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rebeccabiega's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
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
I've enjoyed this trio of books a lot, and contrary to pattern, I think this last book was the strongest. I grew very fond of the characters, and was pleased that no one (with the exception of Janie's dad) got locked into a shtick. Overall great cast of characters, with likable new ones added each book, and lots of exciting travel destinations and descriptions.
sqiddo13's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
mirandatami's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely loved this series in the entirety. The only thing I wish we would have seen is a scene were Benjamin and Janie talked about the issues between them. We are left to just assume the issues were resolved with her near death experience. I think it would have been nice to have a part, maybe at the end of 62 when they were at the Trevi Fountain again or at the very end after Jin Lo's letter, where they talked about staying together and working together with trust. I feel like that was such a big issue with the After-Room drink in this book that it should have been resolved. In a way it could be resolved with the ending but I think Benjamin needed to apologize. At least some sort of way that showed this wouldn't happen again. And I know his trust and secrecy was from the grief and guilt of his father's death but I feel it was just left unanswered. I feel like she also should have showed him the Audrey Hepburn walk to bring it back to the first book.
I saw another review similar but they were careless in this book. Janie was so mature living in New Hampshire at Grayson and she seemed to grow throughout the books. Benjamin seemed he was going that way through books one and two, and then his father died. Obviously he is going to be upset and I'm not asking for him to ignore his dad's death. But when he came to terms with it there were still choices that seemed immature that he would make and Janie would let him because she couldn't convince him anymore. He became defiant to her instead of them working together.
I saw another review similar but they were careless in this book. Janie was so mature living in New Hampshire at Grayson and she seemed to grow throughout the books. Benjamin seemed he was going that way through books one and two, and then his father died. Obviously he is going to be upset and I'm not asking for him to ignore his dad's death. But when he came to terms with it there were still choices that seemed immature that he would make and Janie would let him because she couldn't convince him anymore. He became defiant to her instead of them working together.
hmhurst's review
4.0
What a great series! Perfect for fans of The Mysterious Benedict Society series. Cristin Milioti reads the audiobooks and does an amazing job.
lindasdarby's review against another edition
3.0
A disappointing sequel and finish to the series after such a wonderful start with "The Apothecary".
textpublishing's review
5.0
‘This series finale wraps up most of its loose ends in a satisfying bow, leaving just enough room for imaginative middle-grade readers and teens to conjure up their own futures for Janie and Benjamin.’
Kirkus Reviews
‘A cerebral fantasy with enough action to keep readers on their toes.’
School Library Journal
Kirkus Reviews
‘A cerebral fantasy with enough action to keep readers on their toes.’
School Library Journal
itsdaytime's review against another edition
5.0
Rating: 5 Stars.
This is an amazing book, and is a seamless extension of the previous one. In a lot of ways, The After-Room felt like a resolution of the series, rather than having a resolution at the end. It was like the story was split into three volumes, but was intended to be read as one.
This book explored themes of morality, what is right and wrong, as well as themes of freedom, guilt, and responsibility. Each of the characters that this book followed was dealing with a different theme, which their plot line revolved around. My favorite was Jin Lo and morality. I thought that her plot was incredibly engaging, and she had such an adorable ending.
The inclusion of multiple perspectives in this book was a contrast to the previous two, which if I recall correctly only followed Janie and Benjamin's perspectives. An interesting thing that the multiple perspectives allowed the reader to see is what Pip thinks about Janie and Benjamin's relationship. He shows the reader that even though he is accidentally treated like a side kick by Janie and Benjamin, he knows that he is still essential to their plans. And Pip knows that even though he is a side kick in their story, his worth isn't based on what they think of him. He KNOWS that he is the main character in his story, and he's going to act like it. This character development was a testament to the author's skillful portrayal of nuanced growth and transformation.
Overall, this is a masterful ending of this series, with thought-provoking themes, multi-perspective story telling, and well executed character arcs. The resolution of the series was deeply satisfying, and I would recommend this series to anyone who likes to read.
This is an amazing book, and is a seamless extension of the previous one. In a lot of ways, The After-Room felt like a resolution of the series, rather than having a resolution at the end. It was like the story was split into three volumes, but was intended to be read as one.
This book explored themes of morality, what is right and wrong, as well as themes of freedom, guilt, and responsibility. Each of the characters that this book followed was dealing with a different theme, which their plot line revolved around. My favorite was Jin Lo and morality. I thought that her plot was incredibly engaging, and she had such an adorable ending.
The inclusion of multiple perspectives in this book was a contrast to the previous two, which if I recall correctly only followed Janie and Benjamin's perspectives. An interesting thing that the multiple perspectives allowed the reader to see is what Pip thinks about Janie and Benjamin's relationship. He shows the reader that even though he is accidentally treated like a side kick by Janie and Benjamin, he knows that he is still essential to their plans. And Pip knows that even though he is a side kick in their story, his worth isn't based on what they think of him. He KNOWS that he is the main character in his story, and he's going to act like it. This character development was a testament to the author's skillful portrayal of nuanced growth and transformation.
Overall, this is a masterful ending of this series, with thought-provoking themes, multi-perspective story telling, and well executed character arcs. The resolution of the series was deeply satisfying, and I would recommend this series to anyone who likes to read.
eeelizaabethhh's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0