The epic first book in the internationally bestselling Keeper of the Lost Cities series is being reimagined into stunning graphic novels, and the story continues now with Volume Two!
After learning she’s actually an elf, twelve-year-old Sophie Foster made the impossible decision to leave her human life—and family—behind and start over in the Lost Cities. And life with the elves has been unlike anything Sophie has ever known, filled with new friends, amazing creatures, and incredible powers. But it’s also had its share of challenges. Sophie had been an advanced student in the human world—but thanks to her struggles with alchemy, she’s not even sure if she will pass her Foxfire Academy midterms!
And then there are the bigger worries. Guardians who may or may not adopt her. Whispers of conspiracies. Mysterious fires. Memories in her brain that don’t feel like hers.
Could someone have hidden those secrets in Sophie’s head? Why would they do that? Is Sophie part of something much bigger than she imagined?
Something…deadly?
This stunning graphic novel retelling of the second half of the thrilling first novel comes to life with all the adventure and epic worldbuilding the Keeper of the Lost Cities series is known for, told in gorgeous full colour—plus special bonus features at the end!
═══════ ∘◦ ✧ ◦∘ ═══════ This review contains a few random statistics, my personal thoughts, and a content review! ♡ ═══════ ∘◦ ✧ ◦∘ ═══════ • Book - Keeper of the Lost Cities graphic novel volume two • Author - Shannon Messenger • Pages - Ebook, 350 • Genre(s) - Middle grade fantasy • Published - 2025 • Trope(s) - Found family • Recommended time to read - Winter ⇢─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───⇠ → Setting - 4/5 → Characters - 3/5 → Writing - 3/5 → Cover - 4/5 → Vibes - 4/5 → Plot - 3/5 → Romance/Ship - 3/5 → Overall - ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ═════════════════ ╰┈➤ My thoughts (spoiler free)
I enjoyed this! I think I like the illustration in this one better than the first volume! I absolutely adored the way Dex, Edaline, and Biana were drawn. Keefe’s hair looked a little goofy though 😂 And Grady looked like a blonde version of Flynn Rider XD
A very quick and easy read, super fun and got me excited again for book ten to finally release soon! (It is soon right? No more delays I haven’t heard about?)
Overall a solid graphic novel and a must read for keeper fans! ═════════════════ ╰┈➤ Content review
➸ Age Rating - 12+
➸ Language - None
➸ Romance/Sexual - Some crushing and teasing but that’s it, Alvar mentions he has three girlfriends and Keefe calls him his hero
➸ Violence - Sophie and Dex are kidnapped, Sophie’s arms are burned when she won’t tell the kidnappers what they want, she also accidentally burns herself a couple times, and she has an allergic reaction which causes her to pass out
4.5 stars I’ve been so excited for this to come out since June *SPOILERS* This was perfectly adapted from the book! I was reading it slowly cause I didn’t want it to end lol. The scene when the pyrokinetic interrogates Sophie was more intense than I thought they would show. A detail that was realistic was how she drew Sophie’s cape and sleeves being ripped the whole time they were in Paris, I never thought of though while reading the book. All the characters designs are perfect! except Sophie and Dex look a little older than Keefe and Fitz for some reason.
Other little critiques: Sophie’s eyes look red instead of brown the whole book Stina’s hair is red in the first chapter, then brown after that?? After sophie fades from the light leap, she’s supposed to be kinda transparent, I don’t know of they couldn’t do that with whatever art program they were using, or if they just decided against drawing and editing that. Also she’s supposed to be really pale when Fitz finds her, why are her cheeks red??
Also my friend pointed out how similarly Sophie and Oralie are drawn…😯
Similar to my reviews of the original KOTLC books, I won't be fully giving my opinion on this book because I've read it so many times that it feels unfair to judge (especially considering this series has a special place in my heart, even if there are some parts I really struggle with now). Instead, I'll include a list of the notes I took while reading below, and I also just want to mention a few things that really stood out to me about this adaptation.
The first big thing I noticed has nothing to do with the story itself: my imagination has no windows? Having read KOTLC #1 upwards of a dozen times, I know these scenes and settings by heart, and seeing them drawn out for the graphic novel was an experience because I realized that my imagined version of the settings has no windows. I'm not sure why, it's just a fact, and it's too late to fix it now.
The other major thing I wanted to highlight was the way the abilities were rendered on the page. I haven't reread the first graphic novel since its release, so forgive me if it was a thing in that one, but most of the abilities were visible on the page. I know this is probably for the sake of adaptation (how else are you supposed to show empathy), but I've been in a glowy magic mood lately, so seeing it rendered in this way was super cool to me. I really like how Sophie's inflicting was drawn because it really reinforced how powerful the ability is and why it's something to be feared. The other abilities we see with glowing are empathy and telepathy, which I liked but didn't find as meaningful, but I just really like the idea of the glowing to visibly render the abilities, especially in a world that relies so heavily on light.
As far as adaptations go, I think it was very faithful to the original and captured Sophie's emotional turmoil from the second half of the book. I found the art to be great and less distracting than book 1 (fish-eyed Fitz, I'm sorry, but I cannot focus on the plot when you exist), and I'm glad I finally have a Sandor to picture that isn't just one of the goblins from The Rainbow Fairy books.
Anyway, here are my notes for the graphic novel. I don't have original page numbers or anything (I'm not that committed). They will contain SPOILERS for the graphic novel and for the rest of the KOTLC series because I'm a nerd and I've read it too many times. So, without further ado:
- they really captured Sophie being in denial every other sentence - Marella’s hair is kind of giving Maysilee Donner vibes and I like it - So I didn’t realize the Vacker dining room has windows … that’s on me y’all - Alvar does not have a straight bone in his body - Update: none of the rooms have windows in my imagination … I don’t know why - Apparently one of Forkle’s alter ego is just Legolas - Having Oralie’s empathy be visible is a choice … I kinda like it though - The goblins standing beside the councilors is hilarious imagery to me for some reason - Apparently Terik lives in Oz - Not the Shannon Messenger star in Hollywood - Imagine you take your student on a field trip and she just stays trauma dumping and then brings up your situationship from like 20 years ago - I love the librarian’s design so much - Yo the Offish is huge - Guys it’s a mail person they’re real!!!! - Also its interesting that elves build their cities out of light since they all have blue eyes and blue eyes are weaker to bright light - I think I’ve said it before … but do elves have anti-depressants? - Alvar now is not the time for a saucy door lean - Seeing this illustrated makes the Neverseen look twice as overdramatic - Forkle really be looking like the disguised king at the beginning of BotW - Can the elves light leap at night? Am I stupid? - I love the random shots of Fitz being emo eating breakfast while Sophie is fighting for her life -I know she was in danger and dex was dying but like if Sophie took a moment to peek under those hoods this series would be 5 books shorter - Honesty I love the design choice of making Sophie’s eyes glow when she inflicts - Why is Keefe eating a burger in the middle of the tribunal? - The way alter-ego Forkle and Tiergan could be twins - This is the first time I’ve seen an elf with a mustache and it’s a jumpscare
I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of reading and re-reading this series. It holds so much nostalgia for me: once I read it aloud to my kids, now they read it themselves, and seeing these memories come to life in graphic novel form feels like magic all over again.
Watching Sophie’s kidnapping unfold visually pulled me right back to the first time I experienced it. The tension, and the wow of it all. I’m absolutely biased, but truly, Shannon Messenger can do no wrong in my eyes.
A beautiful adaptation of a story I love, and one I’ll keep on the shelf to revisit whenever I need a little hit of elvin nostalgia.
The Grady and Edaline adoption bits made me tear up <3 they’ve always been one of my favorite parts of the series. A really great adaptation of one of my favorite series.
