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An Author’s Odyssey by Chris Colfer

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3.5 Stars (3.5 / 5)

Land of Stories #5
This installment of the Land of Stories had a similar feel to Beyond the Kingdoms (book 4), but instead of traveling through classic literature, the Bailey Twins enter Conner’s original stories. It was great to get more original storytelling in and stretch the storybook world a bit more, and each of Conner’s stories was fun and unique. Unlike the last novel where I didn’t feel like we spent enough time in each story, An Author’s Odyssey let us explore each story more fully.

Overall, this was a much more Conner centric story that the previous installments, which I felt was long overdue. We also got some great focus on the twins dynamic, now that they’re more grown up and mature. It was nice to see them adventuring as a duo, instead of with the usual ragtag team of fairy tale accomplices. I commented in my review of Beyond the Kingdoms how much I enjoyed seeing them shine on their own, but this time they got to shine together and build their sibling bond. And after that ending, that bond will certainly be stretched and tested in the next book. All and all a great continuation of the story, with more complex and overarching plots that are leading into what I expect to be an epic conclusion.

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Beyond the Kingdoms by Chris Colfer

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3.5 Stars (3.5 / 5)

The Land of Stories #4
A fun continuation of the Land of Stories series. I particularly like the introduction of new worlds into the series, though I wished we could have spent perhaps a little more time in them. Each new land, which included Oz, Neverland, Wonderland, Sherwood Forest, and the world of King Arthur (pre-Camelot), only received a couple chapters of detail and I would have liked to have spent the whole book between these locations. I particularly liked Camelot; it was fun getting to see Arthur as a boy; one already knowing the great burden of the legend he would become. I saw the beginnings of a great character there, and I hope that he will be worked in again sometime in later books.

We see the return of our infamous “scavenger hunt” troupe in this book, but it is handled much more quickly and distinctly (with a bit of self-deprecating humor tied in). Oddly enough I think I enjoy the Bailey twins better when they are acting independently; and we got some of that, but not quite enough for my tastes. I feel like they grow and shine the most when they are separated, and that is where we get the best development in their characters.

Unfortunately, we were also left without a good climax in this story. Things were left mostly unfinished and the ending was a bit quick and lackluster; much more of a “to be continued” then a concrete ending. But I’m definitely starting to see the seeds of a grander plot, something that will test our heroes’ mettle to the max. I have a feeling that the final novels of this series are working towards a grand explosive finale, and I’m looking forward to reading it.

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A Grimm Warning by Chris Colfer

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4 Stars (4 / 5)

The Land of Stories #3
A Grimm Warning changed the pace for the series is a new and interesting way. I enjoyed getting to see the twins working and growing on their own, before seeing them thrust back together by dangerous foes. This is the first time that we see them adventuring separately and it created a great new dynamic. We’re starting to see the leaders that each of the twins can grow up to be, and that is exciting!

It was nice to get to explore a little bit more of “the otherworld” and the unexpectedly magical things Conner finds within. Since nearly all of the previous stories took place within the “Land of Stories” it was nice to go on an adventure back home too. I really enjoyed the introduction of some new characters from the mortal realm, especially Bree. I was disappointed, however, in the way that Bree seemed to disappear from the story for the second half. I wanted to continue to see her interactions with Conner (and would have liked to see some more interactions between her and Alex as well).

I also wished that we could have seen Alex struggle a bit more with her new found magic. She just seemed to already have mastered it and I wish we could have seen a bit more of that journey. And I really feel that we were missing the fallout of Conner’s disappearance in Germany (and Bree and Emmerich’s for that matter). I mean, the kids have been presumably missing for over a month; no parents are that understanding.

Overall a great addition to the series. I was glad to see that the style and plot line was changed up a bit from the first two. The ending leaves us with new questions that I look forward to exploring in the coming books.

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The Enchantress Returns by Chris Colfer

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3.5 Stars (3.5 / 5)

Land of Stories #2
The Enchantress Returns was a fun return to the land of stories as our heroes, Alex and Connor, begin to grow up and come into their own. No longer are they the confused kids that stumbled into the fairy tale world from The Wishing Spell. This time, they have a purpose and they prove themselves to be resourceful, dependable, and pretty darn brave. The ending surprised me and set us up for a new chapter in Alex and Conner’s story; one I can honestly say that I wasn’t expecting. I’m curious to see how the character’s adjust to the changes wrought by the novel’s end. I feel like book 3 promises to be a much different novel than its predecessors.

One thing that I found a bit disappointing: I felt the driving plotline was a bit too much of a rehash of its prequel. Once again the kids are searching for the fairy tale components of a magical spell. And to get them, they must travel far and wide across the land of stories. While the story in an of itself is very different, reusing this plot device again so soon seems a bit of a cop out to me. I hope that the future books in the series can break this mold.

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The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer

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4 Stars (4 / 5)

The Land of Stories #1
What happens after Happily Ever After?  That’s what “>The Land of Stories seeks to answer.  If you are a fan of classic fairy tales with a new twist, then you’ll definitely enjoy this series.  In The Wishing Spell, our young heroes Conner and Alex accidentally fall through an old family story book and end up in The Land of Stories, where all their favorite fairy tale characters are real and living out their happily ever after…or are they?  For the most part yes, but there are still dangers and challenges awaiting them, and we get to experience the world through fresh young eyes that are set on an adventure of their own — trying to find their way back home.

I have always been a fan of fairy tale retellings, and The Wishing Spell did not disappoint (though it is not technically a retelling, more like a continuation and reimagining).   Colfer breathes new life into the characters we know and love, giving them unique and interesting personalities.  A lot of characters make a cameo in these books, which would normally seem overwhelming to young readers, but as many of them are iconic characters from the fairy tales we already know, they just serve to further enhance the world.

I very much enjoyed the world that Colfer built, and the protagonists Conner and Alex and simply delightful.  While the writing is simple, its appropriate for the age group and yet still engaging enough to keep older readers interested.  Some of the themes explored in the story go much deeper than you typically see in children’s books, with an especially interesting look at the nature of evil.  I look forward to seeing the world expanded and going a bit more in depth with the characters as the series continues.

Since I listened to the audio edition of this book, which is read by Colfer himself, I thought I would take a moment to comment on how well done it was.  I’m relatively new to the audio bandwagon, but I have heard both good and bad audio renditions, and this is one of the better ones.  Colfer transitions seamlessly between different characters voices (and yes, every character has a unique voice), which makes it all the more interesting.  While I will likely continue with the series in print (audio is just a bit slow to take in), I definitely recommend the audio edition to those that are interested.