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4.2 AVERAGE
4.2 AVERAGE
The only vaguely likeable character is the gander, Lester, who doesn't talk...and that says it all.
Some of the ideas in the book are interesting, so it is a shame that they (along with the characters) are very badly developed and that the writing never improves in the course of all the books.
Some of the ideas in the book are interesting, so it is a shame that they (along with the characters) are very badly developed and that the writing never improves in the course of all the books.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
sad
tense
fast-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:
Complicated
adventurous
funny
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I think this is my favorite book in the land of stories series so far. Alex and bailey and the crew got to visit each of my favorite books and my favorite stories were brought to life once again. SO action packed that I was left wanting more and more. I love this series and I don't know why it took me so long to get on board with reading them.
I loved it, the different book characters added a nice touch. I love that it's basically tying together elements from the entire series and building up.
"Beyond the Kingdoms" by Chris Colfer follows the twins Conner and Bailey who after not being trusted by the fairy council must team up to stop the Masked Man.
I would give ""Beyond the Kingdoms" by Chris Colfer 1; I love how they explored a lot of worlds like Wonderland, Neverland, etc. 2; I love the characters 3; three there was so much going on that I finished it in one sitting and 4; I'm really annoyed with the cliffhanger.
I would give ""Beyond the Kingdoms" by Chris Colfer 1; I love how they explored a lot of worlds like Wonderland, Neverland, etc. 2; I love the characters 3; three there was so much going on that I finished it in one sitting and 4; I'm really annoyed with the cliffhanger.
That cliffhanger was TERRIBLE! You know that point in the book where you realize the storyline is not going to tie up by the end? You can sense there are just not enough pages left. Yeah… as I kept turning the pages, the excitement built up but so too did the disappointment factor because I knew problems would not be resolved by the conclusion. It ended up feeling like little of anything happened. There is some character development, but advancing the story of the Land of Stories was such a small portion of the book. Thus, the ending felt very unsatisfying as so little was accomplished. On the flip side, can you even imagine how awesome the next book is going to be? There’s going to be lots of expectations on book 5, and I feel a grand adventure is in store!
I loved the evolution of Red Riding Hood. Her relationship with the Lost Boys provided the funniest sections. I liked how she decided to do a little rescuing herself! Red went through some of the most difficult challenges and growth in the book. Conversely, Goldilocks was sadly a very minor in this book. She’s been my favorite since book 1. But I like seeing Red & Goldilocks working together! Another hilarious character was Robin Hood.
Colfer needs to work on the use/limitations of magic. Magic was used inconsistently in the story. At times, Alex was able to save everyone. At other times, magic became useless. I was surprised at how unhelpful Alex’s magic ended up being. There needs to be clear definitions of why magic will work in one sense (stopping a house from dropping out of the sky) and not in another sense (like quickly tying up/handcuffing the Masked Man while standing on top of a house dropping out of the sky). The best use of magic in the book was when Connor discovered how to channel his. I loved the relationship between Connor’s writing and his ability to use magic. Well written!
“Maybe greatness isn't about being immortal, or glorious, or popular - it's about choosing to fight for the greater good of the world, even when the world's turned its back on you.”
I enjoyed the conversations between Alex and Arthur, especially regarding being a part of another person’s story and following one’s heart.
Overall, I enjoyed the read and got through it rather quickly because each chapter leaves you wanting more! However, this was not at the level of the previous books in the series for me. My son (12 years old) absolutely loved it, and his only gripe was not enough Wonderland exploration. I would have liked at least one of the plotlines being resolved when this book ended. It would have given a partial sense of closure. However, I think there is something huge in store for the next book, and the standards are going to be set almost impossibly high for Colfer’s next book to really deliver. I wait on bated breath for book 5! The main pro of this book is the introduction of new, lovable, quirky characters. The main con is that there is very little plot development.
Merged review:
That cliffhanger was TERRIBLE! You know that point in the book where you realize the storyline is not going to tie up by the end? You can sense there are just not enough pages left. Yeah… as I kept turning the pages, the excitement built up but so too did the disappointment factor because I knew problems would not be resolved by the conclusion. It ended up feeling like little of anything happened. There is some character development, but advancing the story of the Land of Stories was such a small portion of the book. Thus, the ending felt very unsatisfying as so little was accomplished. On the flip side, can you even imagine how awesome the next book is going to be? There’s going to be lots of expectations on book 5, and I feel a grand adventure is in store!
I loved the evolution of Red Riding Hood. Her relationship with the Lost Boys provided the funniest sections. I liked how she decided to do a little rescuing herself! Red went through some of the most difficult challenges and growth in the book. Conversely, Goldilocks was sadly a very minor in this book. She’s been my favorite since book 1. But I like seeing Red & Goldilocks working together! Another hilarious character was Robin Hood.
Colfer needs to work on the use/limitations of magic. Magic was used inconsistently in the story. At times, Alex was able to save everyone. At other times, magic became useless. I was surprised at how unhelpful Alex’s magic ended up being. There needs to be clear definitions of why magic will work in one sense (stopping a house from dropping out of the sky) and not in another sense (like quickly tying up/handcuffing the Masked Man while standing on top of a house dropping out of the sky). The best use of magic in the book was when Connor discovered how to channel his. I loved the relationship between Connor’s writing and his ability to use magic. Well written!
“Maybe greatness isn't about being immortal, or glorious, or popular - it's about choosing to fight for the greater good of the world, even when the world's turned its back on you.”
I enjoyed the conversations between Alex and Arthur, especially regarding being a part of another person’s story and following one’s heart.
