The City Beyond the Sea

Greenwild #2

by Pari Thomson

Daisy Thistledown's epic adventure continues in the spellbinding sequel to New York Times bestseller The World Behind the Door by Pari Thomson.In a land ruled by water, treachery runs deep . . . Daisy Thistledown and the Five O'Clock Club might have defeated a terrifying foe, but their journey to find the missing Botanists is only just beginning.Desperate to join the long-awaited expedition to the heart of the Amazon, Daisy and her friends abandon the safety of magical Mallowmarsh –only to fall face-first into danger on the high seas when they find themselves pursued across the waves by Grim Reapers. Their only to find the legendary Iffenwild, a mysterious pocket of the Greenwild hidden and lost to time.But beneath the waves, a strange botanical magic stirs. And it will take all of Daisy's courage and determination – and the trust of an unexpected new friend – if she is to discover the truth that haunts Iffenwild, and save the Greenwild from a terrible fate.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Childrens, Audiobook, Magic, Fiction, Adventure

400 pages, Hardcover

First published May 23, 2024

About the author

Pari Thomson is Editorial Director for picture books at Bloomsbury Children’s Books. Half Persian, half English, she lived in many places while she was growing up, including India, Pakistan, the USA, the UK and Belgium. She studied at Oxford University and now lives near the river in London, not far from Kew Gardens.

Reviews

[Libby Brice · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good. As good as the first book, I loved the additional characters from The Nautilus and the new places Daisy's adventure takes her. Waiting until next year for book 3 will feel like an eternity!

[Tracy Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daisy Thistledown is waiting impatiently to join the expedition to the Amazon to rescue her mother and all the fellow botanists who have been kidnapped by a group called the Grim Reapers. When the danger increases with attacks becoming more common, her grandmother changes her mind and refuses to let her come along.

Hitching a ride with an amazing group of people, Daisy and her friends, the Prof and Indigo, begin their quest to find the mystical land of Iffenwild whose residents, they hope, will join their journey and help save the magical world they all inhabit. None of them, however, realise just how dangerous things are about to become as they sail into the heart of a storm.

Book two in Pari Thompson's Greenwild trilogy had a very difficult act to follow! The first book, released last June, was one of my books of the year as I know it was for many, and I did wonder how the author would follow that!  The high level of adventure, camaraderie, and magical storytelling I enjoyed so much the first time is here once again, alongside the beautifully drawn map by illustrator Elisa Paganelli to help the reader explore all Iffenwild has to offer. The storyline this time is a little darker, the jeopardy definitely higher, and although I worked out one mystery I was totally thrown by the rest of  what happened and can't wait for everything to come together in Daisy’s final outing.

This is a series that needs to be read in order. It is also of the highest storytelling quality and easy to recommend unreservedly.

Trigger Warning: Death of loved ones

[Sigrb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skøn fantasyserie med masser af magi og kærlighed til naturen

[Maleeha Siddiqui · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fast-paced, magical, and enjoyable follow-up to Greenwild that expands the world, characters, and raises the stakes. Can't wait for book 3!

[Rapunzel Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

The City Beyond the Sea has all of the best aspects of fantasy sequels without any of the too-common letdowns. Thomson takes advantage of the established characters and world to deliver a fantastic, multilayered tale, one that never falters into the weaker plot of many second novels. In fact, I’d be hard-pressed to say that The City Beyond the Sea isn’t as good—or even better—as the first book in the series. Just as in the first book, Thomson takes a familiar genre and crafts a tale that manages to combine the nostalgia of past favorite fantasy books with a uniqueness and spark that make the story impossible to put down.

To begin with, the worldbuilding is top-notch. Worlds-within-our-world are not uncommon, but as in all of this book, Thomson brings something fundamentally fresh to this trope, creating a setting that brims with color and interest. I loved reading about the Greenwild in book 1, but it was impossible not to fall equally in love with Iffenwild, the Nautilus theater company, and every intricacy of this new setting. Thomson is able to describe so vividly I can see the world without slowing down the story—and the gorgeous illustrations fill in all the details!

