The Cracks in the Kingdom

Starred review from January 15, 2014
Moriarty's latest draws this world and Cello ever closer. Picking up just after the revelations that ended A Corner of White (2013) and ratcheting the stakes up even higher, this middle volume moves from a balance between Madeleine, in our world, and Elliot, in Cello (which is kind of fairyland, but stranger and more modern), to a tighter focus on Elliot and Cello's political situation. Elliot has teamed up with the seemingly airheaded but actually ruthless Princess Ko and the Royal Youth Alliance in search of the abducted royal family, who have all been spirited away to this world. Meanwhile, the search for Elliot's missing father has been taken over by a pair of agents, now that it appears Abel really was a Loyalist abducted by Hostiles; in this world, Madeleine continues learning strange facts that seem to have bearing on Cello. This is madcap, whimsical, smart and even heartbreaking, but Moriarty never drops the dozens of balls in the air. By turns coming-of-age and wild adventure (the Lake of Spells and the Turquoise Rain in Jagged Edge stand out), this volume complicates the characters, expands the worldbuilding and sets things up for a grand finish in the trilogy closer. Not for the impatient or new reader, but otherwise even better than the first. (Fantasy. 12 & up)

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Starred review from March 1, 2014

Gr 7 Up-In this lively follow-up to A Corner of White (Scholastic, 2013), Moriarty chronicles the ever-intertwining lives of Cambridge resident Madeline Tully and her secret correspondent Elliot Baranski, a quick-witted farm boy from the Kingdom of Cello. After discovering a crack between their parallel worlds, the teens have been exchanging letters through the gap, venturing on a tentative friendship that may be growing into something more. The stakes are higher in this second installment, with Elliot recruited to help save the missing royalty of Cello, who were pushed into Madeline's world in an attempt to destabilize the monarchy. Mixed in with the regal intrigue is a complex, moving look at families, friendship, and loss. The blossoming relationship between the pen pals, told in letters and through omniscient narration, is but one of the many charms this novel has to offer. Madeline's emotional growth enriches her interactions with her friends and teachers in Cambridge, who fans will remember fondly from the first book. Elliot's mission introduces the Royal Youth Alliance (RYA), an intriguing group of Cellian young people working (some reluctantly) toward a common goal. The RYA's work around Cello expands an already complex and intricately drawn world. Readers will be clamoring for the next title after the thrilling yet satisfying conclusion.-Elisabeth Gattullo Marrocolla, Darien Library, CT

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2014
Grades 7-11 Moriarty's The Colors of Madeleine series continues its odd, charming blend of fantasy, quirky humor, attractive geeky teens, and genuine compassion for those who have lost their health, family, or identity. This sequel to A Corner of White (2013) introduces many fascinating new characters but remains focused on Elliot Baranski, a farm boy in the Kingdom of Cello who has been risking his life to correspond with Madeleine Tully, a homeschooled Cambridge teen who lives with (and looks after) her confused and childlike mother. Our world and Cello further intertwine when Cello's Princess Ko selects Elliot to be part of the Royal Youth Alliance, a group of three clever, talented teens whose covert task is to assist the princess in finding the rest of the royal familythe king, the queen, and all her siblings have mysteriously disappeared. Elliot, however, would much rather find his own father, missing and presumed dead. Moriarty's magical kingdom boasts a rich and creative history, and her matter-of-fact and logically detailed narrative tone will appeal to Harry Potter fans.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)