The secret of the bloodred key

Gr 4--6--In this sequel to the Book of Stolen Dreams, Farr sends readers on another fantastical journey through Krasnia and the Hinterland that lies beyond. Dark-haired, brown-eyed Rachel Klein has recently defeated the dictator Charles Malstain, but something is wrong. The boundaries between this world and the one beyond have become porous. As Keeper of the Blood-Red Key, Rachel must find a way to set things to right and, in the process, rescue an innocent nine-year-old girl--Elsa Spiegel--from a fate worse than death. In this book, Farr adeptly builds out the world of Krasnia. He repurposes Greek mythology to give us the Hinterland, a place filled with winged ferrymen, corrupt paper-pushers, and the residents of Liars' Lair, Burglars' Burrows, and Tyrants' Tower. The author keeps tension high by placing a strict time limit on Rachel's quest. He also adds levity by assigning each of the children in the Hinterland an animal companion to follow them on their journey. VERDICT An engaging, fast-paced book well suited for fans who enjoy fantasies similar to Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials."--Talea Anderson

This sequel to The Book of Stolen Dreams (2023) again pits siblings Rachel and Robert Klein against the forces of evil. Twelve-year-old Rachel and her older brother have become national heroes after saving their country of Krasnia from malevolent dictator Charles Malstain, whom they've permanently (or so they believe) sent to the Hinterland, the world where the dead go. Alas, getting rid of one evil person doesn't solve everything, and greedy nobles Horace and Mary Trueblood are determined to use the Hinterland to cheat death and live forever--at the expense of an innocent child. When Rachel stumbles upon this information (through her network of ghost friends who were introduced in the first book), she knows she must save the little girl, Elsa Spiegel. Rachel's the only one who has the bloodred key necessary for opening the gate to the Hinterland. She tries to share what's going on, but Robert is preoccupied with his social activities, and their father is still mired in grief over the loss of his wife, the kids' mother. So, using her key, Rachel bravely enters the Hinterland alone to find Elsa and bring her back. While the characterization isn't very deep, that doesn't detract much from the overall pleasure of the story, since it's more an adventure-driven than character-driven tale. The richly imagined Hinterland with its poignant but soothing portrayal of death is a bright light. Black-and-white illustrations enliven the story. Main characters read white. Both swashbuckling and emotionally stirring. (Fantasy. 8-13) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Chapter 1: The Boy on the Bench 1 The Boy on the Bench The figure was alone. He was a boy, dressed strangely in a smart brown mackintosh coat and polished black shoes. He was about her brother's age, Rachel thought, perhaps slightly older. He had short, very dark brown hair. And he was not here for the playground. The boy looked at her seriously and nodded. What could such a look mean? Rachel was about to take a different path when the boy made a strange movement with his right hand. She looked down. He was holding something. It was a bloodred key. Rachel stared in astonishment. The key was identical to the one Rachel had been magically left after she destroyed The Book of Stolen Dreams. But Rachel had hidden her bloodred key in the bedroom she shared with Robert ever since. So how did this boy have one? The boy signaled and walked on. Rachel followed him into an area of the park surrounded by rose bushes. He sat on a bench in such a way that left space beside him. Rachel stood by the bench but did not sit. "Who are you?" she demanded. "What do you want?" "I have something to tell you," he said quietly. "Sit down." Rachel sat but kept distance between them. "How did you get that key?" she asked firmly, looking ahead so no one would know they were talking. "The same way you did," said the boy. "I closed a rip in the fabric." Rachel felt her breath stick in her chest. How did he know about that? Everyone in Brava was aware Rachel and Robert Klein had defeated Charles Malstain, but they had no idea that Rachel had destroyed The Book of Stolen Dreams and closed the gate to the Hinterland forever. Constanza Glimpf had made it very clear: ordinary people must have no idea that the Hinterland existed at all. People cannot be trusted with such knowledge. "What fabric?" Rachel asked the boy cagily. She was keeping as much distance on the bench as possible. "Anyone who closes the fabric between life and death, between our world and the Hinterland, joins our select group and receives a bloodred key," the boy said, glancing at her. "We are the Keepers of the Key. We know the truth of the Hinterland--the land where dead souls roam. We know its dark magic." There was such intensity in his honey-brown eyes. "There are those like Malstain who wish to exploit the magic to bring the dead back to life. We must use the keys to stop them. You must use your key wisely, Rachel Klein." "But how will I know when to use it?" Rachel stammered. She couldn't believe her ears. "The key will tell you," the boy said gravely. "Swear to me that when it does, you will not refuse it." Rachel wanted to ask how the key would tell her but instead she found herself swearing that she would do exactly as he said. The boy stood. "Tell no one about this. This knowledge is not for everyone." For a moment they watched as ordinary Bravans passed through the park, going about their daily lives in the new free Krasnia, utterly unaware of the strange conversation taking place among the winter roses. Then very quietly the boy fished something out of his trouser pocket. It was a small card with a red key imprinted on one side. On the other side was a six-digit number and an image of a telephone. 634234 Call only in Absolute Emergency He placed the card in her hand. He kept hold of it for a brief moment. "You are not alone." Then he walked away across the grass. "Wait," Rachel wanted to say, but by the time she'd opened her mouth, it was too late. The boy in the mackintosh coat was gone. And she didn't even know his name. Excerpted from The Secret of the Bloodred Key by David Farr All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.