I also loved the characters. Truly getting to know Daisy, the Prof, and her friends better was one of my favorite parts of this book, but the new cast, especially Max, can’t be discounted—every character feels vibrant and unique. In The City Beyond the Sea, there is certainly a lot of conflict between them at times, but if anything, that made me love them even more. Seeing them in their darker moments as well as their hopeful ones made them all dimensional, and made the highs and lows of the story all the more impactful.

Blending action, adventure, and atmosphere, I highly recommend The City Beyond the Sea equally to middle-grade readers themselves and to teens and adults who love the genre—I truly loved it!

An e-ARC of this book was provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Kim Coenen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Na het lezen van het eerste deel van deze geweldige en fantasierijke serie wilde ik ook ontzettend graag deel twee lezen en weten hoe het afloopt met Daisy. Gaat ze met behulp van haar nieuwe vrienden haar moeder terug vinden en redden en hoe loopt het af met de magie die Daisy heeft. Ik hoop het te gaan ontdekken in het tweede deel. Ik heb erg hoge verwachtingen.


Daisy Disteldons en haar nieuwe vrienden van de Vijf Uur Club, hebben een angstaanjagende vijand verslagen. Toch is hun zoektocht naar de vermiste Botanisten nog maar net begonnen. Hun eerste aanwijzing is het vinden van een legendarische en mysterieuze stad die verborgen ligt achter de zee. Maar op zee roert een wilde, vreemde en onbekende magie zich. Daisy is gelukkig moedig en vastberaden en wordt daarnaast bijgestaan door een nieuwe vriend. Samen proberen ze de waarheid over de stad te ontdekken en de magische wereld van de ondergang te redden voordat het te laat is.


Wat een geweldig, betoverend en origineel vervolg van deze prachtige serie. Pari Thomson heeft een hele levendige, krachtige, fantasierijke en vlotte schrijfstijl. Waarbij goed met de jeugdige lezertjes vanaf ongeveer 12 jaar rekening is gehouden. Wel moet je in zijn voor een verhaal met actie en spanning. Gedurende het verhaal wordt het verhaal aangevuld met prachtige zwart-wit illustraties van Elisa Pagnelli. Deze weten het al beeldende en levendige verhaal nog meer te versterken.

We volgen ditmaal een dubbele verhaallijn, namelijk die van Daisy Disteldons en Max Dartel. Daisy kennen we al uit deel één en Pari Thomson weet het personage nog meer uit te diepen en het personage te laten groeien. Max is een nieuw personage, maar ook Max is geweldig neergezet. Beide zijn realistisch, divers en uniek. Net als trouwens alle andere personages in het verhaal. Het is sterk dat Pari Thomson de verschillende personages echt eigen trekken, standpunten en perspectieven heeft gegeven.

Het verhaal kent een mooie opbouw. Het verhaal van Daisy vervolgt zich op het vorige verhaal, maar krijgt al snel een nieuwe wending als Daisy en haar vrienden besluiten om op zoek te gaan naar de zoektocht naar de mysterieuze en legendarische stad. Pari Thomson weet bij Max eerst een goede basis te leggen over zijn verleden en beginsituatie alvorens ook zijn spannende avontuur van start gaat. Het is mooi hoe Pari Thomson de twee personages samen laat komen, waarbij een vriendschap en samenwerking ontstaan die hen verder helpt in het avontuur. Het is echt weer een fantastische, actievolle en magische reis vol wendingen en gebeurtenissen die je echt aan het boek gekluisterd houden. Daarbij kent dit verhaal ook nog een heftige en treurige gebeurtenis, maar Pari Thomson weet dit mooi te doseren. Het avontuur wordt goed en prettig afgesloten, al is het totale avontuur nog altijd niet rond en wacht ik vol spanning op het derde deel.

Groenwoud 2 - De stad voorbij de zee is een origineel, magisch en geweldig vervolg van de avontuurlijke serie. In dit deel wordt er naast Daisy een nieuw hoofdpersonage geïntroduceerd, dat net als Daisy geweldig is uitgewerkt. Er volgt een spannend, actievol en ontroerend avontuur vol vriendschappen, samenwerking en een hoop magie. Een verhaal dat me echt van het begin tot het einde wist te boeien. Ik wacht vol spanning op deel drie. 

