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The Kronos Chronicles #2
Le globe céleste
After stealing her father’s eyes back from Prince Rodolfo, Petra Kronos lives in constant danger. She and her tin spider, Astrophil, end up hiding out in London, where she learns more about her magical abilities. London has its charms (like Petra’s attractive fencing master), but Petra needs to get back to Bohemia and her father.Meanwhile, Prince Rodolfo is trying to locate a powerful object called the Celestial Globe. Petra’s friends, Tomik and Neel, are searching for her and traveling with a band of Gypsies searching for the globe.The race is on to see who will find the globe first, and who will make it out of this deadly chase alive.
428 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
50 people are currently reading
1688 people want to read
About the author
Marie Rutkoski
29 books8,367 followersMarie Rutkoski is the New York Times bestselling author of several books for children and young adults. Her latest novel, ORDINARY LOVE, will be published June 10, 2025.
Born in Illinois, Marie holds degrees from the University of Iowa and Harvard University. She is currently a professor at Brooklyn College and lives in Brooklyn with her family.
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/bo...
https://us.macmillan.com/author/marie...
(photo credit: Beowulf Sheehan)
Born in Illinois, Marie holds degrees from the University of Iowa and Harvard University. She is currently a professor at Brooklyn College and lives in Brooklyn with her family.
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/bo...
https://us.macmillan.com/author/marie...
(photo credit: Beowulf Sheehan)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 167 reviews
September 1, 2011
I wrote this review of the first and second books in this series on my Livejournal blog a while ago and forgot that I never copied it over, but now that I've received the third one for review, I thought I should, because I love this series and it doesn't get enough attention. My review was prompted by a post I read (back in 2010) about the lack of kick-butt female heroines for middle grade girls, and that made me want to put in a plug for this fantasy series, the Kronos Chronicles. This is one of those series that falls under the radar, at least at my library, but it is quality storytelling with a unique historical setting, mechanical steampunk elements and magic that is integrated well into the world, and very engaging protagonist, Petra Kronos. It's also a series that grew on me: I read the first one and liked it okay, and it didn't seem extra-special, but weeks after finishing it I would find myself thinking of it fondly and wanting to read it again. The second book, which I really liked, only cemented my love.
The series takes place in historical Bohemia at the end of the 16th century, so already the setting is different and very colorful. Magic has very specific, limited uses, often related to craftsmanship: Petra's father can manipulate metal and has created creatures such as Astrophil, Petra's highly-literate, talking tin spider; her friend Tomik works with glass and can do things such as trap/create lightening in a bottle. Petra's powers are more mysterious, and in fact the strangeness of her abilities is one of the focal points of The Celestial Globe.
In the first book, Petra's father goes to Prague to build the world's largest astrological clock; unfortunately, the Prince of Bohemia, who commissioned the work, steals her father's eyes so that he cannot ever repeat this amazing feat. Petra, being more than a little stubborn and proactive, decides to go to Prague herself, infiltrate the Prince's castle, and steal back her father's eyes. She is aided by the Roma people, in particular a boy named Neel, whose magic enables him to use phantom fingers to steal from people and pick locks. Her mission is complicated by the discovery that the Prince has enchanted her father's eyes and actually wears them, and a further discovery that the clock her father created is part of one of the Prince's nefarious schemes to rule the world. John Dee, the British spy, simultaneously aids Petra and uses her for his own purposes, but he is instrumental in her quest.
Petra does returns home at the end of the first book, but not before the Prince learns who she is, so the second book starts with him sending his Gray Men to either kill or kidnap her. With the unsolicited help of John Dee, she escapes again, but then he quite infuriatingly imprisons her in his home in England, for her own good, of course, with his two unusual daughters (one who can open rifts in order to travel through space, and one who can close the rifts), so that he can teach her magic and swordplay. And while this is all going on, Tomik and Neel end up together with the Roma to search for the two Celestial Globes, which enable whole groups of people to find all the rifts that already exist and travel among them (it makes more sense when you're reading the book, I promise). Of course, the Prince of Bohemia (who is evil mostly because he is almost childishly spoiled) is really keen to get these Celestial Globes as well.
Petra is a great character -- she's intelligent, determined, very stubborn, but also more than a little naive and impetuous. Her impatience and unwillingness to cooperate gets her into trouble a lot, especially with John Dee, who is always a step ahead. Her efforts to best him are entertaining, but when she finally outwits him, it may not be in her best interest. (We won't find that out until Book Three.) His delight over her scheming (and his scheming in return) is one of the highlights of this book for me. He is such a Machiavellian character, delicious with amusement but quite menacing when he chooses to be. He is in this one a lot, which is probably why I enjoyed it more than the first book.
This is a really unique series. Fantasy with such a strong female character for ages 8/9-11 are rarer than ones for ages 12-up. Also, in an age of fat fantasies, these book are short, making them far more accessible to young readers than those 400-500 page tomes they expect middle graders to read nowadays. (The second book, while being 300 pages, is published in a trim size with a larger typeface, so it's really more like 200 pages, and the first one is the same.) I think they fill an important niche that is only made better by the fact that they feature strong characters, lots of action, and even a touch of (very innocent) romance in this second one.
The series takes place in historical Bohemia at the end of the 16th century, so already the setting is different and very colorful. Magic has very specific, limited uses, often related to craftsmanship: Petra's father can manipulate metal and has created creatures such as Astrophil, Petra's highly-literate, talking tin spider; her friend Tomik works with glass and can do things such as trap/create lightening in a bottle. Petra's powers are more mysterious, and in fact the strangeness of her abilities is one of the focal points of The Celestial Globe.
In the first book, Petra's father goes to Prague to build the world's largest astrological clock; unfortunately, the Prince of Bohemia, who commissioned the work, steals her father's eyes so that he cannot ever repeat this amazing feat. Petra, being more than a little stubborn and proactive, decides to go to Prague herself, infiltrate the Prince's castle, and steal back her father's eyes. She is aided by the Roma people, in particular a boy named Neel, whose magic enables him to use phantom fingers to steal from people and pick locks. Her mission is complicated by the discovery that the Prince has enchanted her father's eyes and actually wears them, and a further discovery that the clock her father created is part of one of the Prince's nefarious schemes to rule the world. John Dee, the British spy, simultaneously aids Petra and uses her for his own purposes, but he is instrumental in her quest.
Petra does returns home at the end of the first book, but not before the Prince learns who she is, so the second book starts with him sending his Gray Men to either kill or kidnap her. With the unsolicited help of John Dee, she escapes again, but then he quite infuriatingly imprisons her in his home in England, for her own good, of course, with his two unusual daughters (one who can open rifts in order to travel through space, and one who can close the rifts), so that he can teach her magic and swordplay. And while this is all going on, Tomik and Neel end up together with the Roma to search for the two Celestial Globes, which enable whole groups of people to find all the rifts that already exist and travel among them (it makes more sense when you're reading the book, I promise). Of course, the Prince of Bohemia (who is evil mostly because he is almost childishly spoiled) is really keen to get these Celestial Globes as well.
Petra is a great character -- she's intelligent, determined, very stubborn, but also more than a little naive and impetuous. Her impatience and unwillingness to cooperate gets her into trouble a lot, especially with John Dee, who is always a step ahead. Her efforts to best him are entertaining, but when she finally outwits him, it may not be in her best interest. (We won't find that out until Book Three.) His delight over her scheming (and his scheming in return) is one of the highlights of this book for me. He is such a Machiavellian character, delicious with amusement but quite menacing when he chooses to be. He is in this one a lot, which is probably why I enjoyed it more than the first book.