Overall, I enjoyed the read and got through it rather quickly because each chapter leaves you wanting more! However, this was not at the level of the previous books in the series for me. My son (12 years old) absolutely loved it, and his only gripe was not enough Wonderland exploration. I would have liked at least one of the plotlines being resolved when this book ended. It would have given a partial sense of closure. However, I think there is something huge in store for the next book, and the standards are going to be set almost impossibly high for Colfer’s next book to really deliver. I wait on bated breath for book 5! The main pro of this book is the introduction of new, lovable, quirky characters. The main con is that there is very little plot development.
I loved the evolution of Red Riding Hood. Her relationship with the Lost Boys provided the funniest sections. I liked how she decided to do a little rescuing herself! Red went through some of the most difficult challenges and growth in the book. Conversely, Goldilocks was sadly a very minor in this book. She’s been my favorite since book 1. But I like seeing Red & Goldilocks working together! Another hilarious character was Robin Hood.
Spoiler
Loved the “we heard you from a mile away” (paraphrased) comment from the Sheriff of Nottingham when he tried to arrest Robin.Colfer needs to work on the use/limitations of magic. Magic was used inconsistently in the story. At times, Alex was able to save everyone. At other times, magic became useless. I was surprised at how unhelpful Alex’s magic ended up being. There needs to be clear definitions of why magic will work in one sense (stopping a house from dropping out of the sky) and not in another sense (like quickly tying up/handcuffing the Masked Man while standing on top of a house dropping out of the sky). The best use of magic in the book was when Connor discovered how to channel his. I loved the relationship between Connor’s writing and his ability to use magic. Well written!
“Maybe greatness isn't about being immortal, or glorious, or popular - it's about choosing to fight for the greater good of the world, even when the world's turned its back on you.”
I enjoyed the conversations between Alex and Arthur, especially regarding being a part of another person’s story and following one’s heart.
Spoiler
I was so disappointed that Arthur was left behind! I really hope he snuck through the portal without Alex seeing for a surprise in book 5. I kept thinking: if there are thousands of tales of King Arthur, why can’t the one Alex is in be one where he is defined by leaving it for Alex’s adventures? To be continued, I hope…Overall, I enjoyed the read and got through it rather quickly because each chapter leaves you wanting more! However, this was not at the level of the previous books in the series for me. My son (12 years old) absolutely loved it, and his only gripe was not enough Wonderland exploration. I would have liked at least one of the plotlines being resolved when this book ended. It would have given a partial sense of closure. However, I think there is something huge in store for the next book, and the standards are going to be set almost impossibly high for Colfer’s next book to really deliver. I wait on bated breath for book 5! The main pro of this book is the introduction of new, lovable, quirky characters. The main con is that there is very little plot development.
Merged review:
That cliffhanger was TERRIBLE! You know that point in the book where you realize the storyline is not going to tie up by the end? You can sense there are just not enough pages left. Yeah… as I kept turning the pages, the excitement built up but so too did the disappointment factor because I knew problems would not be resolved by the conclusion. It ended up feeling like little of anything happened. There is some character development, but advancing the story of the Land of Stories was such a small portion of the book. Thus, the ending felt very unsatisfying as so little was accomplished. On the flip side, can you even imagine how awesome the next book is going to be? There’s going to be lots of expectations on book 5, and I feel a grand adventure is in store!
I loved the evolution of Red Riding Hood. Her relationship with the Lost Boys provided the funniest sections. I liked how she decided to do a little rescuing herself! Red went through some of the most difficult challenges and growth in the book. Conversely, Goldilocks was sadly a very minor in this book. She’s been my favorite since book 1. But I like seeing Red & Goldilocks working together! Another hilarious character was Robin Hood.
Spoiler
Loved the “we heard you from a mile away” (paraphrased) comment from the Sheriff of Nottingham when he tried to arrest Robin.Colfer needs to work on the use/limitations of magic. Magic was used inconsistently in the story. At times, Alex was able to save everyone. At other times, magic became useless. I was surprised at how unhelpful Alex’s magic ended up being. There needs to be clear definitions of why magic will work in one sense (stopping a house from dropping out of the sky) and not in another sense (like quickly tying up/handcuffing the Masked Man while standing on top of a house dropping out of the sky). The best use of magic in the book was when Connor discovered how to channel his. I loved the relationship between Connor’s writing and his ability to use magic. Well written!
“Maybe greatness isn't about being immortal, or glorious, or popular - it's about choosing to fight for the greater good of the world, even when the world's turned its back on you.”
I enjoyed the conversations between Alex and Arthur, especially regarding being a part of another person’s story and following one’s heart.
Spoiler
I was so disappointed that Arthur was left behind! I really hope he snuck through the portal without Alex seeing for a surprise in book 5. I kept thinking: if there are thousands of tales of King Arthur, why can’t the one Alex is in be one where he is defined by leaving it for Alex’s adventures? To be continued, I hope…Overall, I enjoyed the read and got through it rather quickly because each chapter leaves you wanting more! However, this was not at the level of the previous books in the series for me. My son (12 years old) absolutely loved it, and his only gripe was not enough Wonderland exploration. I would have liked at least one of the plotlines being resolved when this book ended. It would have given a partial sense of closure. However, I think there is something huge in store for the next book, and the standards are going to be set almost impossibly high for Colfer’s next book to really deliver. I wait on bated breath for book 5! The main pro of this book is the introduction of new, lovable, quirky characters. The main con is that there is very little plot development.
El libro es muy entretenido, es bastante bueno y lo disfruté mucho ✨. Pero lo sentí un libro puente para el siguiente. Espero que el quinto sea mejor
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced