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Worldquake Sequence #2
Избраните
Ефимия Трулав и нейните приятели от Училището за надарени, проблемни и странни деца „Туситала" са изправени пред нови предизвикателства. Космическата мрежа току-що е предала страшна новина: Ефи ще умре този петък!
Какво ли трябва да бъде сторено, за да не се сбъдне зловещото пророчество? Максимилиан, Лекси, Улф и Рейвън са твърдо решени да защитят приятелката си от могъщите и зли Дибери. Заедно те трябва да спрат и коварната Скайлуриан Миджар, която планира да унищожи всички екземпляри от най-четената книга в Истинския свят – „Избраните". А дните от седмицата се изнизват все по-стремглаво и петъкът наближава...
„Ефи и нейните приятели са по-готини и забавни от магьосниците в Хогуъртс."
Financial Times
Какво ли трябва да бъде сторено, за да не се сбъдне зловещото пророчество? Максимилиан, Лекси, Улф и Рейвън са твърдо решени да защитят приятелката си от могъщите и зли Дибери. Заедно те трябва да спрат и коварната Скайлуриан Миджар, която планира да унищожи всички екземпляри от най-четената книга в Истинския свят – „Избраните". А дните от седмицата се изнизват все по-стремглаво и петъкът наближава...
„Ефи и нейните приятели са по-готини и забавни от магьосниците в Хогуъртс."
Financial Times
336 pages, Paperback
First published April 5, 2018
58 people are currently reading
878 people want to read
About the author
Scarlett Thomas
33 books1,840 followersScarlett Thomas was born in London in 1972. Her widely-acclaimed novels include PopCo, The End of Mr Y and The Seed Collectors. As well as writing literary fiction for adults, she has also written a literary fantasy series for children and a book about writing called Monkeys with Typewriters. Her work has been translated into more than 25 languages.
She has been longlisted for the Orange Prize, shortlisted for the South African Boeke Prize and was once the proud recipient of an Elle Style Award. She is currently Professor of Creative Writing & Contemporary Fiction at the University of Kent in the UK. She lives in a Victorian house near the sea and spends a lot of time reading Chekhov and Katherine Mansfield.
She is currently working on a new novel and various projects for TV.
She has been longlisted for the Orange Prize, shortlisted for the South African Boeke Prize and was once the proud recipient of an Elle Style Award. She is currently Professor of Creative Writing & Contemporary Fiction at the University of Kent in the UK. She lives in a Victorian house near the sea and spends a lot of time reading Chekhov and Katherine Mansfield.
She is currently working on a new novel and various projects for TV.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
April 6, 2018
I'm grateful to the publisher for an advance e-copy of this book via NetGalley. (I will be buying a copy too - look at the GLOW IN THE DARK cover!)
THERE IS MAGIC BEYOND THE REALWORLD...
EFFIE TRUELOVE has learned to travel through magical books to the Otherworld.
MAXIMILIAN UNDERWOOD, Effie’s classmate, is more interested in the dark and forbidden Underworld.
When Effie and Maximilian both mysteriously vanish, their friends Raven, Lexy and Wolf don’t know where to turn for help. Raven is a witch and her horse, Echo, has revealed that Effie is in deep danger and time is running out.
This is the second book in Scarlett Thomas's Worldquake series of children's books, following the adventures of Effie and her friends at the Tusitala School for the Gifted, Troubled and Strange. Their world is like ours - yet changed, in a way that is never quite described, by the Worldquake itself, which happened several years before at the same time that Effie's mother vanished. The effects of the Quake leave electricity scarce, the Internet flaky and a mysterious (and seemingly hostile) Guild in charge of magic.
And yes, there is magic here. There are journeys to other dimensions - the Otherworld and the Underworld. There is the (to a bookworm) entrancing idea that if you are the Last Reader of a particular book, you can be taken into it, experience the story, and return with "boons" - magical gifts that bestow abilities or confer protection.
This world was introduced in Dragon's Green, together with the idea that "Dageri" - book eaters (the horror!) - are preparing a bid for power. Effie and her mates defeated that plot, but the risk hasn't gone away. When copies of The Chosen Ones, the bestselling story of magical children written by Raven's mum, Laurel Wilde, begin to be bought up by the publisher, and Effie is the subject of a scary prophecy, it looks as though something's up again.
The Chosen Ones introduces us to wider aspects of this world - I don't think it was clear before that it was Earth: the action took place in a vaguely placed and unnamed town with no further details, but in this book we visit London and hear about other countries. Effie's group also encounter another school (in the course of a tennis tournament) - the pupils of Blessed Bartolo's are unpleasant to put it mildly, with "compulsory classes in fencing, stockbroking, dressage and advanced music competition". And they are pretty ruthless at tennis, giving Thomas a good chance to describe the play - it's clearly something she knows well (as with Raven's horse riding across the moor near her mother's house).
As well as exploring their world, in this story, Effie and the others begin to find out more about themselves too and how they fit in with the magic around them. This is partly through the advice in a book called The Repertory of Kharakter, Art and Shade (I want a copy!) which applies a system that reminded me of a roleplaying game: we already knew that Effie was a True Hero, now we discover what the other possible "Kharakter" types are and also that one has a secondary class, an "Art". It's a neat way to represent the experience we all have of wondering who we really are and what we are meant to be - not least because Thomas then throws some doubt over the who idea: there are traps as Effie tries to pin things down, and people who try to exploit her even as she searches for herself.
All this depth doesn't prevent The Chosen Ones being an exciting story, fast paced where it needs to be but also happy to ramble a bit, to give all of the kids adventures of their own even if these don't directly relate to the main story (or not yet: "Terence clearly had no idea how dangerous librarians can be, but that is a story for another time...") which contributes to the sense of this world as a rich, many-layered place.
Thomas has some fun in this book with the world of publishing. Not only are the magic-using children in Wilde's The Chosen Ones born that way (unlike the kids in Thomas's world where magic is scarce, but anyone can learn, if they try) but "they were all white... The Chosen Ones was set a very long time ago when people... spent their summer holidays being locked in the cabins of ships or kidnapped by gypsies." Laurel's publisher, Skylurian Midzhar, is a bit frightening as is children's author Terrence Deer-Hart who actually hates children and wants to write for adults. ("His books were far more distressing, complex and violent than Laurel Wilde's, though, and one of his books for older children had over a hundred swear-words in it.") The Matchstick Press logo is a matchstick propping an eyelid open. We are told that "the thing any author hates more than anything... is... other authors.
I enjoyed The Chosen Ones a lot. It picks up the threads of Dragon's Green and moves things on pretty sharply, letting us know a little more about the mystery surrounding Effie and the rest (but I'm sure there is plenty more to be revealed) and making sure the challenges they face are serious enough that they can't simply be brushed away by the abilities gained in the earlier story. In short, it feels real, challenging and interesting.
I would recommend.
THERE IS MAGIC BEYOND THE REALWORLD...
EFFIE TRUELOVE has learned to travel through magical books to the Otherworld.
MAXIMILIAN UNDERWOOD, Effie’s classmate, is more interested in the dark and forbidden Underworld.
When Effie and Maximilian both mysteriously vanish, their friends Raven, Lexy and Wolf don’t know where to turn for help. Raven is a witch and her horse, Echo, has revealed that Effie is in deep danger and time is running out.