This is a really unique series. Fantasy with such a strong female character for ages 8/9-11 are rarer than ones for ages 12-up. Also, in an age of fat fantasies, these book are short, making them far more accessible to young readers than those 400-500 page tomes they expect middle graders to read nowadays. (The second book, while being 300 pages, is published in a trim size with a larger typeface, so it's really more like 200 pages, and the first one is the same.) I think they fill an important niche that is only made better by the fact that they feature strong characters, lots of action, and even a touch of (very innocent) romance in this second one.
January 11, 2016
Sometimes, children books are better than the YA books nowadays. YA books (especially dystopia and/or fantasy) tend to complicate their plots and add some subplots, then throw a lot of romance, jaw dropping twists, and death of a favorite character, that make their heart ache. I'm done with the YA drama and cliché (not totally thought, choosing a really good and original few).
This is not better than the previous book, because there are two point of views to the story - the voyage and the training/detective story but it all tied brilliantly in the end. The voyage quite bores me but is necessary for the character development of Neel and Tomik and other minor/sub characters. The ending is really fitting as a second-middle book. Can't wait to read the finale of this series and the The Winner's Kiss, finale of The Winner's Trilogy. Reading the few chapters of both books, and I really see that both books will be brilliant.
This is not better than the previous book, because there are two point of views to the story - the voyage and the training/detective story but it all tied brilliantly in the end. The voyage quite bores me but is necessary for the character development of Neel and Tomik and other minor/sub characters. The ending is really fitting as a second-middle book. Can't wait to read the finale of this series and the The Winner's Kiss, finale of The Winner's Trilogy. Reading the few chapters of both books, and I really see that both books will be brilliant.
March 4, 2016
I liked this second book in the trilogy better than the first! In the first book, there was a lot of explanations and random minor characters, but in this book we have a more solid story and better pacing, I think.
Petra is on the run again from the evil Prince of Bohemia, and her friends, Neel and Tomik, are swept into her adventures. The mysterious spy/ambassador John Dee is back, and he tries to train Petra to use her magic, but she is an unruly student.
My favorite character by far is Astrophil, the metal spider with an encyclopedic brain. He's so wise and intelligent and loyal! I just love his snappy dialogue.
Petra is courageous to the point of stupidity, but I love her for it. I think she has trouble seeing things as they really are. She assumes that things will turn out well if you just do your best, or that you can trust people to keep your secrets, and that just isn't the case. She tends to run headlong into danger with all kinds of good intentions, so it's a good thing Astrophil is there to hold her back sometimes. He's that voice in her head giving a word of caution.
I loved seeing Neel and Tomik hating each other, and fighting, and then slowly becoming friends. Those two are such different characters, but they both love Petra.
The plot really surprised me! I was fascinated with the weird characters and their magical abilities. The plot twist hit me out of nowhere, and I loved how the different story threads all came together. Murder, betrayal, animals made of metal, elemental spirits, gypsy folklore, espionage, politics, and especially magic- this book has it all!
Petra is on the run again from the evil Prince of Bohemia, and her friends, Neel and Tomik, are swept into her adventures. The mysterious spy/ambassador John Dee is back, and he tries to train Petra to use her magic, but she is an unruly student.
My favorite character by far is Astrophil, the metal spider with an encyclopedic brain. He's so wise and intelligent and loyal! I just love his snappy dialogue.
Petra is courageous to the point of stupidity, but I love her for it. I think she has trouble seeing things as they really are. She assumes that things will turn out well if you just do your best, or that you can trust people to keep your secrets, and that just isn't the case. She tends to run headlong into danger with all kinds of good intentions, so it's a good thing Astrophil is there to hold her back sometimes. He's that voice in her head giving a word of caution.
I loved seeing Neel and Tomik hating each other, and fighting, and then slowly becoming friends. Those two are such different characters, but they both love Petra.
The plot really surprised me! I was fascinated with the weird characters and their magical abilities. The plot twist hit me out of nowhere, and I loved how the different story threads all came together. Murder, betrayal, animals made of metal, elemental spirits, gypsy folklore, espionage, politics, and especially magic- this book has it all!
November 3, 2016
The Celestial Globe is the second book to the Kronos Chronicles series by Marie Rutkoski. After Petra come home from stealing back her father eyes, the prince send Graymen monster after her. She is then whisk away by her ally, John Dee, to London with the help of his daughter that can travel from one place to another instantly. She and her pet spider Astrophil is then kept by John and taught on how to improve her magic skills and fencing lesson with a cute teacher, named Kit. Back at home her best friend Tomik go through a warp hole that take him to a beach where he meets Neel, Petra partner in crime in the last book. Neel and Tomik embark on a journey to find Petra and the Celestial Globe. People would kill for this Globe and it is up to them to solve the Globe location and get back to their home.
This book is better than the first book. It has more action and a better climax than the last. It kept me on my feet because once you are so into some chapter it switch gear and follow the other character journey. It taught the reader that not everything is as it seem and sometime you doubt the wrong people. This is a great book if you like adventure and teen romance. It also combine some character from our history so the reader would be entertain with our history popping up here and there in the story. Marie combine history, adventures, and love, in this next sequel of the Kronos Chronicles.
This book is better than the first book. It has more action and a better climax than the last. It kept me on my feet because once you are so into some chapter it switch gear and follow the other character journey. It taught the reader that not everything is as it seem and sometime you doubt the wrong people. This is a great book if you like adventure and teen romance. It also combine some character from our history so the reader would be entertain with our history popping up here and there in the story. Marie combine history, adventures, and love, in this next sequel of the Kronos Chronicles.
October 14, 2010
I loved the first one dearly. I can't wait to read this one!
August 5, 2021
Really good but not great. Maybe I should not have raised my expectations too high.
My review in the form of quotes/passages from the book:
“Please!” she choked out. “I just want to go home.”
“You have no home.” He turned away.
***
But no rule is without exceptions. I am an exception. And so are you.
***
“Anything worth learning takes time,” Dee said.
***
"Learn to control your fear, Petra, or it will control you."
***
Tom *talking nonstop* stepped into a particularly soft patch of earth and glared at the mud on his shoe. “Ugh.”
“Hey, Tom,” said Neel. “Know what I like about mud? It’s quiet.”
***
“I have spent my life trying to know as much as possible. But the most important thing I discovered is that certain kinds of knowledge can be painful. More than that: they can break the spirit."
My review in the form of quotes/passages from the book:
“Please!” she choked out. “I just want to go home.”
“You have no home.” He turned away.
***
But no rule is without exceptions. I am an exception. And so are you.
***
“Anything worth learning takes time,” Dee said.
***
"Learn to control your fear, Petra, or it will control you."
***
Tom *talking nonstop* stepped into a particularly soft patch of earth and glared at the mud on his shoe. “Ugh.”
“Hey, Tom,” said Neel. “Know what I like about mud? It’s quiet.”
***
“I have spent my life trying to know as much as possible. But the most important thing I discovered is that certain kinds of knowledge can be painful. More than that: they can break the spirit."
February 17, 2017
Ugh. This series is really going downhill. The plot is fairly solid, the storytelling and writing are fine, but if I was annoyed with protagonist Petra Kronos in The Cabinet of Wonders (see my rather lengthy review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...), then I am damn near fixin' to strangle her in The Celestial Globe.
