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traceyyoung's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
maya_b's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
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? No
4.5
Dieses Buch ist ein in meinen Augen würdiger Abschluss der Reihe, und ich hatte wirklich viel Spaß daran, Arlo ein weiteres Mal auf seiner Reise zu begleiten.
Leider hatte ich das Gefühl, dass einige Dinge zu kurz kamen oder ein paar Fragen offen geblieben sind, von denen ich aber auch nicht unbedingt wüsste, wie oder wo man in dieses Buch noch Antworten hätte hineinschreiben sollen, abgesehen davon war es aber wieder wirklich super. Auch teils erstaunlich brutal, muss ich sagen, und auf einem in meinen Augen anderen Level als die ersten zwei Bände, aber mir persönlich hat's durchaus gefallen.
Auch gibt es zwar ein paar Dinge, die ich nicht unbedingt zufriedenstellend fand, wie sie am Ende ausgingen, aber gleichzeitig passe es alles wirklich gut in die Welt, also war es jetzt auch nichts, was mich wirklich gestört hat.
Und inhaltlich hatte ich wieder eine Menge Freude an allem. Es war toll, diesmal so viel mehr von den Long Woods zu sehen, und ich habe mich auch gefreut, wie sich die Figuren über die Zeit entwickelt haben, und dass man einen Unterschied zum ersten Buch so stark gemerkt hat. Auch finde ich es super, dass man zwar in allen Büchern merkt, dass Arlo etwas besonderes ist, aber er ist nie zu besonders, oder kann alles, oder braucht deshalb niemanden. Ich finde es wirklich erfrischend, zu lesen, wie jemand mit seinen Fähigkeiten trotzdem auch nur ein ganz normales Kind ist. Und auch die Nebenfiguren waren wieder toll. Generell waren die Charaktere wie so oft wirklich fantastisch (ein zwei Nebenfiguren/"Gegenspieler" gingen mir vielleicht auf die Nerven, aber den Rest fand ich echt stark), die Geschichte war spannend erzählt, und ich war auch sehr zufrieden mit dem Ausgang insgesamt und dem allerletzten Kapitel. Das fühlte sich alles echt ziemlich passend an. Es hätte zwar auch durchaus mehr sein können, oder ich hätte nichts dagegen, generell mehr Bücher der Reihe zu Gesicht zu bekommen, aber es passt auch so, wie es aufgehört hat.
Insgesamt eine wirklich schöne Buchreihe, die jetzt zum Ende teils überraschend düster wurde, auch wenn man damit vermutlich hätte rechnen können, insgesamt aber trotzdem sehr "leicht" geschrieben war, und einen mit seiner magischen Stimmung eher fröhlich als unglücklich zurücklässt, oder so habe ich es empfunden.
Leider hatte ich das Gefühl, dass einige Dinge zu kurz kamen oder ein paar Fragen offen geblieben sind, von denen ich aber auch nicht unbedingt wüsste, wie oder wo man in dieses Buch noch Antworten hätte hineinschreiben sollen, abgesehen davon war es aber wieder wirklich super. Auch teils erstaunlich brutal, muss ich sagen, und auf einem in meinen Augen anderen Level als die ersten zwei Bände, aber mir persönlich hat's durchaus gefallen.
Auch gibt es zwar ein paar Dinge, die ich nicht unbedingt zufriedenstellend fand, wie sie am Ende ausgingen, aber gleichzeitig passe es alles wirklich gut in die Welt, also war es jetzt auch nichts, was mich wirklich gestört hat.
