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bookish_mrs_w's review against another edition
2.0
I hadn’t planned on this. I adore the Disney Descendants franchise and I wanted to know more about some of the other VKs that aren’t in the movies but have been popping up in the novels. It was a cute quick read. It had a sweet message about friendships, but it doesn’t really add to the other novels and movies as a whole. I don’t know that I’ll pick up the other books in this series.
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sterling_stephens's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
ionlyseedaylight's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
housedesignerking's review against another edition
challenging
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
I am very confused with the way Jessica Brody and Disney have given CJ, the daughter of Captain Hook, her departure off the Isle. If you watch the first movie, it is a point made that magic is not possible there (it's mentioned in the prologue as well), and yet CJ and her friend, Freddie (The daughter of Dr. Facilier) are magically transported to Auradon Prep thanks to a puff of smoke from a magic lamp that was on the isle. Its even reiterated on pg 15 that there is no magic on the isle.
By pg 38, I began wondering if the idea for creating this story was to basically take the first movie, remove the four main characters, and replace them with just CJ and Freddie; CJ as Mal's replacement, and Freddie as some sort of replacement for Evie.... and have the same places in it, but change what's happening. It just feels like some of the things are the same as the first movie.
Also by pg 38, there was a convo between Mal, Evie, Freddie, and Audrey (Queen Aurora's daughter), but it was brief. It honestly read like someone was recounting stuff they did....
On pg 52, CJ is in the museum and is able to lift a stone off of a display, and on pg 53, she was able to take a key that was beneath the stone... but but but... in the movie, Jay was thrown backwards when he tried to do the very same thing with the fairy Godmother's wand.... so.... I'm confused??? Was this a less protected display, or??
Pg 67, they're heading to the enchanted lake.... they did that in...the movie, too.... just for another reason. On pg 69, (the Neon Lights Ball) it says that Frankie's new friends found out they'd been hiding CJ in her room the whole time, but doesn't mention any kind of response....like say...reporting it to Fairy Godmother???
Ok... second star to the right, and straight on till morning. In the sky... That's how Peter Pan got Wendy and her siblings to Neverland. So, why, on page 139 does CJ only have to row her boat North of the harbor? I'm still confused.
Well, it definitely was not what I was expecting or initially hoping for. It was a treasure hunt outside of the school. I was kind of hoping for a story that took place inside the school, but maybe Brody and Disney thought that would be a little too Harry Potter-y? It sure seems that way.
At the beginning of this story, it states that CJ and Frankie found that magic lamp and wished themselves to Auradon Prep (or just to Auradon?), and that Frankie was allowed to enroll, but it is never specified how King Ben knew Frankie was there, not that CJ was. It also is never specified what King Ben's thought process was on her arrival. Was Frankie scheduled to arrive anyway, so he just allowed it earlier than planned? Was this planned at all? Or did he just say, 'Why the heck not?'
.... The story as a whole isn't horrible... It almost reads like a fan fic. I'm gonna give this 2 stars.
By pg 38, I began wondering if the idea for creating this story was to basically take the first movie, remove the four main characters, and replace them with just CJ and Freddie; CJ as Mal's replacement, and Freddie as some sort of replacement for Evie.... and have the same places in it, but change what's happening. It just feels like some of the things are the same as the first movie.
Also by pg 38, there was a convo between Mal, Evie, Freddie, and Audrey (Queen Aurora's daughter), but it was brief. It honestly read like someone was recounting stuff they did....
On pg 52, CJ is in the museum and is able to lift a stone off of a display, and on pg 53, she was able to take a key that was beneath the stone... but but but... in the movie, Jay was thrown backwards when he tried to do the very same thing with the fairy Godmother's wand.... so.... I'm confused??? Was this a less protected display, or??
Pg 67, they're heading to the enchanted lake.... they did that in...the movie, too.... just for another reason. On pg 69, (the Neon Lights Ball) it says that Frankie's new friends found out they'd been hiding CJ in her room the whole time, but doesn't mention any kind of response....like say...reporting it to Fairy Godmother???
Ok... second star to the right, and straight on till morning. In the sky... That's how Peter Pan got Wendy and her siblings to Neverland. So, why, on page 139 does CJ only have to row her boat North of the harbor? I'm still confused.
Well, it definitely was not what I was expecting or initially hoping for. It was a treasure hunt outside of the school. I was kind of hoping for a story that took place inside the school, but maybe Brody and Disney thought that would be a little too Harry Potter-y? It sure seems that way.
At the beginning of this story, it states that CJ and Frankie found that magic lamp and wished themselves to Auradon Prep (or just to Auradon?), and that Frankie was allowed to enroll, but it is never specified how King Ben knew Frankie was there, not that CJ was. It also is never specified what King Ben's thought process was on her arrival. Was Frankie scheduled to arrive anyway, so he just allowed it earlier than planned? Was this planned at all? Or did he just say, 'Why the heck not?'
.... The story as a whole isn't horrible... It almost reads like a fan fic. I'm gonna give this 2 stars.
malakmazen's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
authorjendesmarais's review against another edition
4.0
This was a fun romp, with a very detailed treasure hunt that had some excellent surprises! I look forward to the next one!
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