Once again, our "hero" Petra is a study in bipolar contrast (where by bipolar I am not referring to the psychiatric condition, but rather literally relating to two opposite poles). Here at age 13, she is mostly portrayed as super-self-sufficient, mature, brilliant, wise, magical, strong, etc., but for reasons I cannot possibly comprehend because it rarely serves the plot, she occasionally flies off into childish outbursts not typical of ANY 13-year-old girl, especially not one as super-self-sufficient, mature, brilliant, wise, blah blah blah as Petra is. In one chapter, she will be compassionate and sensitive to moral ambiguity, in the next, she becomes a immutable absolutist. She is forgiving to the one character who betrayed and really seriously screwed her over , yet is unrelentingly hostile to someone who continually sacrifices to protect her. (To be fair, yes, that second person did manipulate and was dishonest to her at the outset of the previous book, but no more so than Petra did and was to him. But if he said to her, "Please don't saw your foot off," she would, simply to defy him.) Author Marie Rutkoski writes Petra into very complex, subtle, and mature interactions (except with the aforementioned enemy-in-her-own-mind character), and then later has her flying off the handle with that same person, unilaterally deciding to ignore or shut them out when giving that person (usually a dear, dear friend!) the benefit of the doubt and a simple, honest sit-down (something which she is certainly shown as capable of) would solve the problem. I don't know; maybe she really is clinically bipolar? None of the other characters suffer from this unevenness. Unfortunately, it is hard to fully enjoy what would otherwise be a delightful read when you constantly want to smack the hero upside the head and tell her to grow the bloody hell up.
Once again, our "hero" Petra is a study in bipolar contrast (where by bipolar I am not referring to the psychiatric condition, but rather literally relating to two opposite poles). Here at age 13, she is mostly portrayed as super-self-sufficient, mature, brilliant, wise, magical, strong, etc., but for reasons I cannot possibly comprehend because it rarely serves the plot, she occasionally flies off into childish outbursts not typical of ANY 13-year-old girl, especially not one as super-self-sufficient, mature, brilliant, wise, blah blah blah as Petra is. In one chapter, she will be compassionate and sensitive to moral ambiguity, in the next, she becomes a immutable absolutist. She is forgiving to the one character who betrayed and really seriously screwed her over , yet is unrelentingly hostile to someone who continually sacrifices to protect her. (To be fair, yes, that second person did manipulate and was dishonest to her at the outset of the previous book, but no more so than Petra did and was to him. But if he said to her, "Please don't saw your foot off," she would, simply to defy him.) Author Marie Rutkoski writes Petra into very complex, subtle, and mature interactions (except with the aforementioned enemy-in-her-own-mind character), and then later has her flying off the handle with that same person, unilaterally deciding to ignore or shut them out when giving that person (usually a dear, dear friend!) the benefit of the doubt and a simple, honest sit-down (something which she is certainly shown as capable of) would solve the problem. I don't know; maybe she really is clinically bipolar? None of the other characters suffer from this unevenness. Unfortunately, it is hard to fully enjoy what would otherwise be a delightful read when you constantly want to smack the hero upside the head and tell her to grow the bloody hell up.
January 28, 2011
by Marie Rutkoski
Opening line: "Some days are just born bad."
This is, of course, the sequel to The Cabinet of Wonders. Petra Kronos returns. This time she is trying to readjust to life with her cousins and father after her excursions to Prague. Unfortunately for her, her time there was not uneventful, and she attracted quite a bit of attention.
The book wasn't quite what I was expecting somehow--I think I had thought that it would focus on the new relationship between Mikal and Petra. What I got was quite different, and yet I ended up loving it just as much as the first book.
I'll try to avoid spoilers, but I will just say that John Dee remains an enigmatic figure. From the very little I know about the historical person, this seems quite appropriate. Petra is still a sympathetic character, although some of her responses show a growing complexity. Some of my questions from the first book got answered, while others linger.
I loved the interactions between Tomik and Neel. All too often when any sort of triangle, whether love or not, is set up, the only relationships that are really explored are the ones between the opposite genders. I liked seeing the boys and their dealing with each other.
BUT! The absolute best moment of the whole book! The one that caused me to emit squees of joy! Shakespeare discussing the fact that Bohemia is not a landlocked country in a world where it arguably isn't! I read that line and then I stopped reading and sat there for a minute. Then I said, "Did she just do what I think she did?" Then I decided that she did. And it was awesome.
I'm looking forward to a third book.
Book source: public library
Book information: Farrar Straux Giroux, 2010; middle grade
The Cabinet of Wonders
Opening line: "Some days are just born bad."
This is, of course, the sequel to The Cabinet of Wonders. Petra Kronos returns. This time she is trying to readjust to life with her cousins and father after her excursions to Prague. Unfortunately for her, her time there was not uneventful, and she attracted quite a bit of attention.
The book wasn't quite what I was expecting somehow--I think I had thought that it would focus on the new relationship between Mikal and Petra. What I got was quite different, and yet I ended up loving it just as much as the first book.
I'll try to avoid spoilers, but I will just say that John Dee remains an enigmatic figure. From the very little I know about the historical person, this seems quite appropriate. Petra is still a sympathetic character, although some of her responses show a growing complexity. Some of my questions from the first book got answered, while others linger.
I loved the interactions between Tomik and Neel. All too often when any sort of triangle, whether love or not, is set up, the only relationships that are really explored are the ones between the opposite genders. I liked seeing the boys and their dealing with each other.
BUT! The absolute best moment of the whole book! The one that caused me to emit squees of joy! Shakespeare discussing the fact that Bohemia is not a landlocked country in a world where it arguably isn't! I read that line and then I stopped reading and sat there for a minute. Then I said, "Did she just do what I think she did?" Then I decided that she did. And it was awesome.
I'm looking forward to a third book.
Book source: public library
Book information: Farrar Straux Giroux, 2010; middle grade
The Cabinet of Wonders
April 28, 2021
HA! I knew Kit met bad news, I knew itm I knew it. I love it when I predict something and am right but like why Petra, why would you ever even like him? Also can we just have a minute for Neel (i think it was him who said it) when he was all like what kind of name is Kit, it reminds me of kittens and is very girly. I love him SO much. And he needs to start a life with Petra. I mean I love Tomic and all but Neel. I mean who was with Petra more than the entire book? NEEL! Not Tomik, I mean I actually do like him, alot but I don't really ship him with anybody other than possibly Neel but that is not going to happen because Petra and Neel must get together. I don't absolutely love the Dee's but the sisters got better and I was starting to enjoy Dee but then guess what? Petra broke their bond- their mind connecting, whatever it is called. I think she is going to regret that and like at the end of book one Astrophil was kind of annoying but I am enjoying him much better. And I think most everyone knows about Astro now so he can actually share all of his ideas not just with Petra. I can't wait to read the third book even though I am a little scared, like what is going to happen with Master Kronos??? And Neel is bound to his land? They better not leave him and they better not die! I hate it when people I like die. I forbid it! Now, have a nive day while I figure out what happens next.
04/28/21
Part two to this, wow. Cant believe I freaked out about all that stuff and all of those typos! Anyway, this was still an amazing book I loved it a lot more than the Cabinet of wonders (still amazing though) but I can’t believe I hated on Tomik so much, I love him so much now. Neel is still better for Petra but Tomik is adorable and I don’t know how no one loves him! I mean his glass powers are awesome and he’s precious. I don’t remember what all happens in the third one but I’m excited to find out again!
04/28/21
Part two to this, wow. Cant believe I freaked out about all that stuff and all of those typos! Anyway, this was still an amazing book I loved it a lot more than the Cabinet of wonders (still amazing though) but I can’t believe I hated on Tomik so much, I love him so much now. Neel is still better for Petra but Tomik is adorable and I don’t know how no one loves him! I mean his glass powers are awesome and he’s precious. I don’t remember what all happens in the third one but I’m excited to find out again!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 29, 2010
I have the pleasure of knowing this series' author, so that always brings special delight to the process of reading these books, thinking about their influences, and connecting them with Marie's personality and areas of intellectual expertise. In this book's case, that was especially rewarding because I met Marie while we were both in Harvard's English department Ph.D. program, and she was studying Renaissance literature. This installment in the Kronos Chronicles frolics and fences in Renaissance England, introducing us to a version of Kit Marlowe and another of William Shakespeare.
This second book picks up mid-stride where the last book left off. It introduces some challenging plot twists for the heroine and stresses her continuing coming-of-age between a romance subplot and a potentially very serious loss. Rutkoski brings together Petra's two best friends (and potential love interests? we shall see), Tomkin and Neel, and plays up their rivalry, which works splendidly, since they were conveniently separate in the first book and hence seemed like doubles rather than competitors. The tensions between them work very well in this book, especially since they get to express them on a pirate ship, and what's more fun than a pirate ship?
I was more captivated by the Czech/Bohemian angle in the first book than I was by Elizabethan England in this book, but that's just personal taste. Astrophil the mechanical spider is still a wonderful character (very reminiscent of a Philip Pullman daemon), and Petra is gaining levels as a character as she steers further away from familiar home. I am very much looking forward to the third installment, which, if the end of this book is any indicator, may well be set in India.
This second book picks up mid-stride where the last book left off. It introduces some challenging plot twists for the heroine and stresses her continuing coming-of-age between a romance subplot and a potentially very serious loss. Rutkoski brings together Petra's two best friends (and potential love interests? we shall see), Tomkin and Neel, and plays up their rivalry, which works splendidly, since they were conveniently separate in the first book and hence seemed like doubles rather than competitors. The tensions between them work very well in this book, especially since they get to express them on a pirate ship, and what's more fun than a pirate ship?
I was more captivated by the Czech/Bohemian angle in the first book than I was by Elizabethan England in this book, but that's just personal taste. Astrophil the mechanical spider is still a wonderful character (very reminiscent of a Philip Pullman daemon), and Petra is gaining levels as a character as she steers further away from familiar home. I am very much looking forward to the third installment, which, if the end of this book is any indicator, may well be set in India.
June 5, 2012
Petra has drawn the attention (and not always the good kind) of Prince Rodolfo and John Dee. From reading the first book, we know that the prince is evil, but John Dee is a mystery. When Petra finds herself in his care in London, her first wish is to escape, even though the man has obviously saved her. But she is apart from her father and her friends, totally dependent upon Astrophil and Dee's household. Tomik, who set out to search for her, has problems of his own--he has been made the slave on a ship of gypsy pirates, including Neel, the nimble-fingered lad who was able to pick locks in Book I.
And what ties their stories together: the celestial globe. Many are seeking it: among them, the pirates who've taken Tomik, those among the courtiers in Queen Elizabeth's realm, and Prince Rodolfo. And who can help them: Petra, whose increasing powers make her more valuable. And what does Petra want? Only to rejoin her father and her friends in Bohemia again.
I enjoyed this book, but I also wondered if the intended audience wasn't more directly YA than in the first book. The passages dealing with boy-girl relationships will appeal to a young female reader, but I'm not so sure about the younger boys. The swordplay and the gore of the Gristleki are definite pluses for a male audience, but kisses and a broken heart?
It will be interesting to see where the next book takes Petra.
And what ties their stories together: the celestial globe. Many are seeking it: among them, the pirates who've taken Tomik, those among the courtiers in Queen Elizabeth's realm, and Prince Rodolfo. And who can help them: Petra, whose increasing powers make her more valuable. And what does Petra want? Only to rejoin her father and her friends in Bohemia again.
I enjoyed this book, but I also wondered if the intended audience wasn't more directly YA than in the first book. The passages dealing with boy-girl relationships will appeal to a young female reader, but I'm not so sure about the younger boys. The swordplay and the gore of the Gristleki are definite pluses for a male audience, but kisses and a broken heart?
It will be interesting to see where the next book takes Petra.
April 20, 2010
I have waited a year and half for this book. When I read Cabinet of Wonders I NEEDED this book. I have to admit now I need the next book.
This book took readers to England and used many historical characters while having the main focus be on the "fictional" characters. There is every bit of fantasy and humor in this book that makes it a great read. The chapters are on the short side so before one knows it the book is over with.
The action jumps from event to event without dragging on and on and making it seem like it will be forever before something happens.
The characters are all very three dimensional.
Many people say it isn't important to read Cabinet of Wonders but I disagree you have to in order to understand what is going on. There are a lot of things that happen in this book that are a result of the first and it just wouldn't make sense if you didn't read the first one.
I LOVE the spider his brute honesty and humor is what makes me love the book even more.
There was a bit of an odd start as the author tried to bring readers up on what happened in COW but didn't do it as smoothly as some other authors. But after the first page or so it was smooth sailings :)
I can't wait to see what element of history and fiction Rutkoski brings to the next novel but I"m sure it'll be great.
This book took readers to England and used many historical characters while having the main focus be on the "fictional" characters. There is every bit of fantasy and humor in this book that makes it a great read. The chapters are on the short side so before one knows it the book is over with.
The action jumps from event to event without dragging on and on and making it seem like it will be forever before something happens.
The characters are all very three dimensional.
Many people say it isn't important to read Cabinet of Wonders but I disagree you have to in order to understand what is going on. There are a lot of things that happen in this book that are a result of the first and it just wouldn't make sense if you didn't read the first one.
I LOVE the spider his brute honesty and humor is what makes me love the book even more.
There was a bit of an odd start as the author tried to bring readers up on what happened in COW but didn't do it as smoothly as some other authors. But after the first page or so it was smooth sailings :)
I can't wait to see what element of history and fiction Rutkoski brings to the next novel but I"m sure it'll be great.
August 27, 2015
Starting a few months after the events in The Cabinet of Wonders, The Celestial Globe prepares you to look deep into the pasts of both Petra and her companions, Neel and Tom. When she and her father are attacked, Petra along with her tin spider, Astro, are rescued by the mysterious John Dee. He whisks her off to London to study her and her powers. Petra discovers she is a Chimera, a soul with more than one magical talent and begins a rigorous training program with Dee in the forefront and Kit teaching her how to use a sword. Meanwhile, Neel the thief and Tom, Petra's best friend take to the high seas to find her and the elusive Celestial Globe.
This book was definitely a good read as well as a pretty quick one. I would recommend it for readers who enjoy a good fantasy and who like mystery as well as some high sea fun. The romantic paths are very slight and are clean with a few kisses here and there. Gore is also minimal, but with sword play, you are going to get some blood. The characters are quick well described and the plot sucks you in. A page turner from the go....
This book was definitely a good read as well as a pretty quick one. I would recommend it for readers who enjoy a good fantasy and who like mystery as well as some high sea fun. The romantic paths are very slight and are clean with a few kisses here and there. Gore is also minimal, but with sword play, you are going to get some blood. The characters are quick well described and the plot sucks you in. A page turner from the go....
May 13, 2010
Much Better Than The First...
But again, I'm a little bit leery of Petra's lack of thoughtfulness, considering how everyone seems to think she's more observant than the average pubescent. Plus, what's with the attitude? Sure, she's a budding teenage rebellionist, but aren't we tired of these convoluted cultural stereotypes? If that even means anything without being grammatically oxymoronic? Or just moronic...
MUCH more enjoyable than the first, with some intriguing intrigue, and magical magickness, there's even a bit of inappropriate underage cheekiness which weirdly I DID think was inappropriate (which is hideously inappropriate of me to think inappropriate - what am I, someone's religious g-ma?).
Overall, fun, a little awkward again with the conflict contrivancing, but fun. Yep. Yup. Yope.
But again, I'm a little bit leery of Petra's lack of thoughtfulness, considering how everyone seems to think she's more observant than the average pubescent. Plus, what's with the attitude? Sure, she's a budding teenage rebellionist, but aren't we tired of these convoluted cultural stereotypes? If that even means anything without being grammatically oxymoronic? Or just moronic...
MUCH more enjoyable than the first, with some intriguing intrigue, and magical magickness, there's even a bit of inappropriate underage cheekiness which weirdly I DID think was inappropriate (which is hideously inappropriate of me to think inappropriate - what am I, someone's religious g-ma?).
Overall, fun, a little awkward again with the conflict contrivancing, but fun. Yep. Yup. Yope.
June 14, 2012
You want to know my pet peeve in books/movies? Bad plot devices and one of the worst offenders is making the main character unreasonable and a little obnoxious in order for them to not take good advice and thereby save the day in their own way. There is a workaround for this problem people! It would just take a little more ingenuity on the author's part.
It's such a shame that this episode in the trilogy suffers so badly from this plot device/character development as the rest of the story is totally intriguing and a great adventure/suspense novel. I will still read the last one in the series to see how it all pans out but at the moment it's looking like a bit of a chore.
It's such a shame that this episode in the trilogy suffers so badly from this plot device/character development as the rest of the story is totally intriguing and a great adventure/suspense novel. I will still read the last one in the series to see how it all pans out but at the moment it's looking like a bit of a chore.
June 8, 2010
In this book, the sequel to The Cabinet of Wonders, Petra was really annoying and didn't seem to be the same Petra from the first book. Here she was much more stubborn and never listened to anything anyone told her. I loved the mysterious John Dee and just wanted to slap Petra when she would not listen to what he was telling her. Yeah he was a little shady, but couldn't she keep her mouth shut and learn to play his game? I still enjoyed the adventure, but several times I had to stop, because she got on my nerves.
October 22, 2022
I remember waiting for the third book to be translated to my native language for my whole childhood and going to the library every month to check if it finally was or if the library had the English version but I never found it. I totally forgot about it until I found some notes I made about it.
November 18, 2015
This book is awesome! It has a really shocking ending though, one that you will never expect to be coming! Ahhhhh! Spoiler Alert!!!! Her dad gets turned into a monster that kills people!
December 26, 2011
Following up the Cabinet of Wonders, Marie Rutkoski plots a wonderful mix of history and magical realism that I can't wait for my girls to read
December 17, 2011
I'm about 1/3 into the book and absolutely enjoying it! Rutkoski writes original, fun fantasy with strong, original young characters. Woo!
February 8, 2016
The author is a bit green but great story. Appropriate for all ages
December 27, 2018
The Celestial Globe is a wonderful addition to The Kronos Chronicles . Second books often have a reputation for being flat or just generally falling short of what they have the potential to be. While not perfect, I do think The Celestial Globe earned the hard-won title of "great second book."
Plot
The plotline in this book captured my attention immediately and kept my interest throughout. A major difference in The Celestial Globe as opposed to the first book, The Cabinet of Wonders , is that there are two pretty distinct storylines for most of the book. The first consists of Petra and her experiences in England, while the second is mainly Tomik and Neel traveling with a band of Roma who are searching for the Celestial Globe. There is still the occasional "head-hop" (see my review on The Cabinet of Wonders ) to someone such as Prince Rodolfo of Bohemia or other, more secret characters. Again, I don't so much mind these head-hops.
There are several "twists" in the book, some of which lightly surprised me, but most of which unfolded rather quickly without much surprise at all. However, this did not make them uninteresting; rather, I would say that the twists intrigued me as opposed to shocked me.
Additionally, The Celestial Globe has a flair of mystery and thrill that the first book does not. For the sake of not giving away spoilers, I'll just say that this mystery takes up much of the plot and is neatly intertwined with Petra and her future. This, coupled with several new locations and some sea-faring Roma, creates a new, flavorful concoction of adventures, relationships, and problems for Petra, her friends, and those around them.
Characters
The characters in this book were part of the reason The Celestial Globe only got 4 stars from me, unlike the 5-star rating I gave to its predecessor. To be fair, the only real issues I had were at the beginning of the book, and they ended up smoothing out as the book went on, so it wasn't a huge issue. I just didn't like how Neel acted when he first met Tomik and how Petra interacted with a purposefully unnamed character after just arriving at their residence. Neel seemed more calloused, rude, and unfeeling than in the last book, while Petra was extremely stubborn and refused to listen even a TINY bit. This was really irritating, but as I mentioned before, both characters "settled down" pretty quickly, so I just kinda chalked it up to Ms. Rutkoski getting back into writing Neel and Petra's respective personalities. Overall, however, I really enjoyed seeing Tomik and Neel interact and Petra develop and have to deal without the help of her friends and family.
Romance
I won't say much on this topic, because some of it is quite spoiler-y, but there is definitely slight romance in this book. Keep in mind that the characters are 13-15ish, so it is very clean and young. To end, I will say that I appreciate how it was handled and I didn't mind it being in the book. I might even say I liked it.
Overview
Overall, The Celestial Globe was an enjoyable read that leaves me anticipating the moment when I begin reading the next, and sadly, last, book. After an unsuspected twist at the end, I have no idea what to expect in The Jewel of the Kalderash except to hope for just as much adventure, magic, imagination, and skillful writing.
Plot
The plotline in this book captured my attention immediately and kept my interest throughout. A major difference in The Celestial Globe as opposed to the first book, The Cabinet of Wonders , is that there are two pretty distinct storylines for most of the book. The first consists of Petra and her experiences in England, while the second is mainly Tomik and Neel traveling with a band of Roma who are searching for the Celestial Globe. There is still the occasional "head-hop" (see my review on The Cabinet of Wonders ) to someone such as Prince Rodolfo of Bohemia or other, more secret characters. Again, I don't so much mind these head-hops.
There are several "twists" in the book, some of which lightly surprised me, but most of which unfolded rather quickly without much surprise at all. However, this did not make them uninteresting; rather, I would say that the twists intrigued me as opposed to shocked me.
Additionally, The Celestial Globe has a flair of mystery and thrill that the first book does not. For the sake of not giving away spoilers, I'll just say that this mystery takes up much of the plot and is neatly intertwined with Petra and her future. This, coupled with several new locations and some sea-faring Roma, creates a new, flavorful concoction of adventures, relationships, and problems for Petra, her friends, and those around them.
Characters
The characters in this book were part of the reason The Celestial Globe only got 4 stars from me, unlike the 5-star rating I gave to its predecessor. To be fair, the only real issues I had were at the beginning of the book, and they ended up smoothing out as the book went on, so it wasn't a huge issue. I just didn't like how Neel acted when he first met Tomik and how Petra interacted with a purposefully unnamed character after just arriving at their residence. Neel seemed more calloused, rude, and unfeeling than in the last book, while Petra was extremely stubborn and refused to listen even a TINY bit. This was really irritating, but as I mentioned before, both characters "settled down" pretty quickly, so I just kinda chalked it up to Ms. Rutkoski getting back into writing Neel and Petra's respective personalities. Overall, however, I really enjoyed seeing Tomik and Neel interact and Petra develop and have to deal without the help of her friends and family.
Romance
I won't say much on this topic, because some of it is quite spoiler-y, but there is definitely slight romance in this book. Keep in mind that the characters are 13-15ish, so it is very clean and young. To end, I will say that I appreciate how it was handled and I didn't mind it being in the book. I might even say I liked it.
Overview
Overall, The Celestial Globe was an enjoyable read that leaves me anticipating the moment when I begin reading the next, and sadly, last, book. After an unsuspected twist at the end, I have no idea what to expect in The Jewel of the Kalderash except to hope for just as much adventure, magic, imagination, and skillful writing.