Und inhaltlich hatte ich wieder eine Menge Freude an allem. Es war toll, diesmal so viel mehr von den Long Woods zu sehen, und ich habe mich auch gefreut, wie sich die Figuren über die Zeit entwickelt haben, und dass man einen Unterschied zum ersten Buch so stark gemerkt hat. Auch finde ich es super, dass man zwar in allen Büchern merkt, dass Arlo etwas besonderes ist, aber er ist nie zu besonders, oder kann alles, oder braucht deshalb niemanden. Ich finde es wirklich erfrischend, zu lesen, wie jemand mit seinen Fähigkeiten trotzdem auch nur ein ganz normales Kind ist. Und auch die Nebenfiguren waren wieder toll. Generell waren die Charaktere wie so oft wirklich fantastisch (ein zwei Nebenfiguren/"Gegenspieler" gingen mir vielleicht auf die Nerven, aber den Rest fand ich echt stark), die Geschichte war spannend erzählt, und ich war auch sehr zufrieden mit dem Ausgang insgesamt und dem allerletzten Kapitel. Das fühlte sich alles echt ziemlich passend an. Es hätte zwar auch durchaus mehr sein können, oder ich hätte nichts dagegen, generell mehr Bücher der Reihe zu Gesicht zu bekommen, aber es passt auch so, wie es aufgehört hat.
Insgesamt eine wirklich schöne Buchreihe, die jetzt zum Ende teils überraschend düster wurde, auch wenn man damit vermutlich hätte rechnen können, insgesamt aber trotzdem sehr "leicht" geschrieben war, und einen mit seiner magischen Stimmung eher fröhlich als unglücklich zurücklässt, oder so habe ich es empfunden.
lavoiture's review against another edition
4.0
My son's name is Arlo and we also live in Colorado so I'm legally required to read this book.
Not perfect, but it's a fun trilogy.
Not perfect, but it's a fun trilogy.
jacobblank's review against another edition
4.0
Not quite the ending I was hoping for, but it was a satisfying and thoughtful ending nonetheless. Funny and engaging as ever while similarly raising interesting talking points between you and the young person you’re reading with.
Ultimately, there is a LOT of story here with many parts of the fascinating world left under-discovered. It feels like the author is swinging for more content beyond the original trilogy. This also allows for young readers to let THEIR imaginations fill in the blanks which would be a great exercise.
Ultimately, there is a LOT of story here with many parts of the fascinating world left under-discovered. It feels like the author is swinging for more content beyond the original trilogy. This also allows for young readers to let THEIR imaginations fill in the blanks which would be a great exercise.
joshuanovalis's review against another edition
A fun and fitting end to the trilogy. This third entry felt a bit rushed (this could easily have been two full-length books instead of one), but overall, I’ve enjoyed my timed with this series and appreciate John August’s decision to center Arlo’s internal conflicts around issues of character, integrity, and justice, giving a more substantive core to the typical coming-of-age fare.
amatczynski's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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? No
4.0
readingthroughtheages's review against another edition
5.0
I am so sad this trilogy has come to an end. I feel like Arlo has more stories to tell!
If you have readers that like action and adventure and suspense and just a touch of the fantasy world, then you have readers for this trilogy. The first book took me about 100 pages to get into. After that, there is not a moment to take a breath - in that book and then all the way to the last page of the third book.
This book closes out Arlo's initial story. Answers are given and some stories are finally put to rest. Although I really feel there is more that can be explored with Arlo and friends... hint, hint Mr. August and Roaring Brook Press.....
If you have readers that like action and adventure and suspense and just a touch of the fantasy world, then you have readers for this trilogy. The first book took me about 100 pages to get into. After that, there is not a moment to take a breath - in that book and then all the way to the last page of the third book.
This book closes out Arlo's initial story. Answers are given and some stories are finally put to rest. Although I really feel there is more that can be explored with Arlo and friends... hint, hint Mr. August and Roaring Brook Press.....
booksandpops4000's review against another edition
4.0
I thought this was solid book conclusion to the series. I still will hope for more books in this series because I really want to see him keep going in the rangers. I found this be such a fun read and loved seeing how this book connected back to the other books in this series. I loved how fast pace this book was. I really loved how this book had both supernatural problems but also family problems. This book also tackled friendship drama and high school. I found this book to be a joy to read and really hope we get more book in the series eventually.
js_wordsmith's review against another edition
4.0
Great ride, but the landing didn’t stick
I’ve really enjoyed this series as a whole, but the end of this felt very meh. While book 2 really built to something, I just felt like the end of this book just happened and there wasn’t much build up or release. Still, it was a good ride while it lasted and I really enjoyed it.
I’ve really enjoyed this series as a whole, but the end of this felt very meh. While book 2 really built to something, I just felt like the end of this book just happened and there wasn’t much build up or release. Still, it was a good ride while it lasted and I really enjoyed it.
the_fabric_of_words's review against another edition
5.0
This was a fantastic conclusion to the Arlo Finch series! I reviewed the first book back in 2018, and I thought it was just a fantastic premise I'd not seen done in middle grade before and it was brilliantly executed. A year later I featured the sequel as a Holiday Pick and now I'm featuring the final book as a Summer Reading pick.
It's as hot as the cover implies.
Arlo goes on a hike, but as you know, nothing's normal about hiking through the Long Woods. In fact, Arlo's hoping to cross half the globe in one afternoon to bring his father home from Guangzhou, China. That's right, because the Long Woods have portals everywhere there's a forest or a large stand of trees, potentially.
But first, he takes his friends and fellow Patrol members, Indra and Wu, with him to meet up with Fox, who leads them to Fallpath, the City of Lost Things, so they can consult the Atlas for the location of the opening in Guangzhou.
Of course, the atlas is not what Arlo's expecting (I won't ruin what it is, or how they get to consult it), but still, it does get Arlo and his sister, Jaycee, to Guangzhou and they manage to smuggle their father out of China and back home -- without a passport, long plane ride, going through Customs, etc.
That's, of course, when the story really picks up. Because his father's a wanted fugitive, and it's an impossible-to-explain journey, and the Eldrich -- who want Arlo's spirit knife, which he's still got -- have eyes everywhere. Even within the FBI, apparently.
They want his dad for his computer hacking / programming skilz, and an agent pulls Arlo out of school to question him about whether he's seen his dad. But then he add, Arlo may be in danger -- from the homicidal sociopath, Hadryn. Who may be back, and out to get him.
I won't ruin the twists and turns from here. It's a fun read, one I didn't want to come to an end.
I predict it'll be a long time before another author can write a middle grade fantasy featuring scouting as well as John August did!
Enjoy.
Looking for more book suggestions for your 7th/8th grade classroom and students?
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
It's as hot as the cover implies.
Arlo goes on a hike, but as you know, nothing's normal about hiking through the Long Woods. In fact, Arlo's hoping to cross half the globe in one afternoon to bring his father home from Guangzhou, China. That's right, because the Long Woods have portals everywhere there's a forest or a large stand of trees, potentially.
But first, he takes his friends and fellow Patrol members, Indra and Wu, with him to meet up with Fox, who leads them to Fallpath, the City of Lost Things, so they can consult the Atlas for the location of the opening in Guangzhou.
Of course, the atlas is not what Arlo's expecting (I won't ruin what it is, or how they get to consult it), but still, it does get Arlo and his sister, Jaycee, to Guangzhou and they manage to smuggle their father out of China and back home -- without a passport, long plane ride, going through Customs, etc.
That's, of course, when the story really picks up. Because his father's a wanted fugitive, and it's an impossible-to-explain journey, and the Eldrich -- who want Arlo's spirit knife, which he's still got -- have eyes everywhere. Even within the FBI, apparently.
They want his dad for his computer hacking / programming skilz, and an agent pulls Arlo out of school to question him about whether he's seen his dad. But then he add, Arlo may be in danger -- from the homicidal sociopath, Hadryn. Who may be back, and out to get him.
I won't ruin the twists and turns from here. It's a fun read, one I didn't want to come to an end.
I predict it'll be a long time before another author can write a middle grade fantasy featuring scouting as well as John August did!
Enjoy.
Looking for more book suggestions for your 7th/8th grade classroom and students?
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/