Escape from the Isle of the Lost

Descendants #4

by Melissa de la Cruz

Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos may have once been the baddest of the bad, but their wicked ways are (mostly) behind them-and now graduation is almost here! But before the seniors can don their custom-designed caps and gowns, courtesy of Evie, they've got an epic plan to put into action. There are tons of villain kids on the Isle of the Lost who are eager for their chance to come to Auradon Prep-even Celia, Dr. Facilier's trickster daughter, wants in on the deal!-and Mal's crew is using their upcoming visit to the Isle to help make it happen. But Auradon's biggest threat is still at large?

Trapped on the other side of the barrier, Uma is more desperate than ever to get her long-awaited revenge against Mal. When she discovers an underground lair belonging to Hades, god of the underworld, Uma realizes she's found the perfect partner in crime. Together, they can defeat Mal, bring down the barrier, and escape the Isle for good.

Mal and Uma have a score to settle, and they'll come face to face in an explosive underwater battle that could determine the fates of Auradon and the Isle of the Lost once and for all.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Fiction, Retellings, Fairy Tales, Adventure

256 pages, Hardcover

First published June 4, 2019

About the author

Melissa de la Cruz is the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of many critically acclaimed and award-winning novels for teens including The Au Pairs series, the Blue Bloods series, the Ashleys series, the Angels on Sunset Boulevard series and the semi-autobiographical novel Fresh off the Boat.

Her books for adults include the novel Cat’s Meow, the anthology Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys and the tongue-in-chic handbooks How to Become Famous in Two Weeks or Less and The Fashionista Files: Adventures in Four-inch heels and Faux-Pas.

She has worked as a fashion and beauty editor and has written for many publications including The New York Times, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Allure, The San Francisco Chronicle, McSweeney’s, Teen Vogue, CosmoGirl! and Seventeen. She has also appeared as an expert on fashion, trends and fame for CNN, E! and FoxNews.

Melissa grew up in Manila and moved to San Francisco with her family, where she graduated high school salutatorian from The Convent of the Sacred Heart. She majored in art history and English at Columbia University (and minored in nightclubs and shopping!).

She now divides her time between New York and Los Angeles, where she lives in the Hollywood Hills with her husband and daughter.

Reviews

[Jessica (Odd and Bookish) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book a few weeks ago, but when I heard about Cameron Boyce’s (who plays Carlos in the movies) passing, I knew I just had to read it now. My heart ached every time I came across Carlos in the book. Carlos is such a precious character and from what I hear, Cameron was an amazing person off-screen.

Like the other book in this series, this book was a lot of fun. These books aren’t meant to be much more than a marketing and promotional tool and I am 100% okay with that. I just love seeing more of the characters and their lives!



This book does a nice job setting up the new characters of Hades and Celia. It also shows what Uma has been up to since we last saw her at the end of Descendants 2. I’m very excited to see what they’ll all do in the third movie.

As always, I love the little Disney references throughout the book. For example, I loved the names of the colleges like Agrabah State University, Magical Institute Training (MIT), and Sherwood Forest University. Students even have to take the SAT (Salagadoola Abracadabra Test). How clever!

Overall, if you’re a Disney Descendants fan, then I’m sure you’ll enjoy this book.

[Davina Herondale · Rating 2 out of 5]

ngl this was fairly boring. it also doesn't confirm Hades being Mal's father EVEN THOUGH WE ALL KNOW HE IS ugh its fine, im fine

I wish I could say this was worth reading but it barely sets anything up for the movie in 2 months so you really don't have to read this

[Ana Encinas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Huida de la isla de los perdidos, cuarta parte de la saga "La isla de los perdidos" de Melissa de la Cruz. En esta nueva aventura, Mal, Evie, Carlos y Jay están a punto de graduarse en la escuela Auradon. Pero los hijos de los villanos sienten que deben ayudar a los demás chicos y chicas de la Isla de los perdidos, por lo que se pondrán manos a la obra para llevarlo a cabo. La trama sigue en la línea pero con una gran evolución por parte de sus protagonistas. Ya no son los chicos que empezaron esta aventura en La isla de los perdidos, ahora son mucho más maduros y adultos, pero sin perder la chispa de la adolescencia. Los villanos en este cuarto libro me han gustado, creo que la incorporación de Hades es todo un acierto y junto a Uma pueden hacer muchas maldades juntos. El desenlace aunque es un poco precipitado y los problemas se solucionan muy fácil, me ha gustado. 3,5/5 estrellas

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think we can all collectively agree that Descendants is not deep or complicated or very sophisticated. That goes for the movies, the animation series and the books. But, somehow, somewhere along the way, I've grown really attached to these characters and this world and it's strange to realise that with the third movie and this fourth book, the franchise has really come to an end.

Because while reading this book and watching the last movie, I once again realised how amusing and entertaining this is, how the book and the movie make me laugh out loud and how, somehow, they also manage to bring some tears to my eyes. (I really can't deal with goodbyes!) The characters are diverse, the adventures are refreshing and this book got Hades!

Everyone who knows me, knows that I really love Hades, but his Disney counterpart is not very true to the mythological Hades. This book and even more the movie felt a little like a redemption arc for him and I really enjoyed it to the fullest. Just like I really loved the addition of Celia as a point of view character. She was quite nice and amusing and I wish she got more material!

But, my highlight of this book: The task being to kiss a prince and Chad Charming kissing his own hand. Brilliant, just brilliant and very Chad. I have a crush on Chad. Can we get Chad a spin off? I'd love that.

[Gavyn golembeski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Too who ever has this series I recommend getting the villain series by: Serena Valentino. She has a series that tell the backstory of the evil villains. Check the series out and I definitely recommend it to go along with your descendant series. Those are my most favorite series of all time.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun story that sets everything up for the next movie

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love all the references to Disney movies and Disney songs! Such a cute series!!!

[Asia · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[Ursula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing super special about this installment, but I am always appreciative of some backstory behind the Descendants movies. Today was especially hard for me bc I found out about Cameron Boyce’s passing. Every time I read something about Carols, I was reminded of the tragedy that struck today. God has received a truly talented angel and I am so blessed to have witnessed his talent for all these years. Goodnight Sweet Prince...

[Madelyn Lightwood · Rating 2 out of 5]

It took me way too long to read this book. It’s a solid 42% for me. I mean, I decently enjoyed it because it’s descendants and it’s got all the Disney allusions that I love in it. However, that’s one of the issue I have with this book. For starters, it has way too many Disney references (specifically children of characters if you know what I’m saying) and expositions for them. Too much to the point where when a new offspring/relative is mentioned, it made the situation more cringey than it already is. Speaking of how cringe-worthy this book is, lemme tell you, it is. I swear, 80% of this book is just fluff, cheese, and cringe-fest. The writing is kinda childish for me. And I know this is a middle-grade book meant for younger teens, but other ones I’ve read wasn’t written like this, even the previous ones, I feel like. The characterization is just nonexistent at this point. Sometimes, characters do things and says things that is so dull and even out of character. Mal especially is really disappointing. For example, there’s this one scene where she was trying to convince there’s so much more to life than being evil. There’s love and friendship and blah blah blah, all that corny stuff and then she started crying? I know it’s sentimental to her past but come on, she’s “a big, tough girl. Ties [her] own sandals and everything” (Megara from Hercules lmao). But seriously, that wouldn’t happen. And Hades has no personality. He’s just the cliche, retired villain living in a cave. Where’s that sass? I really miss him and all I get is like 10 pages of him yelling, complaining, and being an idiot. Also, a plot doesn’t exist either. Sure, it kinda tells us the setting of the movie and foreshadows us the conflict a little bit (that’s the 20% of the book that I mentioned) but everything else is just stuff from the scale of I kinda care about to I don’t care about this at all.
If you wanna read the book yourself, go for it. I’m not gonna stop you. You might enjoy more than I did. But if you just wanna know the important things that happened just keep reading. My summary might be shorter than the synopsis lol.

The VKs and all the other people in their class is graduating. They’re gonna bring 4 more people from the Isle to Aurodon but no one wanted to sign up so the VKs have to go back to the Isle to convince them. Uma and Hades are trying to escape. They did along with Uma’s pirate crew (I think at least cuz that whole sequence was really confusing). They graduated and they’re gonna go their separate ways. Meaning Evie and Doug are opening a boutique and housing the 4 VKs that are coming for the summer, Carlos and Jane are gonna stay and mentor/help with the new VKs, Jay is gonna go the Robin Hood’s college, Lonnie’s gonna continue playing professional tourney, and Mal and Ben might go travelling for a bit.
I hope I didn’t miss anything.

[christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book overall wasn't bad, but not up to the fun and easily enjoyable of the first three. The book builds to the moment of climax toward the end, but doesn't deliver on all the time spent in pages before in building up to it, and definitely feels rushed, or like the author was told to scale back, it's incomplete, or feels lackluster in the form of an angsty inexperienced fan fiction writer than just wants to reach the bow tying at the end.

It is a nice companion to read before going in to watch the 3rd movies installment, but probably isn't necessary, just adds a little background to help flesh out the movie a bit better, in terms of what could be considered explanations to certain plot details or even "deleted scenes." (I.e. Having the VK kids of Auradon "recruit" more kids from the Isle, introducing Celia (Facilier's daughter), introducing Hades - Mal's Dad, building on Celia and Dizzy's friendship, hinting at Carlos' & Jane's Senior Year Reign and building on their relationship, etc)

Overall, still cutesy and fun, but doesn't live up to the fun of the previous three.

[Книжни Криле · Rating 4 out of 5]

Наследниците на Дисни се завръщат! При това далеч не само на екрана, но и (за моя голяма радост) на книжните страници. И изд. „Егмонт България” са се погрижили родните фенове на поредицата да не изостават. Четвъртият (и засега последен) роман от поредицата на Мелиса де ла Круз е вече тук! Готови ли сте за „Бягство от Острова на изгубените”?Прочетете ревюто на "Книжни Криле": https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/201...

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent finish to the series.

This book returned to the thing that makes this series so enjoyable in the first place: the Core 4. There was less Ben/less romance so that was a bonus. Beast continues to be the worst father/former King. Nice lead-in to Descendants and answered a few questions I had about the film!

[☆☆Hannah☆☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good read. The gang is together for once last adventure before they graduate. This one wasn't as good as the rest but was still enjoyable. They spent a lot of time trying to recruit students. The ending I saw was set up for the upcoming movie. However, I hadn't planned on watching it.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a cute book to read while I was in no mood for reading.
Descendants is one of my favorite movies and these books just help with the wait for the third and final movie.

[alisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly it was enjoyable but you really don't need to read this book to understand what happens in the movie

[Estíbaliz Montero Iniesta · Rating 3 out of 5]

3'5⭐

[Jessica (a GREAT read) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Escape from the Isle of the Lost brings an end to the Descendant book series by Melissa de la Cruz, but it's not the actual end, as that was what the movie was for. I was not aware how integral the movies would be for the plot and storylines of these books. In book 2, we had a recap of the movie events so you could easily dive into the book story, but that recap never came back for these next two installments which left me a bit lost.

So apparently big things happened in the second movie that led to the entire setup for this book. Since I didn't read it, I really had no clue what was going on with Uma and Hades, and the rest of the villains on the Isle of the Lost. Honestly, when I read that second book things were a breeze because there was that little recap. Now, it was a bit challenging.

Uma is planning her revenge once again for whatever Mal did to her in the movie. From what I gathered, Uma tried to steal Ben with magic, but it didn't end well, naturally. Now Uma has lost everything and she is gunning for revenge even more than before! She ends up teaming up with Hades in her plan to take down the barrier that keeps everyone a prisoner on the island.

Meanwhile, Mal, Evie, and Jay are all preparing for graduation, while Carlos still has another year to go. Mal and Ben come up with the idea that more villains' kids should be allowed to attend the school and be "reformed" like they were. In order to get applicants for this new project, Mal and her friends return to the island to do some recruiting. But what they don't know is that Uma is lurking in the waters nearby, just waiting for her shot a revenge.

Again, this book really had me at a loss what with not seeing the movie and not knowing what had happened or what Uma was capable of now in her new situation. She seems to have taken on some of her mother's abilities or at least form, or something like that since she seems to be confined to the ocean. Then of course, you add in Hades and I'm really thrown through the loop, because where did he come from all of a sudden?

While I felt like this series started out really strong, it sort of fell apart for me since I never made it past the first movie. This apparently was a series meant to be read along with the movies and if you decide to skip the latter, well, the books won't make much sense.

I did find myself skimming most of the pages for this one as my heart just didn't seem to be in it anymore once I caught onto the need to watch the movies in order to enjoy this one. I also didn't seem to understand why Mal's beloved Ben wasn't in the story as much either. My only assumption is that the books were meant to just focus on the villains' kids and not the newfound hero friends.

While this book did end mostly happily, there were still things being set into motion and enough cliffhangers to make one anticipate the next and final movie of the series, but again, I didn't really get into the movies. The first one was cute, but it wasn't enough to hold my attention fully, so I skipped out on the rest of the series. I had thought the books would work with the movies somehow and incorporate a bit of the movie storyline in with the book one, but I had that all wrong apparently! So perhaps that's why my enjoyment of the series started to dwindle after the second book.

