fictionalkate's review against another edition
5.0
One of the best things that has happened to me in the past two years of blogging is discovering Jaclyn Moriarty’s books. She has a beautiful way of telling stories and this second book in the Colours of Madeline series did not disappoint.
Elliot Baranski, a boy who lives on a farm in a Kingdom named Cello, and Madeline Tully, a girl from the world we know in a city called Cambridge, are still communicating though a crack between the Kingdoms. A broken TV turned art installation and a malfunctioning parking meter allow the two to pass messages to and fro from Cello to Cambridge. Madeline is still not completely sure she believes the boy is real and the tales he tells about colours harming and seasons with minds of their own – but she lets best friends Belle and Jack in on the secret. Elliot is entrusted by the Princess to try to work out how to use the crack to bring her family back… that is if they are even there to begin with.
I love the characters in this series. They’re as vibrant as the colours which wreak havoc in the realm of Cello. Madeline is inquisitive and unwilling to take things on faith. She needs to find things out for herself and disbelieves things – even things in front of her very eyes – without some kind of scientific proof. Elliot is almost her opposite. He gives his all for everything he does and doesn’t do anything half-hearted. His belief in his family and himself is strong and he would do anything, sacrifice anything, for his loved ones. Where Madeline is theoretically based, Elliot is physical and spontaneous. They work well off each other despite being worlds apart – both physically and metaphorically.
This book is a great addition to the series. Elliot being inducted into the Royal Youth Alliance causes much drama. He has to covertly carry out secret missions for the Princess whilst at the same time pretending just to be there for the sake of uniting the Kingdom. His liaisons with Madeline grow strained under the pressures of the missions but throughout it all they are there for each other. Getting to experience what the different parts of the kingdom of Cello have to offer though Elliot’s eyes was interesting and I loved the trip to the Lake of Spells. Cello is a world that is full of magic and yet it feels believable because of how similar it is to the World Madeline inhabits.
At over 500 pages, this is a long book but it never felt that way. I couldn’t wait to find out what was next for Elliot and Madeline and their friends. The plot took me places I wasn’t expecting and I enjoyed the journey. There are surprises and a lot of questions still to be answered. What happened to the Royal Family? Will they come back? Why are the cracks between the worlds? What’s the deal with the rebels? And whilst many of these questions were not either fully or partially answered – I felt so involved in the story that I didn’t mind not knowing.
The ending was one I wasn’t anticipating but perfect. That said – I’m incredibly eager to find out what Jaclyn Moriarty has next install for Elliot, Madeline and the people of the two Worlds they come from. I enjoyed every step in this novel and recommend the series for fans of well written and exciting young adult literature.
Elliot Baranski, a boy who lives on a farm in a Kingdom named Cello, and Madeline Tully, a girl from the world we know in a city called Cambridge, are still communicating though a crack between the Kingdoms. A broken TV turned art installation and a malfunctioning parking meter allow the two to pass messages to and fro from Cello to Cambridge. Madeline is still not completely sure she believes the boy is real and the tales he tells about colours harming and seasons with minds of their own – but she lets best friends Belle and Jack in on the secret. Elliot is entrusted by the Princess to try to work out how to use the crack to bring her family back… that is if they are even there to begin with.
I love the characters in this series. They’re as vibrant as the colours which wreak havoc in the realm of Cello. Madeline is inquisitive and unwilling to take things on faith. She needs to find things out for herself and disbelieves things – even things in front of her very eyes – without some kind of scientific proof. Elliot is almost her opposite. He gives his all for everything he does and doesn’t do anything half-hearted. His belief in his family and himself is strong and he would do anything, sacrifice anything, for his loved ones. Where Madeline is theoretically based, Elliot is physical and spontaneous. They work well off each other despite being worlds apart – both physically and metaphorically.
This book is a great addition to the series. Elliot being inducted into the Royal Youth Alliance causes much drama. He has to covertly carry out secret missions for the Princess whilst at the same time pretending just to be there for the sake of uniting the Kingdom. His liaisons with Madeline grow strained under the pressures of the missions but throughout it all they are there for each other. Getting to experience what the different parts of the kingdom of Cello have to offer though Elliot’s eyes was interesting and I loved the trip to the Lake of Spells. Cello is a world that is full of magic and yet it feels believable because of how similar it is to the World Madeline inhabits.
At over 500 pages, this is a long book but it never felt that way. I couldn’t wait to find out what was next for Elliot and Madeline and their friends. The plot took me places I wasn’t expecting and I enjoyed the journey. There are surprises and a lot of questions still to be answered. What happened to the Royal Family? Will they come back? Why are the cracks between the worlds? What’s the deal with the rebels? And whilst many of these questions were not either fully or partially answered – I felt so involved in the story that I didn’t mind not knowing.
The ending was one I wasn’t anticipating but perfect. That said – I’m incredibly eager to find out what Jaclyn Moriarty has next install for Elliot, Madeline and the people of the two Worlds they come from. I enjoyed every step in this novel and recommend the series for fans of well written and exciting young adult literature.
mora55's review against another edition
5.0
This one kinda dragged and I like the first one far better, but I adore whenever Madeleine and Elliot communicate and Madeleine's late-night contemplation bc there's so much depth in those thoughts and conversations. Several of the Royal Youth Alliance and Belle & Jack scenes felt drawn out or unnecessary, and cutting them a little would have made things plod less?
But the whimsy and contemplation in this series is still beautiful.
(I also liked some of the narration choices in the scenes that ping-pong between Elliot and Madeleine, having the Elliot narrator sometimes read the lines I would have attributed to the Madeleine narrator and vice versa, though I would have preferred to read it in print over audio.)
But the whimsy and contemplation in this series is still beautiful.
(I also liked some of the narration choices in the scenes that ping-pong between Elliot and Madeleine, having the Elliot narrator sometimes read the lines I would have attributed to the Madeleine narrator and vice versa, though I would have preferred to read it in print over audio.)
froydis's review against another edition
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
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 against another edition
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 against another edition
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 against another edition
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 against another edition
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.
franuary's review against another edition
5.0
In The Cracks in the Kingdom, the follow up to 2013’s A Corner of White, Elliot Baranksi and Madeleine Tully intensify their study of a crack between The World and Cello in an effort to find the missing members of Cello’s royal family. Moriarty does an admirable job of summarizing the previous book for new readers, but without the full history of Madeleine and Elliot's worlds, Kingdom may not impress as a stand-alone title. For those who loved A Corner of White, however, Kingdom is a joy to read. Like its predecessor, Kingdom’s humor, quirk and charm are captivating to the right reader (and will leave others puzzled as to why some find it brilliant). This isn’t a crowd pleaser, but the series is sure to find an intensely devoted following in libraries serving teens. A delightful addition to an incredibly original young adult fantasy series, and by far the best thing I’ve read in 2014.
I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Scholastic and to NetGalley for the advance copy!
I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Scholastic and to NetGalley for the advance copy!