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jenniferreads2's review
1.0
Wow that was bad. Nothing like the original spider wick chronicles. Last straw for me was one character calling another a “lard ass”. Uh no. Definitely not finishing this series
dazed_and_distracted's review
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
pluviophilebookworm's review
4.0
I've got to be honest - I've loved the original Spiderwick Chronicles series ever since I was little and, until recently, hadn't really thought it necessary to read this one. But I decided to give it a try and it was... nice, I suppose? Not quite as lovely as the original series, but I can't possibly expect everything to be a five-star read. That being said, Laurie is me and I am her. Well, to an extent. Still, the ability to see myself in her was what bumped my rating of this book from 3 to 4 stars, so it counts for something.
colorfulleo92's review
3.0
It was good but not as awesome as the first series, maybe I need some warming up to the new characters to fully enjoy this spin-off series
janeeyre_914716's review
1.0
This was okay I guess. Not as good as the original Spiderwick Chronicles but this was eh and okay.
ripxw's review
adventurous
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Minor: Grief
jscarpa14's review against another edition
4.0
On a positive note there seemed a little bit more to this book than there was in the books of The Spiderwick Chronicles, on a negative note it was still on the short side and left a lot of loose ends that I'm hoping resolve themselves in the books to follow. Granted the smaller size is great for younger readers which are in all fairness the target audience for these titles so it's really not a negative unless you're an adult reader reading outside of your age category because everyone knows kids books are so much more fun than grown up books.
Black and DiTerlizzi bring you so much closer to these characters and their issues outside of the fairies in their backyard specifically Nicholas who seems to be the main character even though he's the one the most reluctant to admit fairies exist or to become involved in their world. While the book still uses an outside narrator you pretty much only get to see things through Nick's eyes though I really hope future books give us the opportunity to see through Laurie's because I just plain like her better than Nick.
I find it interesting that both series include dysfunctional families trying to find their way back to being functional and I think this will appeal to a lot of kids who find themselves in similar situations angry that they can't do anything about it. I also liked that Jared and Simon made an appearance in the book and hope that they continue to be in future titles in the series. However I can honestly say while Jared was my favorite character of the original series if this book had been my first introduction to him I really wouldn't have liked him. He's a lot more abrasive when you're not seeing the world from his point of view and I can kind of understand why he had so many issues with authority figures in his own story.
Besides the fact that I felt a little unresolved upon finishing this title I would definitely recommend the book and I think fans of The Spiderwick Chronicles will be impressed with how much the following series ups the ante even as it introduces so many new faces and settings.
Black and DiTerlizzi bring you so much closer to these characters and their issues outside of the fairies in their backyard specifically Nicholas who seems to be the main character even though he's the one the most reluctant to admit fairies exist or to become involved in their world. While the book still uses an outside narrator you pretty much only get to see things through Nick's eyes though I really hope future books give us the opportunity to see through Laurie's because I just plain like her better than Nick.
I find it interesting that both series include dysfunctional families trying to find their way back to being functional and I think this will appeal to a lot of kids who find themselves in similar situations angry that they can't do anything about it. I also liked that Jared and Simon made an appearance in the book and hope that they continue to be in future titles in the series. However I can honestly say while Jared was my favorite character of the original series if this book had been my first introduction to him I really wouldn't have liked him. He's a lot more abrasive when you're not seeing the world from his point of view and I can kind of understand why he had so many issues with authority figures in his own story.
Besides the fact that I felt a little unresolved upon finishing this title I would definitely recommend the book and I think fans of The Spiderwick Chronicles will be impressed with how much the following series ups the ante even as it introduces so many new faces and settings.