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Wildwood Imperium: The Wildwood Chronicles, Book 3
Common Sense says
- Colin Meloy
- Fantasy
- 2014
Parents say
Kids say
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Wildwood Imperium is the concluding volume of the trilogy begun in Wildwood by Colin Meloy (lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter for the folk-rock band the Decemberists). It brings many story strands together for a satisfying conclusion and displays favorite characters in a new light. There's only minor cursing (a couple of instances of "damn"), no sexual content, and only passing references to smoking and alcohol. Despite a climactic battle against a magical empress who controls ivy, the level of violence is lower than in previous volumes.
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What's the story?
Zita, the May Queen, unwisely conducts a seance that awakens the Verdant Empress, a malevolent spirit that mourns for her long-lost son. Elsewhere in Wildwood, a group of "unadoptable" orphans joins up with a collective of saboteurs to rescue their friends held captive somewhere in an industrial wasteland. And fate brings two old friends closer together as they struggle to protect a blind old man and a bear with prosthetic hooks for hands, the only two who might be able to reanimate a mechanical toy prince.
Is it any good?
After stumbling a bit in Under Wildwood, the second volume, The Wildwood Chronicles rights itself and arrives at a satisfying conclusion. Favorite characters return and are displayed in a new light. New threats appear, and the large cast of good guys must be extra-clever in defeating them. Colin Meloy's lively prose and Carson Ellis' evocative illustrations bring the fantastical forest to abundant life. WILDWOOD IMPERIUM is a fitting end to a highly original fantasy trilogy.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can discuss how individuals from different cultures can work together to create a community. Have you seen this happen in your life?
How does this third volume compare with the others in the series?
What makes a good leader? What skills must he or she have to organize and maintain a healthy society?
Book details
- Author: Colin Meloy
- Illustrator: Carson Ellis
- Genre: Fantasy
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Adventures, Brothers and Sisters, Friendship, Great Boy Role Models, Great Girl Role Models, Misfits and Underdogs, Wild Animals
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Balzer + Bray
- Publication date: February 4, 2014
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 9 - 17
- Number of pages: 592
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
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