[Brea Lawton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Books for providing me with a digital arc of this book!

*mild spoilers*

The City Beyond the Sea is the second book in the kid's fiction series Greenwild, written by Pari Thomson. It is set in our world, with one exception: secret pockets worldwide take you to Greenwild, a world where plants are magic. After her mother is kidnapped in the first book by anti-botanists known as the Grim Reapers, Daisy enters the Greenwild unaware that she too is a botanist and there is a secret conspiracy to end Greenwild and all botanists once and for all. Daisy is thrust into the middle of a war as she struggles to save her mother.

The second book picks up right where the first left off, but when Daisy receives a note from her mother, she learns that there is another magical world that everyone believes to be a myth: Iffenwild, an island that harnesses the power of the sea. It is up to her and her friends to travel to this land that no one believes exists and enlist the help of the people there in the war against the Grim Reapers. The main cast of characters is mostly the same, except that we now get the perspective of Max Brightly, Marigold's son who was kidnapped by the Reapers, along with Daisy's perspective. Quickly entering the group of children, Max and the Five O'Clock Club encounter a far more sinister plot, a long-lost royal heir, and a traveling theater guild that takes the children under their wing.

This story was everything I was hoping for and more. It was so cute and easily engaging, and I wanted more. It actually hurt when I finished the book and realized I would have to wait another year for the third book. I am so grateful to NetGalley for finding this series for me, and it will become my entire personality for quite some time. I recommend reading this while listening to the Tinkerbell movie soundtracks; it is a truly out-of-body experience. This book had everything: compelling characters, lush scenery, loveable animal sidekicks, magical plants... what else could you want out of a middle-grade novel? I recommend this over and over, hands down. The only reason I am not giving it five stars is just a personal preference: it felt a little slow at points, and certain character developments didn't feel entirely earned. That being said, if this premise interests you, please pick it up. You may think differently than I do about this book. 4/5 stars.

[Nic · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up.

I was going to write ‘another enjoyable outing in the Greenwild’ but it isn’t- I mean enjoyable, yes! But, very little of this book is set in the Greenwild. Instead, Daisy and co set out across the seas in search of the legendary capital of the Marindeep, Iffenwild.
Some historical feud created a rift between Greenwilders and inhabitants of the Iffenwild, meaning that both populations doubt the existence of the other- and have a deep distrust of each other.

Elsewhere, the focus is on Max Brightly, Marigold Brightly’s son. Escaped from his prison in the Amazon, and unaware of his morher’s fate, he is desperate to be reunited with her. He sets off for Mallowmarsh.

The fun really begins when Max and Daisy encounter each other, around the end of the first third. There are lots of twists and turns in the story, which takes place in an intricately mapped world.

Like the Greenwild, the Iffenwild is in decline, suffering due to neglect and profiteering off its natural resources. Hoping that subsequent outings are going to be able to restore some of these beautiful environments.

Daisy’s main quest, to rescue her mother and the other disappeared, from captivity in the Amazon, has not changed. This book is a bit of a departure from that main arc, building a wider universe and with the hopes of recruiting a wider resistance against the Grim Reapers and other dark forces. To begin with, I was a little cynical (my default setting, I’m afraid) about where it was going then I got caught up in the world despite myself and thoroughly enjoyed it.

There’s quite a lot of recapping book 1 in the early chapters of this book; it is mostly woven into the exposition of the new storyline and could be of benefit to younger readers, or those with a longer gap between books.

[Dora · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sadly, this one didn't floor me as the firat one did.

Max was a great addition to the cast; I daresay the entire book would've benefitted if it was told from his point of view completely... Daisy felt a bit unncessary in this one. Another thing that brought down my enjoyment was the fact this is a sailing the ship/sea adventure type of story (which I have never been a fan of) but my initial lack of excitement was postponed by the fact the lost city of Iffenwild was supposed to be situated somewhere in the Adriatic Sea aka where I live. So imagine my surprise when we finally get to the Iffenwild pocket and everyone is speaking fucking German instead of Croatian/Italian. And the reasoning behind is the fuckin' Austro-Hungarian Empire. Like, I undestand this is a children's novel and that most people don't really care about ahit like this but it's part of my country's geography and history - it threw me off big time. Yes, Austro-Hungarian Empire held the Croatian coastline for awhile and yes, they prohibited locals to speak their own language and forced them to learn german in schools and government offices but that does not mean people liked it. That does not mean they spoke german all day ever day.

sigh

Yeah, I know that the Greenwild and Marindeep have been kinda isolated from the Greyside but at least get the ethnicity of the people correctly 🤷🏻‍♀️

Anyway, a part from that, it was okay. Good plot twists though a bit too rushed when it comes to the loat prince of Iffenwild mystery. Aleksej was amazing, I cried 💔🥺

[Kaly-Ann Drapeau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daisy est décidée: elle part à la recherche de sa mère! Elle part à la recherche d’une mystérieuse ville du nom d’Iffenwild, quelque part dans la mer, où elle est persuadée de trouver de l’aide pour sauver sa mère et les autres botaniste.

J’avais beaucoup aimée le premier tome de cette belle aventure, et j’ai tout aussi adorée le deuxième tome! L’aventure est remplie d’intrigue, de trahison, de grands secrets et même d’une petite dose d’émotions. Oui, j’ai versée une larme vers la fin! 🥺

Encore une fois, j’ai été émerveillée par la magie des botaniste de la terre, mais aussi par celle des botanistes de la mer! C’était stupéfiant de voir ce que les botanistes de la ville d’Iffenwild pouvaient faire avec les plantes de l’océan! 🪷

Certaines créatures rencontrées, comme les chevaux de mer, m’ont fait rêvée! J’aimerais tellement être dans la tête d’un écrivain d’histoire fantastique pour pouvoir créer toutes sortes de créatures aussi magnifiques et impressionnantes les unes que les autres! 😍✨

Avec la fin, je me doute qu’il y aura un 3e tome, et je l’attend avec beaucoup d’impatience! 🤭

[Danielle Holmes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book #2 of the Greenwild Trilogy gets 3⭐️’s

I read this with my 9yo daughter, I think she enjoyed it more than I did. Book #1 was better in my opinion. This sequel just felt slower paced and it took us awhile to get through. This book finds the main characters from book #1 traveling from the Greenwild (land of plant magic) to Iffenwild (land of water magic) - dodging the Grim Reapers again who are out to destroy everything. I think this series is best for older kids, there are a lot of battles and talk of death that may be scary for younger kids.

[Freya · Rating 5 out of 5]

This spellbinding book. It lets you see Daisy Thistledown’s one in a blue moon adventure through the myth’s very own Iffenwild.
I have been waiting for this book to come out since I read the first one (Greenwild) it cast me under a spell and I have to say that it is one of my favourite books.
You would like this book if you like magical, fantasy, descriptive books. I have you enjoy it!

Veya (aged 10)

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

the first part of this feels like it is suffering from middle book syndrome but the latter half more than makes up for it.

this series can be incredibly dark at times, with scenes of animal and human death which may be upsetting for younger readers. i do love how this introduces children to environmental and animal conservation though.

this is definitely a series for the children of the wild thornberrys fans

[Skye Elder · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was soooooooo good! It’s probably one of my favorites

⛔️Warning spoilers ahead⛔️

Okay when Alexei was max’s brother I screamed! I never saw it coming I was to busy picturing who was the traitor to realize. That was my all time favorite part!
I also thought that when Daisy was having all these crazy plans, I just couldn’t figure it out!

OMG! THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD!!!!

FIVE STARS HANDS DOWN⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!!!!!

[Kait Hanlon · Rating 4 out of 5]

So good! Just as good as the first, with some really wonderful new characters. I feel that this one has higher stakes, gets a bit dark… I shed a few tears towards the end! But if you’ve got the appropriate audience, there are some great lessons. The writing is beautiful, the world is pure magic, and we can’t wait to get to book 3!

