Middle-grade book review of Unlocked by Shannon Messenger
Goodreads Blurb
Book 8.5 in the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling Keeper of the Lost Cities series delivers what fans of the series have been begging for! Told in an exciting new way, the saga continues with plenty of huge reveals and shocking new twists—plus a complete series guide with beautiful color and black-and-white illustrations and other awesome bonuses!
In this extra special installment of the Keeper of the Lost Cities series, the story picks up right from Legacy’s particularly devastating cliffhanger. But chapters alternate between Sophie and Keefe’s perspectives to give readers deeper insights into both beloved characters. New powers will be discovered. Hard truths from the past will come to light. And all of your favorite characters will find themselves tested in ways they never imagined.
And that’s not all!
Unlocked also includes a comprehensive guide to the world of the Lost Cities, featuring new character and world details that have never been revealed before—plus fun bonuses like Keeper-themed recipes, a detailed map of the Lost Cities, gorgeous full-color illustrations, and so much more!
My Thoughts after Reading
I had been disappointed with this series’ plot development in the last few books, so I was not sure if I wanted to read this ~800-page book, especially when it is only 0.5 increment from the previous one. However, when I learnt that the story part in fact was only a quarter of the book, I felt more inclined to give my time to it. Having been with this series since its early days, I want to read it for the sake of completion.
Nevertheless, I was not holding out any hope for this book to make any major milestones towards the end. By now, I was familiar with the author’s style. I was able to spot long sections of dialogue not going anywhere and skimmed through them. After eight thick books, the banter was no longer fresh and the characters predictable. Nonetheless, I was glad to see some progress was made in the second half of the book. Even if the ‘resolution’ of this book seemed too easy, I did not feel cheated as the story was only 200 skimmed pages long. I expect the next book will reveal more.
Because I finished the story much quicker that before, I was inclined to look at the earlier pages. This is a useful recap for readers like me, who have lost track of the many characters and key points in the series. As I had approached this book with low expectations, I was not disappointed. On the contrary, I was pleasantly surprised. 3/5
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