While this series ended up not being one for me, I would still highly recommend it for the younger crowd or those who had enjoyed the movies! I do like the idea of having a book series work in and around a movie series, but if you never watched the movies, this series will be a bit hard to get through.


Overall Rating 2/5 stars

[Galy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me va a dar mucha pena decir adiós a estos personajes.

Este es el último libro de la serie Los Descendientes. Este cuarto libro se sitúa tras los otros tres y entre la segunda y tercera película.

Aquí nos introducen personajes que salen en la tercera película y preparan lo que va a ocurrir. También cierran algunos capítulos de las vidas de los protagonistas.

Ahora tengo muchas ganas de volver a ver la tercera película ya que tengo el contexto que me faltaba cuando la vi sin haber leído este libro. Y al haber visto la película antes de leerlo he podido imaginarme mucho mejor algunos escenarios que se introducen aquí.

Al ser un libro middle-grade se lee muy bien y es entretenido.

Con este último libro siento que, por un lado, no ha ocurrido demasiado para la trama. Pero, por otro lado, sí que han dejado muchas cosas preparadas para la última película y quizás se centran más en los personajes que en el argumento. Lo cual tampoco está nada mal.

A mi me ha gustado mucho volver a este mundo y conocer aún más de todo lo que tiene. Cierro una saga muy original y a la cual le he cogido mucho cariño.

[Karin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the last book in the series and comes in between the last two movies. Because my kids grew up, I haven't seen the third one, but the story makes it obvious by where it starts and ends (plus there is a plug for the third movie just after the book ends).

This time the four former villains head to the Isle of the Lost to encourage other villains' kids to apply to go to school in Auradon because the King et al have decided they will allow four more to attend. However, Uma has managed to sneak back in and gets Hades to help her in her plan to thwart Mal, get the remote to open the bridge between the Isle and Auradon, etc. There is one point to note, and that is in the first 3 books Mal always refers to her father as being a human, but in the second movie, which I saw long before learning about the books, her father is Hades and she always knew it, just kept it secret. However, I don't blame de la Cruz's --it could be that the screen writers, et al, decided this later and made a change with the second film.

[Emily T · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has hades in it and uma and,as u know, mal evie jay and carlos. Uma tries to open the isle barrier…….did she succeed? Read the book to find out! 😝THIS IS THE BEST SERIES EVERRRRRRRRRRR 😆😆😆😆😆😆

[fer bañuelos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hice un mega maratón de Descendientes para mi canal y la netflix deberían verlo, pinche video chingon. Click aquí.

Nunca creí que un libro de esta serie me fuera a afectar tanto.

Es una verdad mudialmente conocida que yo, Fernando Bañuelos, soy fan #1 de la serie. Me sé todas y cada una de las canciones al derecho y al revés, he visto cada película fácilmente 5 veces y tengo un poster de la tercera pegada en mi cuarto. Ahora, con los libros es una historia diferente. No los sentí como parte de la serie de peliculas porque los personajes se sienten muy ajenos a los que quiero tanto y además las tramas no tienen relevancia con la historia de las peliculas, pero este libro fue como un golpe al corazón.

Para empezar, este tiene una trama muy, muy buena. Es rápida, ágil e interesante. No se siente en lo absoluto tediosa y te atrapa desde el inicio. Además, por el final ves como la trama de este libro se conecta con la de la pelicula y el flow que se hace se seinte muy organico. Aquí amé a los persoanjes por completo porque me dieron ese sentimiento de familiaridad muy fuerte, pero eso no fue la razón por la cuál amo tanto a este libro.

Lo que más me afectó de este cuarto libro es el hecho de que los 4 protas se están graduando de Auradon. Estan por terminar lo que viene siendo su época de prepa y se sienten muy nostalgicos al respecto. Tienen miedo, inseguridad, terror a que la distancia y lo que quieren hacer cada uno los llegue a separar y que poco a poco comiencen a perder su amistad, y Dios mio, como me identifique con eso. La transición de preparatoria a universidad fue uno de los sucesos más importantes de este año para mi y el leer a mis personajes favoritos experimentar y vivir lo mismo que yo fue una experiencia un tanto surreal. He crecido con ellos y el sentirme cercano a Mal, Evie, Jay y Carlos por una situación así de verdad consolidó este libro como mi favorito de la serie.

Lo amé por completo y siempre, siempre, volveré a este nene cuando necesite sonreir.

[Angie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked parts of it, but you can tell that it was more of a filler and filling in gaps from the next Disney original movie. But they are kids books! So if another comes out I will read it!

[Aleta · Rating 4 out of 5]

This whole book felt very... unnecessary. Not much happened. At all. But as I am trash for Descendants, and Disney in general, I still immensely enjoyed it 😜

[Rustin Verret · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mal, Evie, Jay, and Ben are graduating soon and they want to go out in a bang. They want to help more Villain Kids come to Auradon and have a new life there. But there are a few problems. Ben is now king and he has a lot of new responsibilities even after he graduates. Mal is going to have a hard time persuading the Isle kids to come to Auradon. After all, not all of the kids want to be good. Some would rather be evil when they don’t realize their real potential for good. And finally, the biggest problem is Uma. She’s still out there biding her time until she attacks again. Will the graduates figure out how to defeat Uma or will they crumble apart?

I started getting into the Descendants saga at the end of fifth grade and I always loved fractured fairy tales. The first book came out before the first movie and the second and third books came out before the second movie. Recently, the fourth book in the series came out and the third movie is coming out later this summer. I was always obsessed with the books and movies and I loved how all the Disney movies were included in it. Sadly, the book language was too young for me in this book. The way the characters thought was obviously aimed toward younger readers. That said, I still liked the plot and all of the character growth that happened in this particular book. I am very excited to watch the third movie in August.

Next Up: City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab

Still reading: In the Shadow of the Sun by Anne Sibley O'Brien and The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

Still re-reading: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

Still listening to: Time Bomb by Joelle Charbonneau

[Tabby {Genie in a Novel} · Rating 2 out of 5]

Escape From the Isle of the Lost is the fourth book in the Descendants novels series, which serves as a prelude to the final movie, Descendants 3. It shows the characters dealing with what they plan to do with the next chapter in their lives, especially since neither Mal, Evie, Jay, or Carlos had really given thought to their futures when they’d been on the Isle (though we learn in this book that Carlos is a junior, unlike his friends). Meanwhile, the VK’s try to hatch a plan to get more villain kids on the isle to apply for Auradon Prep so that they can get off the isle and have a chance to better their lives.

So I have to say off the bat, I wasn’t impressed with this book like the others. As I mentioned, this book serves more as a way to give background information to the third movie. Just as well, it includes the little Descendants: Under the Sea scene in the middle of it… which again, doesn’t serve a purpose to the overall story-line. There’s really no “meat” to the story… it’s just empty. Honestly, there wasn’t really a need for this book because it’s not like it explained all that much in the movie that we couldn’t figure out for ourselves, whereas the first book in the series, The Isle of the Lost, gives background to these characters before the first movie, and it even gives background to King Ben’s decision to bring over some villain kids to Auradon.

If there had been a different plot to this book, then it might have been worth it. But if you’re a fan of Descendants and haven’t get read this book, I’d say hold off. While there are fun little nuggets in the book, it’s really nothing that you’ll miss terribly. Of course, that decision is yours. You might find that you like the book more than I did. I just personally think it doesn’t compare to the first two in the series.

[Rose Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Escape from the Isle of The Lost follows our main characters as they go on one last quest before they graduate and go their separate ways. Much like the previous books, they face some challenges, grow closer, and set up things for the next installment of the descendants journey.
Unlike the previous books, however, it isn't clear exactly what the next installment (the third movie) is going to deal with or who's planning what. The only inkling we get is the group setting things up for the next round of VKs transferring to Auradon, which I am curious and excited for, but it wasn't as good as the previous endings.
I enjoyed the book much like the others. It holds a certain joyful nostalgia that just sucks me in until I've read to the last page, this fourth book just wasn't as good as its predecessors.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read

This was a really great fourth book in this series. I like how it picks up after book 2, but also the second movie. It is a good bridge between the books and the third movie. The writing style is clear and easy to speed, though. I listened to the audio book, which is narrated by Sofia Carson (Evie from the movies). Her being the narrator helps to pull you right into the action.

[Danielle Nichole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Libby Audio: This book tried too hard to bring back the togetherness of the series, by reminding us nearly every chapter that three of the four villian kids were about to graduate high school and they wouldn't be able to be together much longer. I'm nearly 30 so it just wasn't for me. Is the intended audience high school or junior high? Because it feels young with the over explaining of every single plot point.

Read by Sophia Carson. #booksin22

[Alyssa Havilliard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I'm now officially in shambles. Knowing what happens in the 3rd movie after reading this genuinely makes me so sad for no reason at all. There was just something about this one that I liked more than the rest of them, so this one is very special to me. Overall, I give it 4.5/5 stars, and this is my favorite out of this series.