A review by ktothelau
The Traitor of Belltroll by Lindsay Cummings
5.0
4.5 Stars
After reading this book and "The Death Code" (The final book of Lindsay Cummings's YA series), I've come to the conclusion that this author is exceptionally good at writing... well... conclusions.
Whereas the first two books of this trilogy follow the same formula as it develops the characters, plot, and world, this final installment throws that formula out the window. Instead what we get is a story that isn't afraid to put these characters in edge-of-your-seat situations, with lots of fast-paced action spread throughout and twists that made it impossible to put the book down.
What really makes this work is the fact that this is a satisfying conclusion to the series. We see how far the characters have matured in the one year the books cover. They learn to accept their mistakes and the faults of others. Add a villain that was surprisingly good and you've got "The Balance Keepers" series.
So for those looking for a book series for middle-grade readers, you can't choose wrong here. It's very age-appropriate (the violence isn't over the top, no foul language or sexual content at all) and approachable to readers young and old.
The reason why this is knocked down half a star is because the first 50 pages were a little rough to begin with and a few lines of narrative here and there felt like they could have either been trimmed or cut out, but everything else this book has to offer really outshines its problems and deserves recognition.
After reading this book and "The Death Code" (The final book of Lindsay Cummings's YA series), I've come to the conclusion that this author is exceptionally good at writing... well... conclusions.
Whereas the first two books of this trilogy follow the same formula as it develops the characters, plot, and world, this final installment throws that formula out the window. Instead what we get is a story that isn't afraid to put these characters in edge-of-your-seat situations, with lots of fast-paced action spread throughout and twists that made it impossible to put the book down.
What really makes this work is the fact that this is a satisfying conclusion to the series. We see how far the characters have matured in the one year the books cover. They learn to accept their mistakes and the faults of others. Add a villain that was surprisingly good and you've got "The Balance Keepers" series.
So for those looking for a book series for middle-grade readers, you can't choose wrong here. It's very age-appropriate (the violence isn't over the top, no foul language or sexual content at all) and approachable to readers young and old.
The reason why this is knocked down half a star is because the first 50 pages were a little rough to begin with and a few lines of narrative here and there felt like they could have either been trimmed or cut out, but everything else this book has to offer really outshines its problems and deserves recognition.