This is the second book in Scarlett Thomas's Worldquake series of children's books, following the adventures of Effie and her friends at the Tusitala School for the Gifted, Troubled and Strange. Their world is like ours - yet changed, in a way that is never quite described, by the Worldquake itself, which happened several years before at the same time that Effie's mother vanished. The effects of the Quake leave electricity scarce, the Internet flaky and a mysterious (and seemingly hostile) Guild in charge of magic.
And yes, there is magic here. There are journeys to other dimensions - the Otherworld and the Underworld. There is the (to a bookworm) entrancing idea that if you are the Last Reader of a particular book, you can be taken into it, experience the story, and return with "boons" - magical gifts that bestow abilities or confer protection.
This world was introduced in Dragon's Green, together with the idea that "Dageri" - book eaters (the horror!) - are preparing a bid for power. Effie and her mates defeated that plot, but the risk hasn't gone away. When copies of The Chosen Ones, the bestselling story of magical children written by Raven's mum, Laurel Wilde, begin to be bought up by the publisher, and Effie is the subject of a scary prophecy, it looks as though something's up again.
The Chosen Ones introduces us to wider aspects of this world - I don't think it was clear before that it was Earth: the action took place in a vaguely placed and unnamed town with no further details, but in this book we visit London and hear about other countries. Effie's group also encounter another school (in the course of a tennis tournament) - the pupils of Blessed Bartolo's are unpleasant to put it mildly, with "compulsory classes in fencing, stockbroking, dressage and advanced music competition". And they are pretty ruthless at tennis, giving Thomas a good chance to describe the play - it's clearly something she knows well (as with Raven's horse riding across the moor near her mother's house).
As well as exploring their world, in this story, Effie and the others begin to find out more about themselves too and how they fit in with the magic around them. This is partly through the advice in a book called The Repertory of Kharakter, Art and Shade (I want a copy!) which applies a system that reminded me of a roleplaying game: we already knew that Effie was a True Hero, now we discover what the other possible "Kharakter" types are and also that one has a secondary class, an "Art". It's a neat way to represent the experience we all have of wondering who we really are and what we are meant to be - not least because Thomas then throws some doubt over the who idea: there are traps as Effie tries to pin things down, and people who try to exploit her even as she searches for herself.
All this depth doesn't prevent The Chosen Ones being an exciting story, fast paced where it needs to be but also happy to ramble a bit, to give all of the kids adventures of their own even if these don't directly relate to the main story (or not yet: "Terence clearly had no idea how dangerous librarians can be, but that is a story for another time...") which contributes to the sense of this world as a rich, many-layered place.
Thomas has some fun in this book with the world of publishing. Not only are the magic-using children in Wilde's The Chosen Ones born that way (unlike the kids in Thomas's world where magic is scarce, but anyone can learn, if they try) but "they were all white... The Chosen Ones was set a very long time ago when people... spent their summer holidays being locked in the cabins of ships or kidnapped by gypsies." Laurel's publisher, Skylurian Midzhar, is a bit frightening as is children's author Terrence Deer-Hart who actually hates children and wants to write for adults. ("His books were far more distressing, complex and violent than Laurel Wilde's, though, and one of his books for older children had over a hundred swear-words in it.") The Matchstick Press logo is a matchstick propping an eyelid open. We are told that "the thing any author hates more than anything... is... other authors.
I enjoyed The Chosen Ones a lot. It picks up the threads of Dragon's Green and moves things on pretty sharply, letting us know a little more about the mystery surrounding Effie and the rest (but I'm sure there is plenty more to be revealed) and making sure the challenges they face are serious enough that they can't simply be brushed away by the abilities gained in the earlier story. In short, it feels real, challenging and interesting.
I would recommend.
April 7, 2021
This is the second book in the Dragons Green series and like the first book I throughly enjoyed it. It was nice see how the original characters have grown and changed in this story and found it all very compelling and gripping just like the first.
I really enjoy books full of magic and adventure and this was very enjoyable and brought me back to the days when I read Harry Potter for the first time. Brilliant book! And highly recommend for any other magic fans out there.
I really enjoy books full of magic and adventure and this was very enjoyable and brought me back to the days when I read Harry Potter for the first time. Brilliant book! And highly recommend for any other magic fans out there.
October 1, 2022
Тази част не ми допадна толкова много колкото първата, но и тук има интересна идея.
July 5, 2020
I still really liked the characters and the world, but the plot was all over the place and it took a lot of time to really pick up.
October 2, 2018
Salve lettori!
Ho stoppato la lettura della serie “Throne of Glass” per dedicarmi ad un altro fantasy, stavolta un middle grade, uscito il 27 settembre grazie alla Newton Compton editori.
Sto parlando del secondo volume della serie di Scarlett Thomas “Dragon’s Green”, “Il potere del drago”.
Ritorna Effie Truelove con il suo gruppo di amici, sempre impegnati a capire cosa abbia in mente la Diberi e a tentare di fermarla.
Nel Reale c’è abbastanza fermento da quando così tante persone hanno avuto l’Epifania, cioè hanno scoperto il loro Carattere.
Per i bambini esiste addirittura un corso serale sulla magia.
Ma ad Effie non interessa il Reale, lei passa ogni momento possibile nell’Altrove, a Dragon’s Green precisamente, insieme ai suoi cugini e a Cosmo, così simile a suo nonno Griffin.
Ma la presenza della bambina è richiesta nel Reale.
Sta per succedere qualcosa, anche se i bambini ancora non sanno cosa, ma sono sicuri che ci sia lo zampino di Skylurian Midhzar, componente della Diberi; qualcosa legato al famosissimo libro “I prescelti” e a un evento di cui i bambini non hanno mai sentito parlare, lo Sterran Guandré.
In più, nella Rete Cosmica corrono notizie riguardo una profezia per cui, la notte dello Sterran Guandré, Effie morirà.
I suoi amici, ovviamente, faranno di tutto per proteggerla, ma chi proteggerà loro?
Lettori, è stato piacevole immergersi in questo secondo volume della serie di Scarlett Thomas.
Dopo la sofferenza che ho provato finito “Empire of Storms”, avevo bisogno di qualcosa di leggero, ma che fosse comunque capace di catturare la mia attenzione.
Le avventure di Effie e dei suoi amici hanno la giusta dose di avventura, catastrofi, preoccupazione ed eroismo.
Ma più di tutto, come anche nel primo libro, è l’amicizia a fare da padrona.
Effie il Vero Eroe, Wolf il Guerriero, Maximilian lo studioso, Raven la Strega e Lexi la Guaritrice, sono completamente diversi tra loro, ma i loro Caratteri li rendono il gruppo perfetto.
Oltre a questo, c’è anche il forte desiderio di ognuno di loro di proteggere e aiutare quegli amici che sarebbero disposti a tutto, anche ad andare nel Sottomondo, gli uni per gli altri.
Stavolta viene introdotto anche il problema del “non sentirsi abbastanza” e la paura di deludere le persone che contano su di te. E per mezzo di questo, i bambini preferiscono tenere tutto per sé, risolvere da soli, per non perdere la fiducia di chi gli è più caro, a volte rischiando anche di farsi del male, quando in realtà gli amici sono più che disposti a sobbarcarsi qualsiasi problema, ad aiutarsi qualsiasi sia il costo.
Viene data importanza anche al rapporto genitori/figli.
Anche se i rapporti sembrano andare alla deriva, c’è sempre un legame più forte che non ti permette di voltare le spalle, soprattutto nelle situazioni di pericolo.
Consiglio vivamente la lettura di questa serie ai ragazzi, può insegnare tante cose, e non solo dal punto di vista dei rapporti umani, ma anche per quello con i libri.
I libri in questa storia hanno un ruolo più che fondamentale. Reggono i diversi mondi, danno loro vita, permettono loro di esistere.
Hanno un potere immane, che può essere positivo quando ad usarli sono persone che desiderano il bene di tutti, ma anche estremamente negativo nel caso della Diberi, che desidera tutto il potere.
Questa storia dà importanza al potere della lettura, che permette di perdersi in altri mondi e vivere un’altra vita, o anche acquisire talmente tanta forza vitale da poter conquistare un mondo... letteralmente!
Scarlett Thomas è davvero brava a creare trame ricche di dettagli, particolari e piccoli colpi di scena, come anche a dare informazioni senza mai svelare troppo, lasciando sempre qualche dettaglio in sospeso per il libro futuro.
In più, il suo stile non stanca mai. Magari il fatto che i protagonisti siano dei bambini potrebbe abbattervi, ma la Thomas è capace di mantenere il lettore sempre sul chi vive, senza dilungarsi in descrizioni, ma facendo vivere milioni di avventure ai suoi protagonisti, in modo che la noia non abbia alcuna possibilità di comparire.
Probabilmente, dopo la lettura vi chiederete il motivo o il collegamento che il titolo italiano possa avere con la storia. Io sinceramente non l’ho capito e preferisco chiamare questo libro con il titolo originale, ossia “The Chosen Ones”, che mi sembra molto più appropriato.
Quindi lettori, se avete voglia di un fantasy che non abbia una trama troppo complessa, ma che sia comunque intrigante, e che nasconda anche significati un po’ più profondi, vi consiglio assolutamente di iniziare la serie “Dragon’s Green” e di accompagnare Effie e i suoi amici in tutte le loro avventure nei vari mondi!
Baci
Ho stoppato la lettura della serie “Throne of Glass” per dedicarmi ad un altro fantasy, stavolta un middle grade, uscito il 27 settembre grazie alla Newton Compton editori.
Sto parlando del secondo volume della serie di Scarlett Thomas “Dragon’s Green”, “Il potere del drago”.
Ritorna Effie Truelove con il suo gruppo di amici, sempre impegnati a capire cosa abbia in mente la Diberi e a tentare di fermarla.
Nel Reale c’è abbastanza fermento da quando così tante persone hanno avuto l’Epifania, cioè hanno scoperto il loro Carattere.
Per i bambini esiste addirittura un corso serale sulla magia.
Ma ad Effie non interessa il Reale, lei passa ogni momento possibile nell’Altrove, a Dragon’s Green precisamente, insieme ai suoi cugini e a Cosmo, così simile a suo nonno Griffin.
Ma la presenza della bambina è richiesta nel Reale.
Sta per succedere qualcosa, anche se i bambini ancora non sanno cosa, ma sono sicuri che ci sia lo zampino di Skylurian Midhzar, componente della Diberi; qualcosa legato al famosissimo libro “I prescelti” e a un evento di cui i bambini non hanno mai sentito parlare, lo Sterran Guandré.
In più, nella Rete Cosmica corrono notizie riguardo una profezia per cui, la notte dello Sterran Guandré, Effie morirà.
I suoi amici, ovviamente, faranno di tutto per proteggerla, ma chi proteggerà loro?
Lettori, è stato piacevole immergersi in questo secondo volume della serie di Scarlett Thomas.
Dopo la sofferenza che ho provato finito “Empire of Storms”, avevo bisogno di qualcosa di leggero, ma che fosse comunque capace di catturare la mia attenzione.
Le avventure di Effie e dei suoi amici hanno la giusta dose di avventura, catastrofi, preoccupazione ed eroismo.
Ma più di tutto, come anche nel primo libro, è l’amicizia a fare da padrona.
Effie il Vero Eroe, Wolf il Guerriero, Maximilian lo studioso, Raven la Strega e Lexi la Guaritrice, sono completamente diversi tra loro, ma i loro Caratteri li rendono il gruppo perfetto.
Oltre a questo, c’è anche il forte desiderio di ognuno di loro di proteggere e aiutare quegli amici che sarebbero disposti a tutto, anche ad andare nel Sottomondo, gli uni per gli altri.
Stavolta viene introdotto anche il problema del “non sentirsi abbastanza” e la paura di deludere le persone che contano su di te. E per mezzo di questo, i bambini preferiscono tenere tutto per sé, risolvere da soli, per non perdere la fiducia di chi gli è più caro, a volte rischiando anche di farsi del male, quando in realtà gli amici sono più che disposti a sobbarcarsi qualsiasi problema, ad aiutarsi qualsiasi sia il costo.
Viene data importanza anche al rapporto genitori/figli.
Anche se i rapporti sembrano andare alla deriva, c’è sempre un legame più forte che non ti permette di voltare le spalle, soprattutto nelle situazioni di pericolo.
Consiglio vivamente la lettura di questa serie ai ragazzi, può insegnare tante cose, e non solo dal punto di vista dei rapporti umani, ma anche per quello con i libri.
I libri in questa storia hanno un ruolo più che fondamentale. Reggono i diversi mondi, danno loro vita, permettono loro di esistere.
Hanno un potere immane, che può essere positivo quando ad usarli sono persone che desiderano il bene di tutti, ma anche estremamente negativo nel caso della Diberi, che desidera tutto il potere.
Questa storia dà importanza al potere della lettura, che permette di perdersi in altri mondi e vivere un’altra vita, o anche acquisire talmente tanta forza vitale da poter conquistare un mondo... letteralmente!
Scarlett Thomas è davvero brava a creare trame ricche di dettagli, particolari e piccoli colpi di scena, come anche a dare informazioni senza mai svelare troppo, lasciando sempre qualche dettaglio in sospeso per il libro futuro.
In più, il suo stile non stanca mai. Magari il fatto che i protagonisti siano dei bambini potrebbe abbattervi, ma la Thomas è capace di mantenere il lettore sempre sul chi vive, senza dilungarsi in descrizioni, ma facendo vivere milioni di avventure ai suoi protagonisti, in modo che la noia non abbia alcuna possibilità di comparire.
Probabilmente, dopo la lettura vi chiederete il motivo o il collegamento che il titolo italiano possa avere con la storia. Io sinceramente non l’ho capito e preferisco chiamare questo libro con il titolo originale, ossia “The Chosen Ones”, che mi sembra molto più appropriato.
Quindi lettori, se avete voglia di un fantasy che non abbia una trama troppo complessa, ma che sia comunque intrigante, e che nasconda anche significati un po’ più profondi, vi consiglio assolutamente di iniziare la serie “Dragon’s Green” e di accompagnare Effie e i suoi amici in tutte le loro avventure nei vari mondi!
Baci
May 26, 2019
„Поляната на дракона” от Скарлет Томас (изд. „Прозорец”) ме привлече моментално с красивата си корица и бях особено щастлив, когато се оказа, че и съдържанието, скрито зад нея е не по-малко пленително. От омагьосаната библиотека на дядо Грифин, през изпитанията й в приказното училище, до битката й със зловещия колекционер Ленард Левар, приключенията на младата Ефи бяха всичко, което човек може да желае от едно увлекателно детско фентъзи. А съвсем наскоро имах удоволствието да се потопя и в продължението на историята – „Избраните” е втората книга от поредицата „Светотръс” и с радост заявявам, че чакането й си струваше! Прочетете ревюто на "Книжни Криле": https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/201...
Read
June 3, 2020I've read some young adult fantasy recently because this is the only thing my brain can handle at time moment. This would technically be middle grade. Sometimes when reading books for a younger audience, I wish that I was the target audience because as a teen I would have loved this.
I didn't feel like that at all with this book (or the previous book in the series). I was swept away and so in the story. My adult fantasy loving heart got warm and happy.
This is funny, smart and action packed. So much going on and filled with imagination and fantasy.
Oh it made me so happy to be part of this world once again. As soon as I have read the 260 books on my tbr, I will be reading the next book in the series. And I'm so looking forward too it.
I didn't feel like that at all with this book (or the previous book in the series). I was swept away and so in the story. My adult fantasy loving heart got warm and happy.
This is funny, smart and action packed. So much going on and filled with imagination and fantasy.
Oh it made me so happy to be part of this world once again. As soon as I have read the 260 books on my tbr, I will be reading the next book in the series. And I'm so looking forward too it.
March 25, 2020
Gaaf hopelijk heeft iemand 3 te ruil!!
July 5, 2022
best fantasy ever
April 26, 2019
A slow start and not quite as good as Dragon's Green, but still fun and gripping.
MOST IMPORTANTLY my version of the book glows in the dark ooooooo
MOST IMPORTANTLY my version of the book glows in the dark ooooooo
July 21, 2018
This book made me feel all the good things.
and nostalgia. It felt like reading Harry Potter for the first time, but better.
I like the way the author plays with language and names, I like the magic system, and the kind of portal fantasy in here is great.
It feels innocent in the childhood way, and magical. as of yet I haven't discovered any huge or even small potholes in this book and the first one. There might be some, but those are probably loose ends to propel us into the third book.
These books are written in such a way you can read them separately or out of order and still get what's happening, even though there is clear character development in both installments.
Outside of the names, of which some have a J.K. Rowling type of creativity to them, I like the allegory of the yearning a lot. The way it totally fits depression and how a episode of depression can get worse.
The fear and anxiety that can come with it that suck up all your energy and how people don't feel like themselves.
It was done beautifully, even though it's not meant to be exactly the same.
And as a plus:v the focus and importance of books is put in this book in a great way too.
4.25/5 for the simple fact that I feel like the upcoming books have a lot of potential and there needs to be space in the rating.
Also I was growing irritated at times by the fact people constantly speak about themselves in third person. I feel like, when the perspective is clearly put on paper, we should be able to go to he and she at least.
and nostalgia. It felt like reading Harry Potter for the first time, but better.
I like the way the author plays with language and names, I like the magic system, and the kind of portal fantasy in here is great.
It feels innocent in the childhood way, and magical. as of yet I haven't discovered any huge or even small potholes in this book and the first one. There might be some, but those are probably loose ends to propel us into the third book.
These books are written in such a way you can read them separately or out of order and still get what's happening, even though there is clear character development in both installments.
Outside of the names, of which some have a J.K. Rowling type of creativity to them, I like the allegory of the yearning a lot. The way it totally fits depression and how a episode of depression can get worse.
The fear and anxiety that can come with it that suck up all your energy and how people don't feel like themselves.
It was done beautifully, even though it's not meant to be exactly the same.
And as a plus:v the focus and importance of books is put in this book in a great way too.
4.25/5 for the simple fact that I feel like the upcoming books have a lot of potential and there needs to be space in the rating.
Also I was growing irritated at times by the fact people constantly speak about themselves in third person. I feel like, when the perspective is clearly put on paper, we should be able to go to he and she at least.
November 4, 2019
2.5/5 ?
Por como había terminado el primero, pensé que la autora se iba a calmar con el mundo y su inverosímil e incongruente sistema de magia para centrarse en los personajes pero... no.
No me desagrado tanto como el primero, tho, aunque MARQUÉ LA CANTIDAD DE VECES QUE LOS MISMOS PERSONAJES DICEN QUE ALGO NO SE PUEDE EXPLICAR O "ES MUY COMPLICADO" as in, la autora no tiene idea de lo que está haciendo y necesitaba que eso funcionara así porque era conveniente para la trama (aka, tenía que intentar cerrar algunos de los problemas a los que se enfrentan nuestros personajes así que... TOMA ESTO DE LO QUE ANTES NO TENIAMOS CONOCIMIENTO Y QUE AHORA VA A SOLUCIONAR TU PROBLEMA).
Eh.. nada, le falta trazado de tramas y delimitaciones del mundo, así como adentrarnos más en los personajes con les que aún no puedo formar un vinculo.
Por como había terminado el primero, pensé que la autora se iba a calmar con el mundo y su inverosímil e incongruente sistema de magia para centrarse en los personajes pero... no.
No me desagrado tanto como el primero, tho, aunque MARQUÉ LA CANTIDAD DE VECES QUE LOS MISMOS PERSONAJES DICEN QUE ALGO NO SE PUEDE EXPLICAR O "ES MUY COMPLICADO" as in, la autora no tiene idea de lo que está haciendo y necesitaba que eso funcionara así porque era conveniente para la trama (aka, tenía que intentar cerrar algunos de los problemas a los que se enfrentan nuestros personajes así que... TOMA ESTO DE LO QUE ANTES NO TENIAMOS CONOCIMIENTO Y QUE AHORA VA A SOLUCIONAR TU PROBLEMA).
Eh.. nada, le falta trazado de tramas y delimitaciones del mundo, así como adentrarnos más en los personajes con les que aún no puedo formar un vinculo.
March 11, 2018
The follow-up to Dragon's Green (which I do think you need to read to make the most of this), The Chosen Ones sees the main characters developing their strengths, unearthing mysteries and digging further into the dastardly, convoluted plots of publishers and magicians.
I don't think I liked this as much as Dragon's Green; there's an enormous amount going on and it's all rather serious, making it difficult to warm to the characters particularly. The world-building is still very good, but ultimately I think this is a children's book written for adults. However, children who like books like Cornelia Funke's Inkspell series are likely to have the reading stamina and depth of understanding to give the Worldquake series a fair shake, and that's no bad thing.
I don't think I liked this as much as Dragon's Green; there's an enormous amount going on and it's all rather serious, making it difficult to warm to the characters particularly. The world-building is still very good, but ultimately I think this is a children's book written for adults. However, children who like books like Cornelia Funke's Inkspell series are likely to have the reading stamina and depth of understanding to give the Worldquake series a fair shake, and that's no bad thing.
September 21, 2018
I'm not sure why people keep comparing this story to Harry Potter. No offense, but HP is like a million times better! This story misses something. I'm not sure what.. Nah, I just can't find the story.
August 10, 2024
Blijft leuk!
August 19, 2019
Deze recensie is van mijn zoon Tim, 13 jaar.
Fee en haar vrienden weten beter wie ze zijn en wat ze kunnen met hun magische krachten. Ze komen er langzamerhand achter wat ze nog meer kunnen.
Fee vindt de bovenwereld een geweldige plek en daar wil ze zo vaak als ze kan heen. Maar dat wordt wel heel erg moeilijk als de weg om erheen te gaan van haar wordt afgenomen door haar vader. Pas als zij iets voor hem doet, krijgt ze terug wat hij van haar heeft afgepakt. Hij wil dat ze hem in ruil het boek De magiers geeft. Hij denkt namelijk dat hij daardoor een grote prijs kan winnen. Fee zet alles op alles om het boek te krijgen en zo weer naar de Bovenwereld te kunnen.
Dit is helaas niet zonder gevaar. Fee raakt vermist en niemand heeft een idee waar ze haar kunnen vinden. De vrienden willen samen op onderzoek gaan, maar ook Max is nergens te vinden. Hebben hun vermissingen met elkaar te maken?
Het wordt zelfs zo gevaarlijk dat het leven van Fee op het spel komt te staan. Zal zij nog op tijd te redden zijn?
Van uitgeverij de Fontein mocht ik ambassadeur zijn van dit boek. Waarvoor heel erg bedankt.
Dit 2e deel is veel spannender dan het eerste deel. Waardoor het lekkerder leest. Ook komen de jongens nu meer in het verhaal voor dan in Drakendal. Fee is nog steeds de hoofdpersoon, maar elk belangrijk personage heeft nu zijn plek in het verhaal gevonden.
Het boek gaat verder daar waar Drakendal is gestopt. De magische wereld is nu beter gevormd en daardoor begrijp je het als lezer beter.
Fee en haar vrienden weten beter wie ze zijn, welke krachten ze hebben. En ze ontdekken nieuwe dingen over zichzelf. De vriendschap is in dit verhaal denk ik wel het belangrijkste ding. Samen sta je sterk.
De personages groeien in het verhaal. Omdat ze meer hebben geleerd komen ze zekerder en ouder over.
Het verhaal is ook wat donkerder dan Drakendal, er zijn meer dreigingen en gevechten. Het is gewoon soms superspannend. Daardoor krijgt dit boek van mij absoluut 4 sterren
Ik kan niet wachten op het derde deel en ik kan niet anders zeggen, ik ben fan.
Fee en haar vrienden weten beter wie ze zijn en wat ze kunnen met hun magische krachten. Ze komen er langzamerhand achter wat ze nog meer kunnen.
Fee vindt de bovenwereld een geweldige plek en daar wil ze zo vaak als ze kan heen. Maar dat wordt wel heel erg moeilijk als de weg om erheen te gaan van haar wordt afgenomen door haar vader. Pas als zij iets voor hem doet, krijgt ze terug wat hij van haar heeft afgepakt. Hij wil dat ze hem in ruil het boek De magiers geeft. Hij denkt namelijk dat hij daardoor een grote prijs kan winnen. Fee zet alles op alles om het boek te krijgen en zo weer naar de Bovenwereld te kunnen.
Dit is helaas niet zonder gevaar. Fee raakt vermist en niemand heeft een idee waar ze haar kunnen vinden. De vrienden willen samen op onderzoek gaan, maar ook Max is nergens te vinden. Hebben hun vermissingen met elkaar te maken?
Het wordt zelfs zo gevaarlijk dat het leven van Fee op het spel komt te staan. Zal zij nog op tijd te redden zijn?
Van uitgeverij de Fontein mocht ik ambassadeur zijn van dit boek. Waarvoor heel erg bedankt.
Dit 2e deel is veel spannender dan het eerste deel. Waardoor het lekkerder leest. Ook komen de jongens nu meer in het verhaal voor dan in Drakendal. Fee is nog steeds de hoofdpersoon, maar elk belangrijk personage heeft nu zijn plek in het verhaal gevonden.
Het boek gaat verder daar waar Drakendal is gestopt. De magische wereld is nu beter gevormd en daardoor begrijp je het als lezer beter.
Fee en haar vrienden weten beter wie ze zijn, welke krachten ze hebben. En ze ontdekken nieuwe dingen over zichzelf. De vriendschap is in dit verhaal denk ik wel het belangrijkste ding. Samen sta je sterk.
De personages groeien in het verhaal. Omdat ze meer hebben geleerd komen ze zekerder en ouder over.
Het verhaal is ook wat donkerder dan Drakendal, er zijn meer dreigingen en gevechten. Het is gewoon soms superspannend. Daardoor krijgt dit boek van mij absoluut 4 sterren
Ik kan niet wachten op het derde deel en ik kan niet anders zeggen, ik ben fan.
December 5, 2017
The Chosen Ones is the second book in Scarlett Thomas’ Worldquake children’s fantasy series. It follows Effie Truelove and her friends Maximilian, Wolf, Raven, and Lexy, all of whom have different magical abilities following the ‘worldquake’ that made magical seep into the world they know. Effie is now able to travel into the Otherworld, where she wants to know more about the magical books that have so far impacted her and her friends’ destiny, and her friend Maximilian dreams of visiting the dark Underworld to see what lies there. But when both of them disappear, the other three realise something must be wrong. Soon they are all fighting a devious plot that relates to being the Last Reader of a book, something which holds huge magical power.
The book is as charming as the first in the series, Dragon’s Green. The emphasis on the importance of reading, books, and personal ability and individuality makes the series feel distinctive, whilst the quirkiness of the characters and scenarios (for example, magically powered tennis matches between Effie and Wolf and the strange pupils from a rival school) will appeal to children’s imaginations. The Chosen Ones combines various good and nefarious magical plots and jumps between the five main characters as well as some smaller ones, meaning that it is fast paced and doesn’t get boring.
Anyone who enjoyed Dragon’s Green will be pleased with this next instalment, which ups the drama and gives more information about the world of Effie and her friends. Despite being aimed at older children, the series has plenty of appeal for being read together with parents, or even adults picking it up themselves (there is, for example, a reference to Barthes’ famous ‘death of the author’ essay which is unlikely to be picked up by 11-year-olds). It will be good to see what Thomas does with future books in the series, particularly with the main characters who’ve not yet had as much focus as Effie and Maximilian.
The book is as charming as the first in the series, Dragon’s Green. The emphasis on the importance of reading, books, and personal ability and individuality makes the series feel distinctive, whilst the quirkiness of the characters and scenarios (for example, magically powered tennis matches between Effie and Wolf and the strange pupils from a rival school) will appeal to children’s imaginations. The Chosen Ones combines various good and nefarious magical plots and jumps between the five main characters as well as some smaller ones, meaning that it is fast paced and doesn’t get boring.
Anyone who enjoyed Dragon’s Green will be pleased with this next instalment, which ups the drama and gives more information about the world of Effie and her friends. Despite being aimed at older children, the series has plenty of appeal for being read together with parents, or even adults picking it up themselves (there is, for example, a reference to Barthes’ famous ‘death of the author’ essay which is unlikely to be picked up by 11-year-olds). It will be good to see what Thomas does with future books in the series, particularly with the main characters who’ve not yet had as much focus as Effie and Maximilian.
August 7, 2018
In Dragon's Green, the first book in her Worldquake middle-grade fantasy sequence, Scarlett Thomas introduced us to Effie Truelove, a young True Hero just discovering her magical abilities, and to her also-magical friends/classmates (Lexy, Maximilian, Raven, and Wolf), and to the shape of the world in which they live, where a lot of magical power is bound up with books and stories. In The Chosen Ones, the second book of the series, we get to see Effie learn more about herself and magic, and we also get to see her friends getting themselves and each other in and out of peril. There's a whole lot of plot, but the short version is that evil publisher Skylurian Midzhar is planning to use some bookish magic to give herself and her fellow villains a whole lot of power; it's up to Effie and her friends to foil that plan.
