The Whisper: The Riverman Trilogy, Book 2
Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
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
A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Whisper is the second book in a thought-provoking coming-of-age/fantasy trilogy and a great choice for reading along with kids. There's a discussion to have with kids about what went wrong in the fantasy worlds kids created in this book. Can they live in a world with all good things they create? Why do we need challenges in life? Great coming-of-age lessons for sure! This sequel stays mostly in the fantasy realms, so expect violence to feel less real, though there's a possibility that the real kids who create the worlds are dying in a sinister way: Their souls are sucked out of their ears with a straw. Monsters attack mostly figments, but one boy is killed. The main character keeps remembering his grave mistake from the first book: shooting someone in the stomach. Language stays pretty mild (mostly "hell" and "damn"), and only figments drink and smoke.
Community Reviews
There aren't any reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the Story?
Alistair enters the fantasy realm of Aquavania through the boiler in his friend Fiona's basement with one goal: He has to find and save Fiona from the Riverman, who's out to steal her soul. He's worried the Riverman may already have her, but if so, he'll figure out a way to get her back. The fact that Alistair knows the Riverman, even grew up with him, gives him a little advantage, or so he thinks. The Riverman, who also goes by the name the Whisper, is always one step ahead, pushing him from one world to the next, each filled with dangerous ciphers (monsters) the Whisper created. Alastair makes his way to a space station and meets two scientists bent on destroying the ciphers and figuring out how to defeat the Whisper. One scientist hands him an incomplete atlas of Aquavania's many worlds and urges him to follow his instincts and save all the kids the Whisper has claimed. Suddenly his quest for Fiona has gotten a whole lot bigger.
Is It Any Good?
This doesn't follow the standard "book 2 of a trilogy" formula of stringing readers along with an intriguing side plot and some character development, saving all the meaty stuff for the last book. We're barely even in Alistair's real New York town in THE WHISPER, where most of The Riverman took place, except in flashback. Instead, we're thrust into the fantasy worlds of Aquavania, puzzling out along with Alistair how they're connected, what happened to all the creators of the worlds, why monsters run rampant, and whom to trust. It's a confusing web with loads of questions stuck to it.
Sometimes the web is too confusing, especially at the finale, when more clarity is always welcome. It's hard to trust the author to make everything clear by Book 3, but the satisfaction in this series may not be about clarity. For all the young philosophers out there who are bound to enjoy the Riverman trilogy most, it's about the profound questions posed, coming-of-age and otherwise. And there are many.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about fantasy, reality, and growing up. What's the problem with the world Fiona creates? What's wrong with the fantasy version of Alistair? Why do you think the world creators never age?
Why is fantasy such a popular genre of literature? Which other fantasy series have you read?
What do you think Alistair will do in Book 3? Has Charlie influenced him as much as he thinks he has?
Book Details
- Author: Aaron Starmer
- Genre: Fantasy
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Adventures, Friendship, Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
- Publication date: March 17, 2015
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 10 - 14
- Number of pages: 368
- Available on: Nook, Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: July 12, 2017
Our Editors Recommend
-
Sky Raiders: Five Kingdoms, Book 1
Fast-paced adventure, slow storytelling in series opener.
-
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe: The Chronicles of Narnia, Book 1
Classic Narnia tale has exciting battles, Christian themes.
-
Gregor the Overlander: Underland Chronicles, Book 1
One of the best of the post-Potter fantasies.
For kids who love fantasy
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