm glad I remembered so little, though, bc it allowed this book to sweep me away all over again. There were so many twists that caught me completely off guard (a rare thing, honestly), so many interesting character developments and insights. I also found myself developing theories, which I hadn't before. I really want to finally get my hands on the third book and finish this thing.
lynnietakalele's review
3.0
Sadly, didn't like it as much as the first. Too drawn out, not enough of the great dialog as the first.
melindagallagher's review
4.0
This second installment was better and more enjoyable than the first. Maybe it was because I was more familiar with the kingdom and the characters, but I thought it was much more interesting and fast paced. Cello is a complicated "world" but now that I am familiar with it, I am looking forward to reading the 3rd installment.
davianareads's review
5.0
I wish I could give it 4.5 stars. Almost everything was perfect, except for the pacing. Other than that, I love this series and I can’t wait to read the next one.
scholarhect's review
5.0
Audiobook version, because I love the voice actors who do this series! Sadly my local library doesn't have the audio of book three, so I'll need to track that down because it feels wrong to read this now.
The best part of this series is still Elliot - Madeleine is a kind of boring, tedious character when she isn't being self-righteous, and Jack and Belle take a backseat here to the members of the RYA. But the real star is the world building, the clever reveal of things that were foreshadowed in earlier chapters or the first book (that guidebook to Cello, five stars right there), and the twists where no twists are expected. The occasional pilot. Elliot's father. The cleaning spell! I have read a lot of fantasy in my time and I saw none of those coming. This is an outstanding read/listen for young and old alike.
The best part of this series is still Elliot - Madeleine is a kind of boring, tedious character when she isn't being self-righteous, and Jack and Belle take a backseat here to the members of the RYA. But the real star is the world building, the clever reveal of things that were foreshadowed in earlier chapters or the first book (that guidebook to Cello, five stars right there), and the twists where no twists are expected. The occasional pilot. Elliot's father. The cleaning spell! I have read a lot of fantasy in my time and I saw none of those coming. This is an outstanding read/listen for young and old alike.
herlifewithbooks's review
4.0
Maaaaaan there is something about Ms. Moriarty's storytelling. I start her books going "eh, this is fine, whatever" and plod along, and then the last third is all OH MY GOD EVERYTHING IS CONVERGING AND I'M SO NERVOUS WHERE IS THE SEQUEL?
Anyway, this is also making me think about my... ah... complex reactions to Australian YA that I haven't quite figured out? At any rate, yay to me for putting off reading this book long enough that the sequel is only a few months off!
Anyway, this is also making me think about my... ah... complex reactions to Australian YA that I haven't quite figured out? At any rate, yay to me for putting off reading this book long enough that the sequel is only a few months off!