The Chosen Ones, like Dragon's Green, is smart and lots of fun: Thomas is an English professor, and it shows: there's one part where Effie and her friends are given a close-reading assignment as homework, and a great moment where Skylurian explains that she and her colleagues "at the Matchstick Press have always been subscribers to the theory of the Death of the Author" (350). Which isn't to say that the only delights of The Chosen Ones are the bookish moments: the mix of moments of action and moments of reflection really worked for me, as did the way the story shifts between Effie and others (mostly Maximilian, who goes on a few adventures of his own, and Raven, whose ability to communicate with animals gives her some early knowledge of crucial plot points). I also liked the mix of magic and other things: Effie isn't just learning about saving the universe, but also about friendship and sadness and how to take care of herself and how to let others help her when she needs it, too.
The Chosen Ones, like Dragon's Green, is smart and lots of fun: Thomas is an English professor, and it shows: there's one part where Effie and her friends are given a close-reading assignment as homework, and a great moment where Skylurian explains that she and her colleagues "at the Matchstick Press have always been subscribers to the theory of the Death of the Author" (350). Which isn't to say that the only delights of The Chosen Ones are the bookish moments: the mix of moments of action and moments of reflection really worked for me, as did the way the story shifts between Effie and others (mostly Maximilian, who goes on a few adventures of his own, and Raven, whose ability to communicate with animals gives her some early knowledge of crucial plot points). I also liked the mix of magic and other things: Effie isn't just learning about saving the universe, but also about friendship and sadness and how to take care of herself and how to let others help her when she needs it, too.
June 23, 2020
My name is Effie, and I truly want to know what I am. I know I'm a True Hero because I have the ring, but what else am I? Adventurer? Healer? Mage? I'm confused by some of my abilities, since they don't seem to fit together. Now, my father has taken my box of boons, and he won't give it back unless I give him a copy of The Chosen Ones. Most of them have been destroyed, since Albion Freake wants to have the only copy. It doesn't make sense to me, but Raven and I have figured out what he's up to. I can sense something is going to happen during this Friday's meteor shower, but what? And what's with the famous author following me around, trying to find out about my life? I need to get my boons back, so I can travel to the Otherworld. Hopefully, I'll find the answers I seek.
I suggest you read Dragon's Green first, since it sets the tone for the whole series. Effie spends much of her time in this book trying to "find herself". She has the True Hero ring, but there are two other unidentified descriptors. She thinks she'll be able to unlock all of her other abilities if she can fully understand herself. The plot mostly follows her adventures, not aware of a prophecy foretelling her death, with subplots involving other characters. Maximillian is pursuing new skills as a mage, Raven is protecting Effie and has close contact with the antagonist, and the antagonist has a master plan to become all-powerful and ruin everything. I like the teamwork of the characters, as they support each other and try to master their abilities. Prophecies are usually inflexible, but this book alters one after the events unfold. Other books leave wiggle-room for the interpretation of unclear prophecies, so alternative results are possible. Overall, I'm enjoying the series recommend you give it a shot. Again, start with the first book.
I suggest you read Dragon's Green first, since it sets the tone for the whole series. Effie spends much of her time in this book trying to "find herself". She has the True Hero ring, but there are two other unidentified descriptors. She thinks she'll be able to unlock all of her other abilities if she can fully understand herself. The plot mostly follows her adventures, not aware of a prophecy foretelling her death, with subplots involving other characters. Maximillian is pursuing new skills as a mage, Raven is protecting Effie and has close contact with the antagonist, and the antagonist has a master plan to become all-powerful and ruin everything. I like the teamwork of the characters, as they support each other and try to master their abilities. Prophecies are usually inflexible, but this book alters one after the events unfold. Other books leave wiggle-room for the interpretation of unclear prophecies, so alternative results are possible. Overall, I'm enjoying the series recommend you give it a shot. Again, start with the first book.
August 29, 2021
Effie Truelove is having a bad day. She has been expelled from magic class, and her father has taken her calling card that enables her to travel to the Otherworld. He promises to give it back if Effie finds her copy of The Chosen Ones, a book by Laurel Wilde. The only problem is that Laurel’s publisher is in the process of destroying all copies of the book in order to give businessman Albion Freake access to the only remaining copy. Effie’s friends are suspicious of this plot, and are sure it has something to do with the Diberi. Can they manage to figure out what is going on and save the world for a second
time?
I had a rough few days with a stomach bug recently and was looking for something fun and easy to read to take my mind off things. This was exactly what I needed when I was feeling down, and I read it in a day.
I loved being back in Effie’s world. We learn more about the different types of magic in this book, including the idea of kharakter, art and shade; which are the precise mix of magical powers people express. We already know that Effie’s karakter is True Hero, but she isn’t aware of her art or her shade yet. It’s fun to read about Effie’s journey to find out more about herself and her abilities.
We also spend quite a bit of time with Maximillian in this book too, as he learns and develops his abilities as a Mage. It’s fascinating the level of detail that Thomas has woven into her world building, and I
feel like there is still more to be revealed. There’s a couple of new characters introduced to us here too that I hope stick around for a while, particularly Leander Quinn.
I was genuinely concerned for some of our main characters at times. Effie faces a particularly difficult trial at one point in the book, and is relying on her friends to save her. Even though the logical part of my brain was telling me that being a book for younger readers it was unlikely that our hero would be significantly harmed, especially with another book to go, I still wasn’t reassured. I take that as a sign that I was fully wrapped up in the story!
I really like the way that Thomas doesn’t
let our characters take the easy way out – there’s no shortcuts or quick fixes due to powers they already know about. Each trial they face requires them to think, work together and perhaps even learn something new about themselves or each other.
All in all a lot of fun, and a series I highly recommend if you like middle grade magic and fantasy books. It is one to read in order though so start with Dragon’s Green.
time?
I had a rough few days with a stomach bug recently and was looking for something fun and easy to read to take my mind off things. This was exactly what I needed when I was feeling down, and I read it in a day.
I loved being back in Effie’s world. We learn more about the different types of magic in this book, including the idea of kharakter, art and shade; which are the precise mix of magical powers people express. We already know that Effie’s karakter is True Hero, but she isn’t aware of her art or her shade yet. It’s fun to read about Effie’s journey to find out more about herself and her abilities.
We also spend quite a bit of time with Maximillian in this book too, as he learns and develops his abilities as a Mage. It’s fascinating the level of detail that Thomas has woven into her world building, and I
feel like there is still more to be revealed. There’s a couple of new characters introduced to us here too that I hope stick around for a while, particularly Leander Quinn.
I was genuinely concerned for some of our main characters at times. Effie faces a particularly difficult trial at one point in the book, and is relying on her friends to save her. Even though the logical part of my brain was telling me that being a book for younger readers it was unlikely that our hero would be significantly harmed, especially with another book to go, I still wasn’t reassured. I take that as a sign that I was fully wrapped up in the story!
I really like the way that Thomas doesn’t
let our characters take the easy way out – there’s no shortcuts or quick fixes due to powers they already know about. Each trial they face requires them to think, work together and perhaps even learn something new about themselves or each other.
All in all a lot of fun, and a series I highly recommend if you like middle grade magic and fantasy books. It is one to read in order though so start with Dragon’s Green.