[Megan Hutchins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m really liking this trilogy! I feel like it could be a great read aloud for later elementary, as long as you take time to discuss the dangers of kids striking out on their own to solve problems without adult help. I especially love the way the author deals with grief. I’ve read so many books lately that just skip past it and Pari Thomson handles all the complicated feelings with such care. I also like that there are both truly “bad guys” as well as misunderstood ones with complicated reasons for what they do. And the green magic is really cool. The only thing keeping it from 5 stars is that for some reason I don’t feel fully immersed in the world, maybe it just moves too fast? Or it could just be that it’s a middle grade book and I’m an adult 😂

[Courtney Dawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the first one a few days after release day, because my Barnes and Noble had a huge table praising it. It was also a Barnes and Noble exclusive so naturally I bought it. That was a busy time in my life and whenever I would read the book I would often skip over bits on accident or would not have the time and would forget things eccetera, eccetera. This book comes along and I decide I never gave the first a fair chance. I picked this up and dang I’m glad I did. It almost had a mystery feel to it. At the beginning of the book I was vibing and then stuff started happening and I was like woah okay I better buckle up, and then more stuff happened and I was like WoAh and then MORE happened and I was like WOAH. Very fast paced book, but for the storyline and the writing style it needed to be fast paced and fun. Nice delivery good plot twists and loads of fun! Pick this up if you have not already!

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars. Again another great book in the series, though I think the first book is my favourite so far. Great characters, enjoyable for all, lots of magic, animals, and very Harry Potter like! Can’t wait for the next book!

[Kerry Perks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read lots of children's books. This series has become one of my favourites. The writing is great, I love all the characters and although it is an adventure story, it's great that there are environmental themes too. Really looking forward to the next one when it's out in June.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sequel almost as good as the first book in this excellent MG fantasy series with a green theme.

[Christine Heron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book two is as engaging as book one. Give this to all middle grade readers that enjoy Magic, adventure, animals and the environment. Not far into this story, I could see it as a movie.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 Still super cute and the world building so intricate, but I personally didn't enjoy this one as much as the first. The plot felt a little slow and repetitive.

[Julia Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gorgeous follow up to Greenwild - the magical feel of this series is just perfect and I loved the cast of new characters.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better than the first!

[Tess Evens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obsessed with this series!!! 😍 I cannot wait for the third book to release in June!

[⚔️TINA Polley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the first book so much! It will forever be a favorite and I was excited for the sequel but it didn't blow m le away like the first but it was still so amazing. I can't wait for more daisy!
My favorite part of the first book was the ghost boy in the secret part of mellowmarsh swoon 👏 that part was everything to me!

[BookBairn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have fallen utterly in love with the world building in the Greenwild series. Pari Thomson has created a world that is incredibly immersive and concocts spectacular scenery in the imagination. Brought to life through the intricate and beautiful artwork by Elisa Paganelli this fantasy world feels both fantastical and rooted in the most beautiful parts of the real natural world.

But like in reality, those natural spaces face dark and dangerous threats from humans who wish to capitalise from, exploit, damage and destroy it with no care of consequences.

[Nicola Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Back with the 5 o’clock club! The first book in this series was so enjoyable and the fantastical world it’s set in is immersive and a fab place to disappear into. Book 2 was a fantastic follow up!

Daisy Thistledown has been navigating a whole new world and this time, they follow the myths and whisperings of Iffenwild. Has this mysterious place cut themselves off from the world or is it a pocket restricted to children’s make believe and bedtime stories?

Great writing, wonderful (seriously amazing) illustrations and a cast of characters you’ll love. It really is a great book for younger (and older *cough* me *cough* readers) and before you know it, the book has disappeared into nothing and you’re on the end page.

I loved the plot of this one and like the first, was super addicting. Daisy is on a quest to find her mother, there’s evil Reapers to uncover and defeat and pockets to save. What more could keep you reading?! I was turning pages (/flicking kindle ebook buttons) with relish to uncover more of the mystery and magic. Absolutely love these books and they deserve every bit of love and acclaim they get.

Thank you to the author and publisher for this book on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review.

[Breanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second book syndrome 🥲

[Carolina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn’t love as much as the first, but still a fun adventure and happy to be back in this world. Looking forward to the next book!