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sarahsulliv's review
4.0
Jaclyn Moriarty is such a unique and terrific story-crafter. This series is so strange and good.
trashlie's review
5.0
Where A Corner of White is a slow, world-driven story, heavily entailing world building, introduction of characters and situations without performing an infodump, The Cracks in the Kingdom picks up from the very beginning. All the events unfolded in the end of A Corner of White are the foundation for The Cracks in the Kingdom. Princess Ko is struggling to keep the kingdom of Cello from figuring out her entire family has disappeared, likely into the World, Elliot is still far more concerned with finding his father, who he's told is being held in a Hostile Camp. Despite this, Princess Ko has enlisted him in the Royal Youth Alliance, a cover of the brightest minds in Cello to help uncover her father - and even in the World, Madeline finds herself largely involved, specifically in trying to locate the missing Royal Family, who remember nothing of their lives in Cello as well as trying to figure out how to jump from world to world.
A Corner of White was a leisurely read and The Cracks in the Kingdom maintains this, but with a new sense of urgency, a more pressing plot. No longer necessary to expand upon the world of Cello that we have come to learn, we now get to see parts of Cello through the RYA, from the comfortable, small town of Bonfire to the wonders and awe and intrigue of Jagged Edge to the curious and vaguely imposing Old Quainte.
As with A Corner of White, The Cracks in the Kingdom are populated with a curious cast of delightfully quirky characters, all memorable in some fashion, old and new alike. The members of the RYA might not have sought out each other on their own, and they may not be friends, but each has a talent well-suited to assisting Princess Ko, some more eager to assist than others.
Elliot and Madeleine's friendship continues, deepening through their shared experiences, nights sat out near the crack in their worlds, sometimes trying to contemplate how to go from one world to the other, sometime talking about their absent fathers, sometimes simply the random mundane musings of their days. But growing friendship is also growing feelings and emotions, and Elliot has bigger things on his plate to worry about, sometimes, than Madeleine, who feels the shift stronger than Elliot and begins to feel more like a useful tool than a friend.
Like with A Corner of White, The Cracks in the Kingdom reads with a whimsical and fanciful prose, utterly fantasy even with its scientific roots. What's especially clever about it is the way quantum physics is drawn upon, even when not fully understood by the characters themselves, and becomes a blend of science and fantasy, magical whims and rational logic that help to crack the mysteries of their worlds.
Desperate and emotional, The Cracks in the Kingdom delivers what it's predecessor did not, and while often trilogies suffer second-book-syndrome, we are not let down. This story stays fresh and earnest as Madeleine becomes a more sympathetic narrator, as Elliot's strife and yearning becomes palpable, as the growing tension and friendship envelopes two people separated by entire universes. With the additional tension spurred heavier and heavier by Princess Ko, desperate to find her family, The Cracks in the Kingdom becomes more pressing, but no less a leisurely lead, no less whimsical, no less fantastical. And, carefully woven in, in the fashion of all great fantasies, are the poignant passages, the understanding reflection of the soul of a young 14-year-old who feels so lost of a desperate boy whose world has turned upside down of the yearning of people who reflect each other without seeing each other. It is sweet and lovely, it aches a little bit, and it shares its hope and melancholy and surprise.
The abrupt ending cuts off sharply, having yet again unfolded further events for the final book of the trilogy, sure to deliver in Jaclyn Moriarty's signature fashion, although not without leaving readers craving more
I remain in love with The Colours of Madeleine, with all the characters, with their strife, hopeful for their dreams to come true, anticipatory for the budding relationship of Elliot and Madeleine and the navigation of their friendship. There's a lot at stake, without becoming so overwhelming the story is lost, but instead carrying it along, and there's something dreamy about it, sweet and wistful and sometimes a little bittersweet, best read in the gray light of dawn, when everything feels so still, and also so possible. The Colours of Madeleine have a sense of conviction, that as silly as the Kingdom of Cello might seem, it's easy to believe in it. It's clever and for it's genre, it stands out as unique and delightful. Certainly not for those who aren't keen on matters of whimsy, it has all the makings of a fairytale. It is as much about loneliness and desperation as it is about hope and fervor, and there's something very subtle in its handling, almost delicate, that until I'd ended, I hadn't realized how deeply I'd sunk into it.
A Corner of White was a leisurely read and The Cracks in the Kingdom maintains this, but with a new sense of urgency, a more pressing plot. No longer necessary to expand upon the world of Cello that we have come to learn, we now get to see parts of Cello through the RYA, from the comfortable, small town of Bonfire to the wonders and awe and intrigue of Jagged Edge to the curious and vaguely imposing Old Quainte.
