Maggie Blue and the White Crow

by Anna Goodall

Maggie Blue is adjusting to a quieter life, back living with her aunt Esme and hanging out with friends Ida and Will as well as her beloved Hoagy the cat. She tries to forget about the events of the previous year - but she's being watched, and one day a small white bird appears. Where has the white crow come from, and why won't it leave Maggie alone? Little does she know that the Dark World is waiting for her to return... and when Cynthia her mum is kidnapped and taken there, Maggie only has no choice but to go back. With the help of Hoagy and some new friends by her side, Maggie must go back to the place that she never wished to see again, if she's ever to see her mum - or gain control of her own life - again.

Genres: Middle Grade, Young Adult

289 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 2, 2023

Reviews

[Lucas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great sequel, dark and strange, great fantasy for ages 12+.

[Jade Clarke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Life has grown quieter, and gentle for Maggie in the months following her return from the dark world. Sunny days spent with Ida and Hoagy seem perfectly content and relaxing. However these are to be short lived following the surprising arrival of Maggies’ mother and a peculiar white crow. Unable to shake the bird and faced with the disappearance of her mother as swift as her arrival, Maggie must return to the Dark World and this time, the danger could be closer than she realises. Fraught with war, perilous journeying and uncovering secrets, Maggie must embrace her gifts and do what she can to rescue her mum amidst running from the Moon Witches, the Terrible ones and all the while hoping she can understand her connection to the Dark World and the Great O. As treacherous and thrilling as book one, it’s been an absolute delight to see Maggie and her band of misfits brought to life again, from dear little Hoagy to her beloved aunt Esme, it was easy to fall back into their world, nervously anticipating Maggie returning triumphant from her adventures. Certainly a darker edge to the story develops as we uncover family secrets and Maggie begins to understand her part to play in the prophecy. The book sets up a for a brave and dramatic finish that has me itching in anticipation of reaching for the third part in this curious adventure. What will Maggie do next? I’d love to know! 4/5 ✨

[trijnewijn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Er waren voor mij iets te veel concepten en elementen die me niet bijgebleven waren van deel 1 dat we pakweg 9 maanden geleden lazen. Waar ik in wheel of time ondanks de honderden personages, de vele boeken die ik tussen twee delen lees en de talrijke verhaallijnen zelden het gevoel heb dat ik geen idee heb waar het over gaat, was dat het dominante gevoel dat ik had in een groot deel van dit boek. Beide delen waren bibboeken, dus geen idee of deel twee echt zo los stond van het eerste als het voelde, of dat het eerste niet genoeg impact had gemaakt om me beter bij te blijven.
Ook al zaten er echt goede elementen in het verhaal, door bovenstaande redenen bleven de personages wat op afstand en had ik er helaas niet echt een klik mee. Waar deel één nog redelijk op zichzelf stond, voelde dit meer als een lange aanloop naar deel drie waar alles vast nog veel duidelijker zal worden. Conclusie: wacht tot de reeks volledig is voor je ze begint te lezen en je zal er veel meer van kunnen genieten.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I throughly enjoyed this book as much as the first one. We are back with Maggie and hoagy but this time we have a white crow join the team as it were. We find out more about Maggie’s mum and aunt Esme and a girl called jean are about to set out on an adventure that no one knows will lead where! I found this book a lot darker than the first and as I’m not the intended age demographic it was fine for me but as this is aimed at middle grade then i would advise that some may want to read first or together in case of some readers of the aimed for age are sensitive. I can’t wait for the next book.

[Milly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Compared to Maggie Blue and the Dark World which was great this book is disappointing. Nothing of great import happens till after page 117 (paperback) and even then it is just a set up for a third book and there are only 100 to 150 pages more of the book left. In my opinion it was too contrived and really struggled with plot and had unnecessary violence. Worst thing is I preordered this in August last year and waited and waited only to be underwhelmed. Once again I fail to understand the praise of others.

[Sarah Driver · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series! The Maggie Blue books are total standouts in the mg/fantasy space. Full of empathy and humour, cosy while maintaining pace & tension, with a tactile, tangible other world which feels unique & original. Anna Goodall has created a vivid world which shimmers with a mesmerising subversiveness & rings with echoes of ancient myth. Reading these transports me to that feeling of losing myself in a book as a child. Can’t wait for the conclusion!

[Vonprice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vividly imagined fantasy for readers of 11+
You can read my full review here: http://vsviewfromthebookshelves.home....

[A.M. Loughrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maggie Blue and the White Crow is full of mystery and intriguing characters. It was great to be able to return to this well-orchestrated world with a fascinating history.

Each character had their own pros and cons and I was quite taken with Oz and wanted more scenes with him in. I contrast I found it difficult to warm to Maggie as much as I had done in the first book, Maggie Blue and the Dark World, whcih was shortlisted for the 2021 Costa Children's Book Award, the Sheffield Book Award and nominated for the Carnegie Medal Maggie has become more sullen and bitter than previously and I found her attitude to her mother’s mental illness quite unsympathetic. This may have been of design as a reflection of Maggie’s age as she reaches her teenage years.

The way we got different points of view as we travelled through the chapters giving us first-hand information of what was happening in the real world and the Dark World was well instigated. The significance of the shape shifters in the trees watching Maggie was a joy to discover. The action took a long time to pick up but there was a lot of deep character building that made you think. I never quite trusted the over-enthusiastic Jean and I reckon she has her own agenda. In fact, all the way through I got the distinct feeling I did not know who to trust and which side was actually the right side. Destroying a whole world, even if it is corrupt felt like a misguided goal.

It was evident from very early on that this book was going to leave me wanting more and end on a juicy cliff hanger. Although, I was disappointed that the novel was not a complete story I itself but rather a long introduction to Book Three.

Brilliant world building and riveting characters who make you want to read more.