Before reading: DEXY IS ON THE COVERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR ............ but why does he look 15 ....... he's supposed to be 12 ?!! I can't wait to see Alvar, Sandor, Terik, Sir Austin and the neverseen cloaks!! And Cassius too...even tho I hate him 😭 !!!!!!!!!!! SPOLIERS FOR THIS BOOK AND THE REST OF THE SERIES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I read it! And it took 4 days 🤪 I didn't want it to end This one is better then the 1st part The art is also better for ALMOST all the characters Expect Grady and Elwin Something looked so off about Grady 😭 😭 And Elwin looked so old...in some pictures his hair looked gray.... But everyone else looked awesome. (Keefeeee 🫶) And one thing I'm super confused on....WHY IS GENTHENS HAIR BROWN?????? It showed a flashback of him when Sophie looked at his scar and his hair was brown 😭 😭 😭 😭 😭 And when Sophie was looking at his scar his skin was SO pale, but not in the flashback So... I'm confused Anyways PLEASE SHANNON BOOK 10 PLEASE IM BEGGING YOU Some of my thoughts while reading: Everyone got HUGE glowups, the art is wayy better Oh wow….Terigen…..wow……..(he’s so good looking, I’m dying 😭🙏) Sophie asking about project moonlark 😭 😭 😭 😭 😭 Oh god, cassius looks freaky Keefes hairrrrr 🫶🫶🫶 ALVARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR Isn’t Alvars and Dellass hair supposed to be darker? *checks the official art* IT IS Alvar telling Alden that the black swan isn’t real hits different 😔😔😔 Ooh the librarian is an ancient Omg a a drawing of joile 3 Elwins pajamas 🤣 IM DYINGGG WHY DOES AUSTIN LOOK LIKE THAT? I THOUGHT HE WAS TERIGEN AT FIRST 😭😭😭 HELP. (Did mr forkle make Austin look like Terigen on purpose?? hmm) Ngl thats how I imagine Fintan Erm why are there only male goblins protecting the council …? 🤔 I thought goblins had gray skin Yess Bronte looks so much better than the 1st one. If you told Sophie she was standing next to her bigocal mother 3333 I rlly want to know whats going on in the councils minds when they talk telepathically together, prob Bronte screaming EXILE HERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR and everyone else telling him to be quiet 💀💀 Aw Terigen and Sophie are so cute <333 WAIT what if he’s her biological father…… No way sophie cried this much in the chapter book Bro why does Elwin look so old 😭😭😭 YA ALVAR CALL HER SIS THEN KIDNAP AND TORTURE HER LATER Oh god, i didn’t think seeing Sophie getting burned would be so mentally painful 😔 GO DIE BRANT-oh wait U DID DIE MWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH Oh my-Genthen is SO pale 😭😭😭 bro is a corpse WAIT HELP IM SO CONFUSED-WHY IS GENTHENS HAIR SO DARK??? ITS SUPPOSED TO BE BLONDE!!!! SOMEONE HELP SANDORRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!! Alden used to be one of my faves 3 The only elf to ever have facil hair: One of Sophies teachers (i 4got his name 😭) I was NOT prepared for that Oh god bronte looks SO mad I did NOT ask for a close up of Brontes face 💀💀💀 ALSO he’s supposed to have blue gray eyes NOT blue purple eyes !!! The ending is so corny 🫠
Le scénario colle toujours bien avec l'intrigue du premier roman ! Je trouve ça vraiment chouette, parce que j'ai vraiment l'impression de relire le roman, mais avec les images en plus, et pas simplement une adaptation 🥰
J'ai été très surprise au début de voir la différence avec le style de dessin de la partie 1. Je n'avais pas remarqué que l'illustrateurice n'était pas lae même. Mais j'ai quand même apprécié (malgré que je préfère le style de la partie 1...).
Je suis impatiente de découvrir la suite quand elle paraîtra, bien evidemment !! Mais ces deux romans graphiques m'ont donné envie de relire toute la série pour rafraîchir ma mémoire sur la suite plus rapidement !
Dude I love this book. The art was great, the story was spot on, (or as close as you can get when you shorten it) everything was just amazing.
I loved seeing the characters come to life. The only one I had a problem with was Jensi. His hair was waaaaaaay to tame. Dex was so cute to me. Keefe was... well... Keefe. (He didn’t change much) Fitz... y’all know how I feel about Fitz. 😒 Grady and Edaline where amazing. And Sophie was great.
So, yeah, over all this was a great book, and I will highly recommend to new and old fans.
The art style is different than the first one, and there is another one of the same book by Celina Frenn coming out in April next year. Probably gonna wait for that one, obviously still gonna get this one, but just hopefully that one will be the same art style. This one just looks… wrong.
This was just as good as Part 1 of the graphic novel! There is a different illustrator and I like the drawing style better than Part 1. This was the rest of the first book. Keefe's hair is even more amazing than I remember. Loved it!
Ok so the book was Awesome and the illustrations were amazing better then the first one but they definitely did amazing on it and love all the art and Iggy is just adorbes he looks so cute and I like the cover so yeah that is all I can say.
That was good! The art and everything was better than the first part. And actually seeing some of the scenes, like the kidnapping, was kind of crazy. It was even more intense than I ever envisioned in my head tbh. Anyway, hopefully we get an Exile graphic novel next :)