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| Read on May 15, 2013 |
Expected Publication Date: September 24, 2013
Publisher: Greenwillow (Harper)
Format: ARC
Page Count: 432 pages
Source: ALA
Series: The Peculiar, #2
This review is entirely spoiler free, even if you haven't read book one, The Peculiar.
"Oh, the Sly King, the Sly King in his towers of ash and wind..."
Oh wow. I mean, oh wow. I loved The Peculiar, but The Whatnot just blew it out of the water. One of my favorite sequels (and one of my favorite books, in general) of all-time! Can someone say epic? Or fantastic? Because I'm feeling all the feels.
When I read and fell in love with book one, a sequel hadn't been announced - and I was heartbroken. I wanted more of this world, more of the changelings, and more of the fantastic writing style! And when The Whatnot was announced, I literally freaked out. As soon as I got it, I had to dive into it immediately. I got it late at night and only planned to read the first chapter or so...
...200 pages later, I couldn't control myself from sinking deeper and deeper into this rich and vibrant world. Everything about this series is one-of-a-kind and marvelous - they're the best middle grade books I have ever read. If you love fantasy/all things paranormal and supernatural, these books are a must-read. You won't regret it!
What I found that was most interesting about this sequel was that the main characters from The Peculiar (Bartholomew and Arthur Jelliby) weren't main characters in The Whatnot - Hettie got to tell her story! Hettie was a bundle of joy to read in book one, and I was so excited to get the chance to read from her POV. And we get to meet Pikey, who is lonesome outcast and is brilliant. But then again, we are talking about The Peculiar Saga - everything is brilliant. From the world-building, right down to the vivid and imaginative gadgets and steampunk creations. Fantastically incredible, Stefan Bachmann is a master storyteller.
So. Much. Action. Prepare yourselves for some freaky and eerie changelings! Since we are set in the faerie world, we see the faeries for all that they are. And believe me, they are frightening! In the beginning, I didn't know how in the world the faeries could get any creepier, but Bachmann took them to a whole new level in the end. Such a phenomenal sequel - I can't even tell you how much I adore these books!
Overall, The Whatnot is a magical and amazing sophomore novel, and I could go on for hours on end on how much I love this series. The best middle-grade series out there.
M Y R A T I N G
When I read and fell in love with book one, a sequel hadn't been announced - and I was heartbroken. I wanted more of this world, more of the changelings, and more of the fantastic writing style! And when The Whatnot was announced, I literally freaked out. As soon as I got it, I had to dive into it immediately. I got it late at night and only planned to read the first chapter or so...
...200 pages later, I couldn't control myself from sinking deeper and deeper into this rich and vibrant world. Everything about this series is one-of-a-kind and marvelous - they're the best middle grade books I have ever read. If you love fantasy/all things paranormal and supernatural, these books are a must-read. You won't regret it!
What I found that was most interesting about this sequel was that the main characters from The Peculiar (Bartholomew and Arthur Jelliby) weren't main characters in The Whatnot - Hettie got to tell her story! Hettie was a bundle of joy to read in book one, and I was so excited to get the chance to read from her POV. And we get to meet Pikey, who is lonesome outcast and is brilliant. But then again, we are talking about The Peculiar Saga - everything is brilliant. From the world-building, right down to the vivid and imaginative gadgets and steampunk creations. Fantastically incredible, Stefan Bachmann is a master storyteller.
So. Much. Action. Prepare yourselves for some freaky and eerie changelings! Since we are set in the faerie world, we see the faeries for all that they are. And believe me, they are frightening! In the beginning, I didn't know how in the world the faeries could get any creepier, but Bachmann took them to a whole new level in the end. Such a phenomenal sequel - I can't even tell you how much I adore these books!
Overall, The Whatnot is a magical and amazing sophomore novel, and I could go on for hours on end on how much I love this series. The best middle-grade series out there.
M Y R A T I N G