July 29, 2018
There is skullduggery afoot in the second of Scarlett Thomas’s WorldQuake series, as Effie and her slightly unexpected circle of friends have powers of various kinds but things seem to be going wrong. Effie and her classmate Maximillian have disappeared, Otherworld seems to be in danger of extermination, rules controlling relations between worlds the are being flouted and order breaking down and there is a serious powerplay underway that threatens the cultural order – Thomas builds a compelling crisis in her alt-world fantasy.
At the core of this series, and powerfully brought home here, is the value, pleasures and importance of reading, of books – this is a bibliophile’s piece of children’s writing. Thomas is taking a risk in taking on and keeping with the challenges of writing for children – that most demanding and unforgiving of audiences. She has identified the key components of the children’s fiction and of fantasy/alt-world writing, and while many of them are present here there is little that is formulaic; the young characters in particular are well-rounded (less so some of the adult characters, but then this is kid-centred series). It is well-paced with plot changes developing and becoming clear by being played out – there is little in the way of extraneous explanation – with a cliff-hanger resolution that avoids the dangers of the deus-ex-machina conclusion.
I’m looking forward to the continuing series, and remain impressed by Thomas’s versatility – literary fiction, crime fiction (her earliest work) and now children’s fiction.
At the core of this series, and powerfully brought home here, is the value, pleasures and importance of reading, of books – this is a bibliophile’s piece of children’s writing. Thomas is taking a risk in taking on and keeping with the challenges of writing for children – that most demanding and unforgiving of audiences. She has identified the key components of the children’s fiction and of fantasy/alt-world writing, and while many of them are present here there is little that is formulaic; the young characters in particular are well-rounded (less so some of the adult characters, but then this is kid-centred series). It is well-paced with plot changes developing and becoming clear by being played out – there is little in the way of extraneous explanation – with a cliff-hanger resolution that avoids the dangers of the deus-ex-machina conclusion.
I’m looking forward to the continuing series, and remain impressed by Thomas’s versatility – literary fiction, crime fiction (her earliest work) and now children’s fiction.
January 24, 2018
I'm always a little wary of starting a fantasy series in the middle of the adventure, but I couldn't resist getting an ARC copy because of the beautiful cover art and the idea of words being magic. Wow. I'm so glad I did.
Effie and her friends are a really engaging set of heroes and I was soon pulled into the story. Scarlett Thomas's world-building is amazing and I loved how we got to see the gang developing and honing their powers. The idea of boons and individuals having a special magical focus in particular was really clever. Don't even get me started on the awesomeness of the Last Reader: a cool concept to begin with and the way it's developed with words having more power if the books have been read a lot and been well-loved just made it for me. I loved how much humour there was in the book too, especially given how dark the "threat to humanity" portion of the plot became in places. Effie's English teacher and her response to authors' visits particularly made me laugh.
Definitely a new favourite series which I will be recommending to everyone I can!
**Thanks to Netgalley for giving me an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.**
Effie and her friends are a really engaging set of heroes and I was soon pulled into the story. Scarlett Thomas's world-building is amazing and I loved how we got to see the gang developing and honing their powers. The idea of boons and individuals having a special magical focus in particular was really clever. Don't even get me started on the awesomeness of the Last Reader: a cool concept to begin with and the way it's developed with words having more power if the books have been read a lot and been well-loved just made it for me. I loved how much humour there was in the book too, especially given how dark the "threat to humanity" portion of the plot became in places. Effie's English teacher and her response to authors' visits particularly made me laugh.
Definitely a new favourite series which I will be recommending to everyone I can!
**Thanks to Netgalley for giving me an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.**
June 14, 2023
Half of this book was good, and half of this book was tedious to get through. I'm getting a little tired of Effie being involved in heart-wrenching situations (dad is a total jerk to her, she gets scammed because she refuses to listen to advice). It ended up making me like Effie a lot less. The only redeeming piece is she actually realizes at some point that she's the one causing a lot of problems, and she feels bad and tries to make things better.
The plot is a little questionable, but I guess we're supposed to suspend our disbelief. The thing is, this series has all the elements of being cool and interesting and fun, but something is missing. Maybe it's because Scarlett Thomas is an adult author, and she approaches this book in a lot of ways like an adult. It means the story is missing some key magic (not literally, but the sparkle that's present in the best kid fantasy books is absent here). If she could find that magic, that innocent hopeful wonder, then this series could really be something. If not, then it's just a depressing take on issues we face in our world all the time.
The plot is a little questionable, but I guess we're supposed to suspend our disbelief. The thing is, this series has all the elements of being cool and interesting and fun, but something is missing. Maybe it's because Scarlett Thomas is an adult author, and she approaches this book in a lot of ways like an adult. It means the story is missing some key magic (not literally, but the sparkle that's present in the best kid fantasy books is absent here). If she could find that magic, that innocent hopeful wonder, then this series could really be something. If not, then it's just a depressing take on issues we face in our world all the time.
April 25, 2018
The second installment of The Worldquake Sequence continues the lighthearted adventure which began in Dragon's Green. I wasn't grabbed as much as this time round, which isn't to say this is a bad book, but I think I expected more. This is squarely aimed at the 9-11 years old demographic, so my disappointment could in part be due to being over 20 years older than the target audience. Regardless, I do hope that this series grows up a little, similar to how Harry Potter novels "aged" with their young readers. This could well be the plan. After all, remember Chamber of Secrets? I did enjoy The Chosen Ones; it had some interesting use of subtle misdirection, various ominous circumstances, and the characters are consistent if only lacking a bit of depth. There's some good humour scattered throughout too, with some nice nods to the older reader. If you're 9-11 years old, you could well love this book - it's definitely a well crafted concept and Scarlett Thomas describes some fantastic worlds in which the reader can pleasantly while-away an evening or two.
June 28, 2018
The Chosen Ones (Worldquake #2) by Scarlett Thomas, 374 pages. Simon & Shuster, 2018. $18.
Content: G (2 swears, 0 ‘f’).
EL, MS – ADVISABLE
Effie and her friends managed to avert danger and each of them has at least one magical boon and a special power. As they learn more about magic big threat is looming on the horizon. They are distracted by troubles at home and school, though, and it may almost be too late when they realize who their enemy is and what they are trying to do. If they can’t rally themselves and prevail, it is the worlds on both sides of the divide that will be in danger.
While Effie’s story and the enemy are a heroic tale, but the first half of the book seems to be scattered and confusing and Thomas takes the time to give each of the group a storyline of their own. The rival school team is a weird bit of inclusion – same with the guest author at school who then stalks Effie. Tighter editing would have done wonders for this.
Cindy, Middle School Librarian
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
Content: G (2 swears, 0 ‘f’).
EL, MS – ADVISABLE
Effie and her friends managed to avert danger and each of them has at least one magical boon and a special power. As they learn more about magic big threat is looming on the horizon. They are distracted by troubles at home and school, though, and it may almost be too late when they realize who their enemy is and what they are trying to do. If they can’t rally themselves and prevail, it is the worlds on both sides of the divide that will be in danger.
While Effie’s story and the enemy are a heroic tale, but the first half of the book seems to be scattered and confusing and Thomas takes the time to give each of the group a storyline of their own. The rival school team is a weird bit of inclusion – same with the guest author at school who then stalks Effie. Tighter editing would have done wonders for this.
Cindy, Middle School Librarian
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
April 5, 2020
I read the first book Dragon's Green in April 2018, and i absolutely loved it.