As with A Corner of White, The Cracks in the Kingdom are populated with a curious cast of delightfully quirky characters, all memorable in some fashion, old and new alike. The members of the RYA might not have sought out each other on their own, and they may not be friends, but each has a talent well-suited to assisting Princess Ko, some more eager to assist than others.
Elliot and Madeleine's friendship continues, deepening through their shared experiences, nights sat out near the crack in their worlds, sometimes trying to contemplate how to go from one world to the other, sometime talking about their absent fathers, sometimes simply the random mundane musings of their days. But growing friendship is also growing feelings and emotions, and Elliot has bigger things on his plate to worry about, sometimes, than Madeleine, who feels the shift stronger than Elliot and begins to feel more like a useful tool than a friend.
Like with A Corner of White, The Cracks in the Kingdom reads with a whimsical and fanciful prose, utterly fantasy even with its scientific roots. What's especially clever about it is the way quantum physics is drawn upon, even when not fully understood by the characters themselves, and becomes a blend of science and fantasy, magical whims and rational logic that help to crack the mysteries of their worlds.
Desperate and emotional, The Cracks in the Kingdom delivers what it's predecessor did not, and while often trilogies suffer second-book-syndrome, we are not let down. This story stays fresh and earnest as Madeleine becomes a more sympathetic narrator, as Elliot's strife and yearning becomes palpable, as the growing tension and friendship envelopes two people separated by entire universes. With the additional tension spurred heavier and heavier by Princess Ko, desperate to find her family, The Cracks in the Kingdom becomes more pressing, but no less a leisurely lead, no less whimsical, no less fantastical. And, carefully woven in, in the fashion of all great fantasies, are the poignant passages, the understanding reflection of the soul of a young 14-year-old who feels so lost of a desperate boy whose world has turned upside down of the yearning of people who reflect each other without seeing each other. It is sweet and lovely, it aches a little bit, and it shares its hope and melancholy and surprise.
The abrupt ending cuts off sharply, having yet again unfolded further events for the final book of the trilogy, sure to deliver in Jaclyn Moriarty's signature fashion, although not without leaving readers craving more
I remain in love with The Colours of Madeleine, with all the characters, with their strife, hopeful for their dreams to come true, anticipatory for the budding relationship of Elliot and Madeleine and the navigation of their friendship. There's a lot at stake, without becoming so overwhelming the story is lost, but instead carrying it along, and there's something dreamy about it, sweet and wistful and sometimes a little bittersweet, best read in the gray light of dawn, when everything feels so still, and also so possible. The Colours of Madeleine have a sense of conviction, that as silly as the Kingdom of Cello might seem, it's easy to believe in it. It's clever and for it's genre, it stands out as unique and delightful. Certainly not for those who aren't keen on matters of whimsy, it has all the makings of a fairytale. It is as much about loneliness and desperation as it is about hope and fervor, and there's something very subtle in its handling, almost delicate, that until I'd ended, I hadn't realized how deeply I'd sunk into it.
emachinescat's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ap2007's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
puttingontheglitz's review
Ugh, this book. I didn't get along well with the first book in this trilogy, to be honest, but I loved the world of Cello so much I kept reading...This was a mistake. I got a little more than 200 pages in, and was still not feeling it, so I decided to DNF this book.
It's not a bad book, per se, it's just SO slow! The first book was slow too, but I excused that because I thought it was just because it was setting up the world and the characters and things like that. It did get interesting in the last 1/4 of the book, though. I thought, maybe the next book will pick up now that the world-building is pretty much done and the characters are fleshed out. I WAS WRONG! This book does have a few big things happen in it, but between these occurrences, there's a bunch of talking and journeying and more world-building and I just can't read any more of that! Except for the world-building. That is still really intriguing me! But I think it's time to set this book aside if the only thing that is interesting me is the world and not the characters or plot or anything. So I skimmed the rest of this book and will not be reading the final book in the trilogy.
See this and other reviews on my blog, Pages Aflutter
It's not a bad book, per se, it's just SO slow! The first book was slow too, but I excused that because I thought it was just because it was setting up the world and the characters and things like that. It did get interesting in the last 1/4 of the book, though. I thought, maybe the next book will pick up now that the world-building is pretty much done and the characters are fleshed out. I WAS WRONG! This book does have a few big things happen in it, but between these occurrences, there's a bunch of talking and journeying and more world-building and I just can't read any more of that! Except for the world-building. That is still really intriguing me! But I think it's time to set this book aside if the only thing that is interesting me is the world and not the characters or plot or anything. So I skimmed the rest of this book and will not be reading the final book in the trilogy.
See this and other reviews on my blog, Pages Aflutter
zabetd's review
5.0
Title: The Cracks in the Kingdom
Author: Jaclyn Moriarty
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: March 25, 2014
Rating: 5/5
Cover Impressions: The digital image really doesn't do this one justice. In the physical copy, the colors are so vibrant and the raindrops and lightning keep your eye moving across the image. It fits beautifully with the first cover in this series, but I am still wishing for the parking meter to be featured on a cover - here's hoping for #3!
The Gist: Madeleine and Elliot's communications through a mysterious crack between their worlds have been fun and exciting, but now their notes must take on more purpose. The royal family is missing, presumably transported to The World and Madeleine and Elliot have been charged not only with finding them, but with determining the science governing the cracks so that they can bring the family home. As if that weren't enough, Elliot must also travel Cello with the Royal Youth Alliance and endure tours and parties while trying to discover where in The World to start looking for the missing royals.
Review:
I shouldn't like this book. The characters are strange and some are completely unrelatable, there are long scientific diatribes that make little sense and the "rules" of the fantasy kingdom are near impossible to discern. I shouldn't like this book, but I do. In fact, I love it.
It has a strange charm that drew me in and I ended up closing the book wishing for just one more chapter. Please, Ms. Moriarty, Just. One. More. Chapter.
The rest of this review, and my parent/teacher advisories can be found at Reading Between Classes
Author: Jaclyn Moriarty
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: March 25, 2014
Rating: 5/5
Cover Impressions: The digital image really doesn't do this one justice. In the physical copy, the colors are so vibrant and the raindrops and lightning keep your eye moving across the image. It fits beautifully with the first cover in this series, but I am still wishing for the parking meter to be featured on a cover - here's hoping for #3!
The Gist: Madeleine and Elliot's communications through a mysterious crack between their worlds have been fun and exciting, but now their notes must take on more purpose. The royal family is missing, presumably transported to The World and Madeleine and Elliot have been charged not only with finding them, but with determining the science governing the cracks so that they can bring the family home. As if that weren't enough, Elliot must also travel Cello with the Royal Youth Alliance and endure tours and parties while trying to discover where in The World to start looking for the missing royals.
Review:
I shouldn't like this book. The characters are strange and some are completely unrelatable, there are long scientific diatribes that make little sense and the "rules" of the fantasy kingdom are near impossible to discern. I shouldn't like this book, but I do. In fact, I love it.
It has a strange charm that drew me in and I ended up closing the book wishing for just one more chapter. Please, Ms. Moriarty, Just. One. More. Chapter.
The rest of this review, and my parent/teacher advisories can be found at Reading Between Classes
literacyluminary's review
4.0
Elliott is still in the Kingdom of Cello; Madeleine is still hanging out in Cambridge, England. They are both still communicating via the crack in the universe that is housed in the parking meter at the end of Madeleine's street and the search for the Royal Family of Cello continues.
Part II of Jaclyn Moriarty's The Colors of Madeleine series is just as whimsical, quirky, original, unique and fun as the first!! This is the ONLY series I've continued since Harry Potter -- that's saying something!
There are some holes (pardon the pun) in the narrative -- links in the story that don't quite fit or work -- but I enjoyed both "worlds" so much and all the characters that I didn't really care.
If you are looking for a delightful and clever series, that doesn't involve dystopian death, depression, bleakness -- this should be next on your list.
Now...as with any series...I have to wait for the final book!!
Part II of Jaclyn Moriarty's The Colors of Madeleine series is just as whimsical, quirky, original, unique and fun as the first!! This is the ONLY series I've continued since Harry Potter -- that's saying something!
There are some holes (pardon the pun) in the narrative -- links in the story that don't quite fit or work -- but I enjoyed both "worlds" so much and all the characters that I didn't really care.
If you are looking for a delightful and clever series, that doesn't involve dystopian death, depression, bleakness -- this should be next on your list.
Now...as with any series...I have to wait for the final book!!
kiwikathleen's review
5.0
The weird and wonderful story of Madeleine and Elliot continues in this sequel to [b:A Corner of White|17695254|A Corner of White (The Colors of Madeline, #1)|Jaclyn Moriarty|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1365104287s/17695254.jpg|13533441]. They must try to find a way to widen the cracks between the World and the Kingdom of Cello, and in the meantime there's the rest of life to deal with. Madeleine's tale has her friends Belle and Jack, their homeschooling teachers, Madeleine's mother's madness, and still no word from her father. Elliot's tale has Princess Ko, the other youngsters she has roped in to help her find her missing family, Elliot's own missing father, and of course the fabulous magic that the author has drawn into Elliot's world.
Another excellent read. And when is the 3rd one coming out?
Another excellent read. And when is the 3rd one coming out?