Information
Goodreads: Warren the 13th and the Whispering Woods
Series: Warren the 13th #2
Source: Quirk Books for Review
Published: March 21, 2017
Official Summary
This sequel to Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye begins soon after the first book’s conclusion.Twelve-year-old Warren has learned that his beloved hotel can walk, and now it’s ferrying guests around the countryside, transporting tourists to strange and foreign destinations. But when an unexpected detour brings everyone into the dark and sinister Malwoods, Warren finds himself separated from his hotel and his friends and racing after them on foot through a forest teeming with witches, snakes, talking trees, and mind-boggling riddles. Once again, you can expect stunning illustrations and gorgeous design from Will Staehle on every page along with plenty of nonstop action and adventure!
Review
I immensely enjoyed the first book in this series, Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye, and I was excited to join back up with the characters for another adventure in this sequel.
I am not among the alarmists who believe that print books will cease to be produced, but in an age where e-books and digital materials continue to grow in popularity, I’ve been thinking a lot about what would persuade people to buy a print book rather an e-version. The Warren the 13th series is one answer to that question for me. The books are not only about the story, but about the design, from the feel of the book in your hands (square! with a great heft to it) to the way the pages are laid out. These book are ones you’ll want to take off the shelf and flip through, if not to reread, at least to look at. They’re beautiful, and the design adds to the experience.
In this installment, Warren and company get stuck in the formidable Malwoods–home of some the world’s most powerful and frightening witches. I really liked that the witch theme continued in this book, even as some new magical elements and creatures were introduced. The book has the right balance of continuity and novelty. Similarly, readers get to see all their old favorite characters, and a couple new ones are added to the mix, which I think may be a theme as the series continues.
The plot is fun and has a delightful number of surprises. I was kept guessing about what was going to happen next. While I generally expect the protagonists of middle grade novels to win, I like when I can’t quite figure out how they will achieve it. As with the first book, I think this one does have space to be a bit more interactive for the readers than it is, but there are a couple riddles and one quick code that Warren has to figure out as he journeys to save his beloved hotel.
This series is fun, unique, and beautifully illustrated. I look forward to reading the next adventure Warren takes on.
Pages Unbound | Book Reviews & Discussions 