What a seriously impressive and original young adult fantasy novel. The name alone, Flora Segunda of Crackpot Hall, promises a whimsical adventure. But it’s hard to describe just how quickly Ysabeau Wilce pulls the rug from beneath the reader, removing any possibility of normality and dragging us...
The Pond. A Leap. VALEFOR DID NOT—perhaps could not—follow me. The sky looked like milky tea and the moon was a swirly smudge just above the tree line. The gate to the back garden was open, and I went through it into the tangled wilderness beyond. Valefor had bragged quite a bit about the marvels...
Forlorn Hope. Fear. I SAT WOEFULLY in the darkness for a long time. Once again all my plans had gone awry. I had failed in my mission. My lies had been useless. I’d been caught. All this made me feel very bad, but worst of all: I felt totally crushed by Tiny Doom’s betrayal. She’d seemed so cool ...
Rowing. A Beach. I SCRAMBLED TO MY FEET, leg throbbing. The Zu-Zu was trying to stand, but Elodie was pummeling her so mercilessly that she couldn’t get up. Elodie was small, but fike, she was tough. I whistled Flynn away from the downed pirate he was licking—he’s a bloodsucker, all right—grabbed...