Review by Booklist Review
At the end of the last installment of George's best-selling series, Celie and her griffin, along with some family and friends, were unexpectedly transported to another land by the magical castle. Now trapped in this foreign place, Celie spies griffins flying around the surrounding forests, and when she and her friends set out to explore, they gradually discover that they are in Castle Glower's homeland, and the unsettling changes the castle had been making are thanks to the treachery of a pair of bitter, embattled wizards fighting over the castle and the griffins. Using their ingenuity and the loyalty of their new griffin friends, Celie and her crew learn the mysterious origins of their home, battle the wrathful wizards, and find artifacts that will help heal the distressed castle. George skillfully includes enough backstory that readers new to the series can easily jump right in, and she handily ties up the story while leaving room for further adventures (full of griffins, of course). Lovely and engaging, this fantasy series continues to have wide appeal. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Celie, her magical castle, and her adorable pet griffin soared onto the New York Times best-seller list with Wednesdays in the Tower, and fans should be eager for this origin-revealing follow-up.--Hunter, Sarah Copyright 2014 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 3-6-The story picks up after Celie's beloved Castle Glower transported Celie, two of her siblings, some friends, and her griffin, Rufus, into a mysterious land. Now, Celie and her friends must find the lost piece of the Castle's Eye so they can return home and help heal the Castle, which has been acting increasingly strange. As they seek answers and hunt for the Eye, the group navigates a poisoned lake, explores the original castle builder's tomb, hatches two griffin eggs, and meets Rufus's parents. They also encounter two mysterious wizards, and they must decide which one to trust as they learn about the Castle's long history. This well-paced story is filled with adventures at every turn, and although there are many different characters to keep track of, narrator Suzy Jackson uses distinctive voices for each. VERDICT Fans of the series will be happy to hear Celie and Lilah plotting their next adventure, leaving the door open for another installment in this popular series.-Anne Bozievich, Friendship Elementary School, Glen Rock, PA (c) Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
This third installment (Tuesdays at the Castle; Wednesdays in the Tower) finds the Castle Glower children, their pet griffin, and portions of their enchanted home transported to what they eventually learn is enemy territory. Present events do little to urge readers to keep turning pages, but devoted fans may enjoy revelations about how the animate Castle came to be. (c) Copyright 2015. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Tossed into a faraway land, Celie and company try to figure out how to heal their sentient castle in this third entry to the series. At the end of Wednesdays in the Tower (2013), the Castle flung 12-year-old Celie, two elder siblings, a couple of friends and Celie's griffin Rufus into a realm called the Glorious Arkower. Most of the Castle hasn't come with them, though it was built here. The kids cross a poisoned lake, raid a king's tomb and survive a forest fire, all the while trying to figure out why the Castle (back at home) has been so upset and erratic lately. They seek historical information, which requires untangling "lies and half-truths" from two angry wizards who bicker and tell contradictory stories. Although there's plenty of action, all the heavy significance rests on ancient history and exposition, dousing the immediacy of the story. When Celie deciphers a truth or hears a big reveal, the actual information often doesn't end up mattering: Whichever land this is, whatever the Castle's and the griffins' histories may be, clearly both wizards are bad, and goals stay the same. George's characters and griffins still charm, but readers may miss the vital Castle's larger presence, and the title is, sadly, purely decorative (there's no pattern of Thursdays). Here's hoping the next installment (Fridays, coming in fall 2015) will recover the series' early bounce and zip. (Fantasy. 8-11) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
