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A review by fallingletters
The Cracks in the Kingdom by Jaclyn Moriarty
3.0
Quick review originally posted 28 May 2014 on Falling Letters.
When the first book in this trilogy came out last year, I was ecstatic to hear it described as [a:Neil Gaiman|1221698|Neil Gaiman|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1234150163p2/1221698.jpg] meets [a:John Green|1406384|John Green|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1353452301p2/1406384.jpg]. Moriarty is the only other YA author I adore aside from Green, and Gaiman is one of my favourite authors, so I was excited to see what she would conjure in the fantasy realm.
The first book felt to me like a prologue. The second book still feels the same way, although now I've finally realized that searching for the royal family is the whole plot, not just a little side story to be quickly resolved. To me, it feels like something is missing from these books. I can't get invested in the story. The book feels too long, too drawn out. But if you like Moriarty, and you like fantasy, I think you will still enjoy this book. And if you're like me, enticed by the idea of Gaiman+Green, do give it a shot!
I was a little disappointed at the typical teenager-y behaviour of the teenagers...this may sound like a silly complaint, but when compared to the teens of Moriarty's other work, the characters in this book felt more stereotypical, less developed. I was disappointed by the bickering between Madeleine and Elliot, and the immaturity of Princess Ko (although her behavior is realistic, given that she's lost her entire family). I don't really think the characters are badly or unbelievably written. They're just not what I've come to expect from Moriarty.
I love reading about the Kingdom of Cello and exploring its realms. I love how Moriarty handles magic. It feels fresh and exciting and I always wonder how it will factor into the story. The Lake of Spells was one of my favourite parts of the book.
When the first book in this trilogy came out last year, I was ecstatic to hear it described as [a:Neil Gaiman|1221698|Neil Gaiman|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1234150163p2/1221698.jpg] meets [a:John Green|1406384|John Green|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1353452301p2/1406384.jpg]. Moriarty is the only other YA author I adore aside from Green, and Gaiman is one of my favourite authors, so I was excited to see what she would conjure in the fantasy realm.
The first book felt to me like a prologue. The second book still feels the same way, although now I've finally realized that searching for the royal family is the whole plot, not just a little side story to be quickly resolved. To me, it feels like something is missing from these books. I can't get invested in the story. The book feels too long, too drawn out. But if you like Moriarty, and you like fantasy, I think you will still enjoy this book. And if you're like me, enticed by the idea of Gaiman+Green, do give it a shot!
I was a little disappointed at the typical teenager-y behaviour of the teenagers...this may sound like a silly complaint, but when compared to the teens of Moriarty's other work, the characters in this book felt more stereotypical, less developed. I was disappointed by the bickering between Madeleine and Elliot, and the immaturity of Princess Ko (although her behavior is realistic, given that she's lost her entire family). I don't really think the characters are badly or unbelievably written. They're just not what I've come to expect from Moriarty.
I love reading about the Kingdom of Cello and exploring its realms. I love how Moriarty handles magic. It feels fresh and exciting and I always wonder how it will factor into the story. The Lake of Spells was one of my favourite parts of the book.