February 14, 2021
About ten years ago, I read The Cabinet of Wonders and thought it was a well told story. But I had never read the next book in the trilogy, so I checked out The Celestial Globe, expecting an enjoyable read. What a disappointment. Despite it's length, just 290 pages in hardbound edition, I really struggled to finish the The Celestial Globe. I found the character of Petra so unlikeable that I didn't want to spend any time reading the story of her adventures. Once I was disillusioned with the characters, the rest of the story telling just seemed to collapse into a heap of unlikely coincidences and unexplained behavior by the characters.
In North Africa, Tomik and Neel are discussing their secrets in the middle of an open air market. Tomik says "...if you are so concerned about privacy, should we really talk around him?" Tomik nodded at a shabbily cloaked goatherd who walked close by. Neel snorted. "The chances that fellow speaks Czech are slimmer than a starved snake. We're in Sallay. He's a goatherd. Your country is the size of a bug on the map of Europe. Think a little." But of course, the goatherd speaks Czech. And the goatherd knows a pirate captain who is currently in port. And of course the pirate captain believes a goatherd's tale and sets sail after the Romany ship, in pursuit of Neel and Tomik. And of course the pirate captain sends letters to the evil Prince Rodolfo, informing him of his pursuit of the Celestial Globes, because naturally the ruler of a land-locked nation knows pirate captains! Ugh, that's bad plotting.
Petra is so stubborn that she would make a mule appear congenial. Petra won't listen to anyone's advice; when John Dee summons the demon Ariel, he warns Petra to remain silent, lest Ariel attack. But of course Petra doesn't heed this advice, and keeps talking and giggling. By this point in the novel, I was so sick of Petra's obstinacy that I would not have minded if Ariel had given her a swift kick in the posterior. But instead Ariel tells Petra she is a chimera, which means she is a doubly powerful magician. Well, of course she is!
It is never explained: why is John Dee training Petra? At the end of the book, there is some lame suggestion that Dee wanted to teach Petra to be an assassin, but that makes no sense. John Dee is a powerful sorcerer. His daughters can transport him any where he wants to go, including to zipping from London to a random forest clearing in Eastern Europe, where he can arrive in the nick of time to singlehandedly slay all four Gristleki that are about to destroy Petra. With power like that, why would Dee put up with the petulant Petra?
Dee and Petra visit an ancient ship that is buried in a mound. Despite the fact that all of the Viking ships used as tombs are just open boats, Dee and Petra have to descend through an opened hatchway. There they examine a huge mound of treasure. Petra happens to pick up one coin out of thousands, and finds it is stamped with the image of bird, and was minted in her home country! Finding this major clue (which ultimately doesn't lead to anything) they leave the treasure ship and all the other gold coins behind.
Despite the title, the magical celestial globes play almost no part in the story. At the end of the novel, no one even bothers to return to the scene to conduct a massive search of the property. Not even guards are there. It is just an after thought that Petra goes in to retrieve the missing globe. (Robert Cotton, the owner of the globe, printed a his own special front page of book with the clue N6 indicating where he had hidden the globe - because isn't that what everyone does when they are hiding a magical treasure?)
This book was such a let-down that I have no intention of reading the next book in the series. I am sure Petra's chimera powers will allow her to vanquish a zillion opponents, and that impossible coincidences will play a gigantic role in the plot, and that is not the type of story I would enjoy reading.
In North Africa, Tomik and Neel are discussing their secrets in the middle of an open air market. Tomik says "...if you are so concerned about privacy, should we really talk around him?" Tomik nodded at a shabbily cloaked goatherd who walked close by. Neel snorted. "The chances that fellow speaks Czech are slimmer than a starved snake. We're in Sallay. He's a goatherd. Your country is the size of a bug on the map of Europe. Think a little." But of course, the goatherd speaks Czech. And the goatherd knows a pirate captain who is currently in port. And of course the pirate captain believes a goatherd's tale and sets sail after the Romany ship, in pursuit of Neel and Tomik. And of course the pirate captain sends letters to the evil Prince Rodolfo, informing him of his pursuit of the Celestial Globes, because naturally the ruler of a land-locked nation knows pirate captains! Ugh, that's bad plotting.
Petra is so stubborn that she would make a mule appear congenial. Petra won't listen to anyone's advice; when John Dee summons the demon Ariel, he warns Petra to remain silent, lest Ariel attack. But of course Petra doesn't heed this advice, and keeps talking and giggling. By this point in the novel, I was so sick of Petra's obstinacy that I would not have minded if Ariel had given her a swift kick in the posterior. But instead Ariel tells Petra she is a chimera, which means she is a doubly powerful magician. Well, of course she is!
It is never explained: why is John Dee training Petra? At the end of the book, there is some lame suggestion that Dee wanted to teach Petra to be an assassin, but that makes no sense. John Dee is a powerful sorcerer. His daughters can transport him any where he wants to go, including to zipping from London to a random forest clearing in Eastern Europe, where he can arrive in the nick of time to singlehandedly slay all four Gristleki that are about to destroy Petra. With power like that, why would Dee put up with the petulant Petra?
Dee and Petra visit an ancient ship that is buried in a mound. Despite the fact that all of the Viking ships used as tombs are just open boats, Dee and Petra have to descend through an opened hatchway. There they examine a huge mound of treasure. Petra happens to pick up one coin out of thousands, and finds it is stamped with the image of bird, and was minted in her home country! Finding this major clue (which ultimately doesn't lead to anything) they leave the treasure ship and all the other gold coins behind.
Despite the title, the magical celestial globes play almost no part in the story. At the end of the novel, no one even bothers to return to the scene to conduct a massive search of the property. Not even guards are there. It is just an after thought that Petra goes in to retrieve the missing globe. (Robert Cotton, the owner of the globe, printed a his own special front page of book with the clue N6 indicating where he had hidden the globe - because isn't that what everyone does when they are hiding a magical treasure?)
This book was such a let-down that I have no intention of reading the next book in the series. I am sure Petra's chimera powers will allow her to vanquish a zillion opponents, and that impossible coincidences will play a gigantic role in the plot, and that is not the type of story I would enjoy reading.
December 4, 2017
Uhhh... So, I am kind of sad? Like ._.
I adore the first book, alright. It's fun, with an original story and a world that's entertaining. The characters were good and the writing kinda cool. But this one is all over the place! It lacked the focus of the first one, and that's annoying.
Like, in the first one it was:
Petra: Must get my father's eyes!
Neel: Must get money to leave!
Now it's:
Petra: (Chapter 1) Must leave before the prince arrives! (Chapter 2) Must leave and save my dad again! Must learn magic! Must find out murderer! Must find Celestial Globe!
Neel: Must find Celestial Globe! Must find Petra! Must find out murderer!
Tomik: Must find Petra! Must escape! Must find Petra again! Must find murderer!
Yeah, it's a mess. It doesn't help that you have those short sequences with the prince and like, what do they do?? Ugh. And there's a LOT of head-hopping. Like, the POV will switch like THAT and with all those characters to follow? Aha nope.
And I just found the plot very boring. I was expecting a lot from this honestly, but... yeah. Like, after everything Petra did in the first book, her dad gets captured in the first chapter anyway. ಠ_ಠ Uh nope do not spit on my adorable father/daughter relationship thank you. (I just really like strange dads ok)
Like, I was thinking it might be about the Academy or something, but not... this. So I am very disappoint.
OH AND LET'S TALK ABOUT KIT FOR A SECOND. THIS SHIP IS SUNK AND STILL BURNING, GUYS. HE'S AN ADULT AND PETRA'S THIRTEEN. #NOPE NO NINETEEN YEAR OLD WILL FALL IN LOVE WITH A THIRTEEN YEAR OLD UNLESS THEY ARE A DIRTY SCUMBAG FUCKED IN THE HEAD. GET FUCKED (NOT BY PETRA PREFERABLY)
So three stars because I loved you man... y u do tis
I adore the first book, alright. It's fun, with an original story and a world that's entertaining. The characters were good and the writing kinda cool. But this one is all over the place! It lacked the focus of the first one, and that's annoying.
Like, in the first one it was:
Petra: Must get my father's eyes!
Neel: Must get money to leave!
Now it's:
Petra: (Chapter 1) Must leave before the prince arrives! (Chapter 2) Must leave and save my dad again! Must learn magic! Must find out murderer! Must find Celestial Globe!
Neel: Must find Celestial Globe! Must find Petra! Must find out murderer!
Tomik: Must find Petra! Must escape! Must find Petra again! Must find murderer!
Yeah, it's a mess. It doesn't help that you have those short sequences with the prince and like, what do they do?? Ugh. And there's a LOT of head-hopping. Like, the POV will switch like THAT and with all those characters to follow? Aha nope.
And I just found the plot very boring. I was expecting a lot from this honestly, but... yeah. Like, after everything Petra did in the first book, her dad gets captured in the first chapter anyway. ಠ_ಠ Uh nope do not spit on my adorable father/daughter relationship thank you. (I just really like strange dads ok)
Like, I was thinking it might be about the Academy or something, but not... this. So I am very disappoint.
OH AND LET'S TALK ABOUT KIT FOR A SECOND. THIS SHIP IS SUNK AND STILL BURNING, GUYS. HE'S AN ADULT AND PETRA'S THIRTEEN. #NOPE NO NINETEEN YEAR OLD WILL FALL IN LOVE WITH A THIRTEEN YEAR OLD UNLESS THEY ARE A DIRTY SCUMBAG FUCKED IN THE HEAD. GET FUCKED (NOT BY PETRA PREFERABLY)
So three stars because I loved you man... y u do tis
March 19, 2017
My name is John Dee, and I've rescued Petra from four Gray Men, the prince's assassins. I got confirmation from an air spirit that she's a chimera and has multiple powers, which makes her very special. I keep her in my home for her own protection, although she feels like she's in prison. I'm trying to solve the murder of an advisor to Queen Elizabeth, and I've agreed to a deal presented by young Petra. I've agreed to free her if she's able to uncover the murderer before I do; this should be amusing. The bigger mystery surrounds the Terrestial and Celestial Globes. The person who holds both of them will have access to all the portals in the world, able to enter and leave countries without resistance. A ruthless ruler like the prince might even get thoughts of ruling all of Europe.
I've enjoyed the first two books in this series, and you should read the first one before reading this sequel. Petra is a strong, independent character. She's determined to find her father and is frustrated at Dee's mental connection with her. She does all she can to improve her abilities, but she secretly schemes to get free of him. Petra carries a mechanical spider named Astrophil in her hair, and he acts as Petra's conscience. He understands the consequences of decisions and tries help Petra make wise decisions. I said tries. Astrophil is hungry to learn, so Petra tries to collect things for him to read in order to gain knowledge. This relationship is fun to follow and usually works out in the end. The story of Neel and Tomik was interesting, but it seemed a little disconnected from Petra's story until the end. It will be interesting to see where the next book goes, as the plot's resolution takes the characters to a whole new setting.
I've enjoyed the first two books in this series, and you should read the first one before reading this sequel. Petra is a strong, independent character. She's determined to find her father and is frustrated at Dee's mental connection with her. She does all she can to improve her abilities, but she secretly schemes to get free of him. Petra carries a mechanical spider named Astrophil in her hair, and he acts as Petra's conscience. He understands the consequences of decisions and tries help Petra make wise decisions. I said tries. Astrophil is hungry to learn, so Petra tries to collect things for him to read in order to gain knowledge. This relationship is fun to follow and usually works out in the end. The story of Neel and Tomik was interesting, but it seemed a little disconnected from Petra's story until the end. It will be interesting to see where the next book goes, as the plot's resolution takes the characters to a whole new setting.
February 11, 2019
I really love the setting for this series and how magic is used. This book was a fun read! There were only really two things that bothered be, the first being that Petra could be bullheaded to the point of stupidity. Girl needed a little bit of Slytherin in her Griffyndor. The other thing was that apparently the Roma in this story were okay with selling someone as a slave (and Neel only "rescues" Tomik, not because he has strong negative feelings towards slavery, but because he thinks that Petra would not forgive him if he sold her best friend, and now he can use said best friend to find Petra. And then Neel thinks that Tomik owes him/Tomik thinks that he owes Neel for not selling him into slavery??? Like congratulations for doing what any decent human being should do??? And then it's never really discussed again and Tomik becomes friends with the people that had no qualms [well, some of them did, but not enough to stop it] about selling him into slavery). This review is turning out kinda salty, but I legitimately did enjoy the book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 6, 2018
This is a little gem of a series. Lydia and I read the first one last summer. It is set in the Elizabethan period but originally in Bohemia, but in this one they also travel on the seas and to English. I felt like I was reading a magical historical book, I kept looking stuff up to see what was real and what was imagination. I loved the characters and the little plot twists are so fun. Lydia already read the 3rd and I look forward to it!
December 27, 2014
Welcome to Book City
Date: December 27, 2014
Spoilers Ahead
Headline
The Celestial Globe
Marie Rutkoski
After stealing her father’s eyes back from Prince Rodolfo, Petra Kronos lives in constant danger. She and her tin spider, Astrophil, end up hiding out in London, where she learns more about her magical abilities. London has its charms (like Petra’s attractive fencing master), but Petra needs to get back to Bohemia and her father.
Meanwhile, Prince Rodolfo is trying to locate a powerful object called the Celestial Globe. Petra’s friends, Tomik and Neel, are searching for her and traveling with a band of Gypsies searching for the globe.
The race is on to see who will find the globe first, and who will make it out of this deadly chase alive.
City Calendar:
This is what happened during the week.
Petra's family without her father and her leave Okno. Petra goes to deluge tin to Tomik. The gray men attack the Sign of Compass Petra's father's shop. She faints. She wakes up in London with John Dee nearby. Tomik tries to follow Petra. He ends up on the coast with Romas, in directing meeting Neel. Petra is saved by Dee. Dee summons Ariel an air spirit. Tomik and Neel and the Roma pirates land in Sallay where Tomik is supposed to be sold. Tomik runs off after Neel is used to scry the location of the Celestial Globe and Petra. Neel catches him. Tomik and Neel plan to find Petra. Petra trains in sword fighting with a young man named Kit. Petra finally leaves room and the Dees' house with John Dee. Tomik and Neel fight. They become allies in the quest to find Petra. A ship follows the Pacolet. A storm comes. Neel is hurt.
Petra works on the West's death. She goes to the winter ball and dances with Kit. Petra talks to Dee's wife Agatha. She reveals the truth to Kit. Kit and Petra kiss. Kit takes Petra to someone who knew Cotton a man who was murdered. She goes to a print shop Cotton took interest in and gets a title page for a certain book. She goes to Sutton Hoo and finds a coin from Romany in the mounds.
Neel and Tomik land in London. Petra pretends to be a servant for information. The two boys find Petra. The three talk about the murders Petra is trying to solve and the Celestial Globe. Rodolfo the prince of Bohemia arrives in London. Petra sees Kit again after he is fired by Dee. Madinia, Margaret, Petra, Kit, Neel, and Tomik go to Cotton's house. (Madinia and Margaret being Dee's two gifted daughters.) Neel and Tomik are taken by the prince. Kit attacks Petra. Petra is forced to find the globe. She summons Ariel who almost destroys her. Dee comes in and saves Petra. Kit and Walsingham are arrested after the fight. Neel gets the globe. He gives it to Treb the Roma captain. Petra talked to Kit and gives him a key to escape. Petea finds out that her father is no longer a human but a gray man. She joins Neel and Tomik on a boat to the Roma homelands. They use the two globes the Terrestrial and Celestial Globe to get to said homelands.
