School Library Journal Review
Gr 5-8-A Great Disruption has shattered history's time line, and Sophia is searching for her parents. A mysterious ally leads her to an excerpt from her mother's lost diary, then, against her uncle's wishes, Sophia sets sail for the Dark Ages to seek the rest of the diary and follow her parents' trail. Meanwhile, her brother and uncle have been accused of murder and Sophia's mission may be their only hope. Narrator Cassandra Campbell's experienced narrative style easily brings to life Sophia's world and complements Grove's book. The well-developed, dynamic characters are easily distinguishable. The plot is complex with many twists and turns that will keep listeners engaged. VERDICT This complex historical adventure will be enjoyed by fantasy fans, particularly if they are familiar with The Glass Sentence (Viking, 2014). ["This delicious blend of magic, history, and science will continue to delight fans of intricate world-building and rich storytelling": SLJ 6/1/15 review of the Viking book.]-Jessica Moody, Olympus Jr. High, Holladay, UT © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
While Sophia Tims travels to the Papal States in search of a diary that will give her clues to her missing parents' whereabouts, her friend Theo goes undercover and witnesses the brazen power grab of Boston MP Gordon Broadgirdle, a one-time tormentor of his. The weirdly time-misaligned world introduced in The Glass Sentence here deepens and elaborates into a strong fantasy performance. (c) Copyright 2016. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
In the second installment of the Mapmakers trilogy, Sophia Tims goes on a journey in search of her parents in a world broken apart by the Great Disruption of 1799. Sophia's parents are missing, and finding them is no simple task in this new world of "intermingled futures and pasts," in which the former United States has splinteredinto New Occident, Indian Territories, and the BaldlandsCanada is now Prehistoric Snows, and large pockets of the world are simply "Unknown." Epigraphs by master cartologer Shadrack Elli open many chapters, offering geographical and political context useful to readers new to the series. Sophia leaves Boston in 1892 for the Papal States, now mostly in the 15th century, with pockets of other ages mixed in. In this world of political intrigue, Dark Ages, plague, phantom hunters, witches, and travelers from the future, it's fortunate that Sophia meets up with Errol Forsyth, phantom hunter, and the healer Goldenrod to journey together, each with a particular mission. Though this volume doesn't sustain the fresh wonderment of The Glass Sentence (2014), and the plot proceeds in fits and starts with each jump to a different Age, readers who have already read the first installment will gladly savor another journey with Sophia and marvel at the worlds they enter. Brilliantly imagined and full of wonder. (Fantasy. 10 up) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Since Sophia Tims returned from her adventure in The Glass Sentence (2014), she has not only received a new lead about her missing parents' whereabouts but also has been visited by an ethereal vision of her mother, which speaks in enigmatic prophesies. Sophia eventually learns that a copy of her mother's diary is in Granada, and she impulsively departs for Spain, which is centuries behind Boston after the Great Disruption. With the help of a falconer and a mysterious woman imbued with healing powers, Sophia follows a strange map and increasingly cryptic messages to track down a hidden city. Meanwhile, political turmoil and the assassination of the benevolent prime minister of New Occident put Shadrack and Theo in danger. There's a lot going on in Grove's follow-up to her best-selling debut, and while the plot threads are all compelling and richly fill in details about her multitemporal world, they often feel only loosely grounded in the central premise. Patient readers, however, who relish the thought of being immersed in Grove's inventive, wholly original fantasy world should be pleased.--Hunter, Sarah Copyright 2015 Booklist