The Chosen Ones is about a group of friends with different magic powers. Effie is a hero, Wolf is a warrior, Maximilian is a mage, Lexy is a healer, and Raven is a witch.
In this book, Effie is foreseen to die but her friends does not tell her because of this basic rule:
when the servant sees Death in the marketplace, Death raises his scythe and so the servant flees. The servant then borrows his master’s horse and rides to Samarra, where he goes into hiding. Later, the master goes to the marketplace and finds Death still there. He asks him why he frightened his servant. Death says that he didn’t mean to, but he was surprised to see the servant in Baghdad when he had an appointment with him later in Samarra.
So Effie's friends did not want her knowing for fear she might do something to avoid death but end up causing her to face death instead.
Without spoilers, Effie in fact was drained of her life force unintentionally. To find out what caused it and if she survived, you gotta read it.
The Chosen Ones is about a group of friends with different magic powers. Effie is a hero, Wolf is a warrior, Maximilian is a mage, Lexy is a healer, and Raven is a witch.
In this book, Effie is foreseen to die but her friends does not tell her because of this basic rule:
when the servant sees Death in the marketplace, Death raises his scythe and so the servant flees. The servant then borrows his master’s horse and rides to Samarra, where he goes into hiding. Later, the master goes to the marketplace and finds Death still there. He asks him why he frightened his servant. Death says that he didn’t mean to, but he was surprised to see the servant in Baghdad when he had an appointment with him later in Samarra.
So Effie's friends did not want her knowing for fear she might do something to avoid death but end up causing her to face death instead.
Without spoilers, Effie in fact was drained of her life force unintentionally. To find out what caused it and if she survived, you gotta read it.
November 26, 2017
(over to my ten year old daughter for her review:)
This great story is the sequel to Dragon’s Green. It continues with the story of Euphemia Truelove (Effie) whose mother, Aurelia Truelove, disappeared on the night of the Worldquake - a worldwide earthquake which deleted all technology. Effie finds out that she is a True Hero shortly after her grandfather, Griffin, is murdered by a Diberi (Book Eater). In this book, the villain Skylurian Midzhar - a Diberi - is burning all the copies of The Chosen Ones, a book about magic. When there is only one copy, she plans to be its last reader to travel to inside the book and never return, absorbing all the power from the book. Will Effie and her friends save the day?
I enjoyed this book because it is funny, gripping and emotional. The plot is very clever because when you think that you’ve completed the puzzle, something happens to prove you wrong. I think it should be rated 5 stars.
This great story is the sequel to Dragon’s Green. It continues with the story of Euphemia Truelove (Effie) whose mother, Aurelia Truelove, disappeared on the night of the Worldquake - a worldwide earthquake which deleted all technology. Effie finds out that she is a True Hero shortly after her grandfather, Griffin, is murdered by a Diberi (Book Eater). In this book, the villain Skylurian Midzhar - a Diberi - is burning all the copies of The Chosen Ones, a book about magic. When there is only one copy, she plans to be its last reader to travel to inside the book and never return, absorbing all the power from the book. Will Effie and her friends save the day?
I enjoyed this book because it is funny, gripping and emotional. The plot is very clever because when you think that you’ve completed the puzzle, something happens to prove you wrong. I think it should be rated 5 stars.
April 29, 2021
Na deel 1 heb ik ook deel 2 gelezen in een buddyread met Alex & Zwaantina.
Verrassend genoeg lopen onze meningen meer uiteen dan normaal het geval is!
Laat je dus niet tegenhouden door mijn mening over dit boek, want wie weet vind jij hem wél heel erg leuk. Helaas was dit voor mij niet het geval. Er waren een aantal dingen die mij tegenhielden om van dit boek te genieten.
1. Ik miste ontzettend de humor in dit boek. Deel 1 vond ik heel grappig en daar moest ik regelmatig hardop om lachen, maar dat had ik helemaal niet in dit boek.
2. Ik vind het niet echt een goede voorbeeldfunctie hebben voor kinderen. Het is een kinderboek, maar geen enkel kind in dit boek heeft bijvoorbeeld een veilige thuissituatie en geen van allen voelt wroeging als ze iets slechts hebben gedaan.
3. Het voelde echt als een tussendeel. Er gebeurde weinig en er werd al helemaal niets opgelost.
4. Het laatste stuk. De grootste actie, kon ik totaal niet voor me zien! Ik heb het meerdere keren gelezen en het toen gefrustreerd opgegeven.
Ik ben toch wel erg benieuwd naar deel 3, want dit voelde echt als een grote opbouw naar een ultieme climax. Dat boek móet wel vol actie zitten.
Verrassend genoeg lopen onze meningen meer uiteen dan normaal het geval is!
Laat je dus niet tegenhouden door mijn mening over dit boek, want wie weet vind jij hem wél heel erg leuk. Helaas was dit voor mij niet het geval. Er waren een aantal dingen die mij tegenhielden om van dit boek te genieten.
1. Ik miste ontzettend de humor in dit boek. Deel 1 vond ik heel grappig en daar moest ik regelmatig hardop om lachen, maar dat had ik helemaal niet in dit boek.
2. Ik vind het niet echt een goede voorbeeldfunctie hebben voor kinderen. Het is een kinderboek, maar geen enkel kind in dit boek heeft bijvoorbeeld een veilige thuissituatie en geen van allen voelt wroeging als ze iets slechts hebben gedaan.
3. Het voelde echt als een tussendeel. Er gebeurde weinig en er werd al helemaal niets opgelost.
4. Het laatste stuk. De grootste actie, kon ik totaal niet voor me zien! Ik heb het meerdere keren gelezen en het toen gefrustreerd opgegeven.
Ik ben toch wel erg benieuwd naar deel 3, want dit voelde echt als een grote opbouw naar een ultieme climax. Dat boek móet wel vol actie zitten.
April 27, 2021
Not the best of starts, but Book#2 defensively got better near the end. 3.5 stars
Fee&Co are back, but things aren't all good. The Diberi are still plotting mischief and both Fee and her friends could be in danger.
In all honesty I wasn't blown away in the first half of this novel. There was a slow start, with divergent storylines that didn't have anything to do with each other. On top of that the whole story somehow felt unpleasant. Just a bit to dark, just a bit to nasty to be comfortable. However as the story progressed thing improved quite a bit. The pace picked up, storylines converged and, we as the readers finally get a feeling for the larger world. This last bit helpt enormously to add depth to a world that felt somehow felt empty aside from the few places our characters visited.
Overall this was a good read. Aside from the opening, I've enjoyed myself.
Its likely I'll also be reading the third novel in this series in my continued buddyread.
Fee&Co are back, but things aren't all good. The Diberi are still plotting mischief and both Fee and her friends could be in danger.
In all honesty I wasn't blown away in the first half of this novel. There was a slow start, with divergent storylines that didn't have anything to do with each other. On top of that the whole story somehow felt unpleasant. Just a bit to dark, just a bit to nasty to be comfortable. However as the story progressed thing improved quite a bit. The pace picked up, storylines converged and, we as the readers finally get a feeling for the larger world. This last bit helpt enormously to add depth to a world that felt somehow felt empty aside from the few places our characters visited.
Overall this was a good read. Aside from the opening, I've enjoyed myself.
Its likely I'll also be reading the third novel in this series in my continued buddyread.
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