And that's what happened this week.
Personal Ads:
Petra.
Chimaera. Metal magic. Owns a metal spider named Astrophil. Has an invisible sword. Audacious. Cares for her father. Wants to make things right. Confused about her magic. Bohemian. Stole from the prince of Bohemia.
Tomik.
Glass magic. Fighter. Petra's childhood friend. Kind. Learner. Curious. Befriends people easily. Bohemian.
Neel.
Danior's fingers. Thief. Liar. Roma. Cocky. Standoffish. Stole from the prince of Bohemia. Cares for his 'family' who aren't blood related. Cares for Petra.
Opinions:
This series keeps making me smile. I really like it.
I liked the action. Petra gets to sword fight. Exciting. I like action in general. This book gets more action. She gets to fight. We get less running and more confrontation. The first book had a lot of running. Petra gets to stand up and face her fears.
Petra grows. Finally. I mean...I liked her, but she needed to grow up. Just a bit. She was acting a little childish. She grows up now. She realizes that she had to learn her magics, perfect them. I like that she has this change. I wanted it to come. I was waiting for it to come. Petra no longer seems like a little girl barely twelve. She acts like a teenager but a mature one. (Hard to believe.)
The multiple perspectives were cool. I liked knowing about what was going on with the other people. I really like Neel's character. I'm happy that I got more of him. But we also had Petra. That was good. It wasn't hard to keep up with. You want to know what happened with the others.
The hunt for the murderer is really amazing. I don't love mysteries, but I like this one. The clues are a bit vague. I couldn't really keep up. The mystery is weaved in. I liked it. It seemed to work right. Sure, the story didn't gain much from the mystery, but I still liked it.
For me, the only thing that I didn't like is Kit and Petra. Wow. Where is that from? The chemistry isn't there. Petra put in too much in the relationship when Kit did nothing. Kit seemed to just put effort when he needed Petra. He really didn't seem to like her. Poor Petra. I feel sorry for her. She put so much effort into it but got nothing out of it.
Weather:
Sunny with no clouds
5/5
Date: December 27, 2014
Spoilers Ahead
Headline
The Celestial Globe
Marie Rutkoski
After stealing her father’s eyes back from Prince Rodolfo, Petra Kronos lives in constant danger. She and her tin spider, Astrophil, end up hiding out in London, where she learns more about her magical abilities. London has its charms (like Petra’s attractive fencing master), but Petra needs to get back to Bohemia and her father.
Meanwhile, Prince Rodolfo is trying to locate a powerful object called the Celestial Globe. Petra’s friends, Tomik and Neel, are searching for her and traveling with a band of Gypsies searching for the globe.
The race is on to see who will find the globe first, and who will make it out of this deadly chase alive.
City Calendar:
This is what happened during the week.
Petra's family without her father and her leave Okno. Petra goes to deluge tin to Tomik. The gray men attack the Sign of Compass Petra's father's shop. She faints. She wakes up in London with John Dee nearby. Tomik tries to follow Petra. He ends up on the coast with Romas, in directing meeting Neel. Petra is saved by Dee. Dee summons Ariel an air spirit. Tomik and Neel and the Roma pirates land in Sallay where Tomik is supposed to be sold. Tomik runs off after Neel is used to scry the location of the Celestial Globe and Petra. Neel catches him. Tomik and Neel plan to find Petra. Petra trains in sword fighting with a young man named Kit. Petra finally leaves room and the Dees' house with John Dee. Tomik and Neel fight. They become allies in the quest to find Petra. A ship follows the Pacolet. A storm comes. Neel is hurt.
Petra works on the West's death. She goes to the winter ball and dances with Kit. Petra talks to Dee's wife Agatha. She reveals the truth to Kit. Kit and Petra kiss. Kit takes Petra to someone who knew Cotton a man who was murdered. She goes to a print shop Cotton took interest in and gets a title page for a certain book. She goes to Sutton Hoo and finds a coin from Romany in the mounds.
Neel and Tomik land in London. Petra pretends to be a servant for information. The two boys find Petra. The three talk about the murders Petra is trying to solve and the Celestial Globe. Rodolfo the prince of Bohemia arrives in London. Petra sees Kit again after he is fired by Dee. Madinia, Margaret, Petra, Kit, Neel, and Tomik go to Cotton's house. (Madinia and Margaret being Dee's two gifted daughters.) Neel and Tomik are taken by the prince. Kit attacks Petra. Petra is forced to find the globe. She summons Ariel who almost destroys her. Dee comes in and saves Petra. Kit and Walsingham are arrested after the fight. Neel gets the globe. He gives it to Treb the Roma captain. Petra talked to Kit and gives him a key to escape. Petea finds out that her father is no longer a human but a gray man. She joins Neel and Tomik on a boat to the Roma homelands. They use the two globes the Terrestrial and Celestial Globe to get to said homelands.
And that's what happened this week.
Personal Ads:
Petra.
Chimaera. Metal magic. Owns a metal spider named Astrophil. Has an invisible sword. Audacious. Cares for her father. Wants to make things right. Confused about her magic. Bohemian. Stole from the prince of Bohemia.
Tomik.
Glass magic. Fighter. Petra's childhood friend. Kind. Learner. Curious. Befriends people easily. Bohemian.
Neel.
Danior's fingers. Thief. Liar. Roma. Cocky. Standoffish. Stole from the prince of Bohemia. Cares for his 'family' who aren't blood related. Cares for Petra.
Opinions:
This series keeps making me smile. I really like it.
I liked the action. Petra gets to sword fight. Exciting. I like action in general. This book gets more action. She gets to fight. We get less running and more confrontation. The first book had a lot of running. Petra gets to stand up and face her fears.
Petra grows. Finally. I mean...I liked her, but she needed to grow up. Just a bit. She was acting a little childish. She grows up now. She realizes that she had to learn her magics, perfect them. I like that she has this change. I wanted it to come. I was waiting for it to come. Petra no longer seems like a little girl barely twelve. She acts like a teenager but a mature one. (Hard to believe.)
The multiple perspectives were cool. I liked knowing about what was going on with the other people. I really like Neel's character. I'm happy that I got more of him. But we also had Petra. That was good. It wasn't hard to keep up with. You want to know what happened with the others.
The hunt for the murderer is really amazing. I don't love mysteries, but I like this one. The clues are a bit vague. I couldn't really keep up. The mystery is weaved in. I liked it. It seemed to work right. Sure, the story didn't gain much from the mystery, but I still liked it.
For me, the only thing that I didn't like is Kit and Petra. Wow. Where is that from? The chemistry isn't there. Petra put in too much in the relationship when Kit did nothing. Kit seemed to just put effort when he needed Petra. He really didn't seem to like her. Poor Petra. I feel sorry for her. She put so much effort into it but got nothing out of it.
Weather:
Sunny with no clouds
5/5
June 9, 2018
I really like this story. I enjoyed the twists in the plot and trying to figure out the mysteries. Petra is a fun, strong female lead. Astrophil continues to be my favorite character. Who knew spiders could have so much wisdom.
October 16, 2022
4/5
this “treasure” hunt with magic was GOOD. did not expect this. murder mystery + magical powers + espionage + royalty + treasure hunt + found family ??? SIGN. ME. UP.
more people need to read this !!!! what a gem.
this “treasure” hunt with magic was GOOD. did not expect this. murder mystery + magical powers + espionage + royalty + treasure hunt + found family ??? SIGN. ME. UP.
more people need to read this !!!! what a gem.
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