Beyond Platform 13

January 15, 2021
A case of mistaken identity will either be the salvation of a magical island or hasten its downfall in this sequel to the late Ibbotson's The Secret of Platform 13 (1998). Accessible only through magical portals called gumps which open for a period of nine days every nine years, the Island has long been a haven for magical beings and humans who still believe in magic. Immediately before the most recent gump opening, however, a group of prejudiced harpies seized control of the island and forced many of its inhabitants to leave. With only two days until the gumps close--stranding trolls, witches, wizards, ogres, and fairies in the human world for nine years--Odge Gribble, the now-teenage hag heroine from the previous volume, recruits Lina Lasky, a human girl from Vienna, to help reclaim the Island for all. In this somewhat contrived addition to the original fantasy classic, Pounder expands the world Ibbotson established and introduces questions of identity, community, and belonging, though emotional exploration takes a back seat to the action. In true Ibbotson fashion, the narrative generously applies appropriately childlike humor to each interaction Odge, Lina, and their friends have with the rather unglamorous mystical beings they encounter on their quest to defeat the harpies. A White default is assumed. An entertaining companion to Ibbotson's canon. (Fantasy. 8-12)

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