The Crimson Shard

December 1, 2012

Gr 4-7-In this sequel to The Blackhope Enigma (Candlewick, 2011), Sunni and Blaise are lured through a doorway in a trompe l'oeil building into mid-18th-century London by the evil Throgmorton and his daughter, Livia. Put to work as virtual slaves with other boys in a house that doubles as an art factory, creating forgeries, they are desperate to return to their own time. As they escape and try to unravel the mystery around the house's owner, stolen paintings, and Throgmorton's ability to travel through time, they encounter various people who help and threaten them. The characters are appealing and the adventure is exciting and full of incident, but its meaning and significance remains elusive. Fans of the first book will most likely enjoy this one, too, and the door is left open for future adventures.-Sue Giffard, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, New York City

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2012
In the sequel to The Blackhope Enigma (2011), a villain abducts Sunni and Blaise to discover the secrets they learned while inside magical artist Fausto Corvo's painting. Using an elixir to take them through a trompe l'oeil door, Throgmorton traps them in 1752 London. While the two faced dangers in their first ordeal, the tale was also suffused with whimsy and light. This time, they must cope with a situation much harsher than any they have ever known. To force them to talk, Throgmorton holds them captive in an art academy, producing forgeries. After a fellow apprentice who displeases Throgmorton is sold to anatomists, they quickly stop complaining about the gritty clothes, bad food and dim candlelight, as well as the disruptive habit of first and second sleep--a setting so well-described, readers will feel and breathe it. With the help of two colorful thieves and a set of aristocrats seeking diversion, Sunni and Blaise escape and search for a magician who can help them travel back to the future. Youngsters will easily follow the action, whether or not they read the first book. The characters are richly drawn and the pace brisk, for Sunni and Blaise's window--or door, in this case--of opportunity is quickly closing. A gripping continuation. (Fantasy. 9-12)

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October 1, 2012
Grades 5-7 Sunni and Blaise visit a small London museum, only to be transported through time to the same location in 1752. Forced to labor in a workshop, they escape to the dangerous streets. When they return, grasping their only chance to get home, they confront their formidable nemesis from the previous adventure. Flavin brings the period setting to life with sensory details, portraying a London that is unsavory in any number of ways, from stench to poverty to crime. Combining adventure, history, art, and magic with mild romance, this fast-paced story is more intense and more satisfying than its predecessor, The Blackhope Enigma (2011).(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)