Twelve-year-old Alexa Daley is spending another summer in Bridewell with her father. She looks forward to exploring the old lodge where she stays each year, with its cozy library and maze of passages and rooms. She's also eager to finally solve the mystery of what lies beyond the immense walls that were built to keep out an unnamed evil that lurks in the forests and The Dark Hills - an evil the townspeople are still afraid of.

As Alexa begins to unravel the truth about what lies outside the protective barrier she's lived behind all her life, she discovers a strange and ancient enchantment. Armed with an unexpected new power, Alexa exposes a danger that could destroy everything she holds dear - and change The Land of Elyon forever.

Alexa, the plucky heroine of this new fantasy series, has a bright curiosity that allows her to imagine life outside the confines of her walled town. The book hits its stride and Aasne Vigesaa shows her versatility for character voices when Alexa tunnels outside and speaks with the animals of the forest. Despite the precision of Vigesaa's narration, listeners may find themselves confused at the climax of the story. The lay of the land and the path of the walls play a crucial role in the conclusion, and without the map that is included the book young readers may have a hard time visualizing the geography that is essential to the plot. K.C. (c) AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine

 

Patrick Carman usually spends his time in Walla Walla, Washington. But in the spring of 2005 he's taking his wife and two daughters on the road, traveling across the country on a whirlwind tour in support of his dazzling first novel, The Dark Hills Divide.