Exile: Keeper of the Lost Cities, Book 2
By Mary Eisenhart,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Exciting sequel keeps momentum of telepathic elf-girl tale.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this book.
Where to Read
Community Reviews
There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the Story?
Twelve-year-old Sophie Foster, transported to the elf world in Keeper of the Lost Cities, in which she narrowly escaped death and learned startling secrets about herself, is just hoping for some peace, quiet, and time to hang out with her new friends. But fate -- or maybe the mysterious Black Swan organization, which created Sophie and her unusual powers by engineering her DNA -- has other plans. First there's the discovery of an alicorn, a magical winged horse with a horn on her forehead, who soon is chatting telepathically with Sophie. Struggling to understand the elf world's ways, she worries about her adoptive parents, who still mourn the death of their beloved daughter; then there's the really awful costume she has to wear for the opening ceremonies at school. When a telepathic mission gone wrong shatters the mind of her beloved mentor, Sophie and her friends are determined to bring him back, whatever the cost.
Is It Any Good?
Exciting, fast-paced, and written at a level that's accessible to newer or reluctant readers, KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES: EXILE keeps up the momentum and the spirit of the series' opening volume. Sophie and her friends experience laughs, tears, misunderstandings, suspense, and moral dilemmas as they face many terrors -- and leave more than enough unresolved issues for the next volume, due out fall 2014.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why stories about genetically engineered characters are so popular. How would you feel if you knew you'd been specifically designed by someone? Would it make a difference if you knew why?
Like Harry Potter, Sophie was hidden in the human world to keep her safe. How does her relationship with her human family compare with Harry's relationship with his?
How do the adult characters show both weakness and strength? What happens when they make mistakes? Do you find them believable?
Book Details
- Author: Shannon Messenger
- Genre: Fantasy
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Princesses, Fairies, Mermaids, and More, Superheroes, Adventures, Brothers and Sisters, Friendship, Great Girl Role Models
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Aladdin
- Publication date: October 1, 2013
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 8 - 12
- Number of pages: 576
- Available on: Nook, Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: July 12, 2017
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Read
Our Editors Recommend
Fantasy Books for Kids
Books with Strong Female Characters
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate