Scholastic Inc.
ISBN: 978-0545298407
Published Dec 6, 2011
Hardcover, 192 pages
Just when you think it can't get any better, it does. With all that I've come to expect from this series—plot twists and turns, captivating historical facts and excellent suspense building, Book 2 of the second series of The 39 Clues delivers more action-packed adventure with a whopping cliff-hanger ending.
The story picks up from where it left off in Book 1: The Medusa Plot, where fifteen-year-old Amy and her thirteen-year-old brother Dan have just delivered the ransom to get the seven kidnapped members of their family released from the Vespers, their enemy organization. But Vesper One, the leader, now asks them to track a long-lost item, an ancient map, and to steal it. Another mission impossible for the duo-team who use state of the art technology and their wits.
This time their adventure takes them to Switzerland and the Czech Republic as they race against time to deliver a map whose location they must once again figure out through clues. These clues lead us to the past activities of the Nazis, WWII spies, the mad king Ludwig the Second, and the All Saints Church, also known as Church of Bones. It's actually a church decorated with the skulls and bones of 40 000 people. I HAD to look this one up. And although, creepy and bizarre, the carpenter, who used his imagination to solve the problem of the overcrowded cemeteries during the Plague, created works of stunning art with these bones. I always learn fascinating history reading these books!
All along, the questions as to what Vesper One is after with his strange requests, who he is, and what will become of the secret of the 39 clues kept my curiosity strong. There is much foreshadowing in this book of bigger things to come. Amy and Dan have lost much of their innocence, and Dan is struggling with his anger.
If you haven't read any of the The 39 Clues, this second series won't make much sense. These are not stand alone books. The characters go back from the very beginning, and McIntyre, the lawyer who was present from the first pages of the very first book, is back in this one and leaves clues that will play a part in the next book. If you want to experience the fun of The 39 Clues, I strongly suggest you start from the beginning because getting the whole picture of the rivalry in important to understanding what makes up The 39 Clues. Needless to say, I can't wait to read the next book that has just been released!
I will count this book toward the following challenges: TBR Pile Reading Challenge
Reviewed by Laura
Disclosure: Thanks to Nikole Kritikos from Scholastic for sending me this book for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.
