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When Alice defeated her uncle Geryon and declared war on the totalitarian ways of the Old Readers, she knew she would have a hard fight ahead. What she didn't anticipate was the ruthlessness of the Old Reader—who can control magic and enter worlds through books. All the creatures she promised to liberate and protect are being threatened, and slowly all of Alice's defenses are being worn away. So when Ending (the giant cat-like creature who guards the magical labyrinth in Geryon's library) hints at a dangerous final solution, Alice jumps at the chance, no matter the cost to her life. She and her friends—a fire sprite, Ashes the cat, and the other apprentice Readers she met during her previous adventures—go on a quest to free the one creature possibly strong enough to overturn the Old Readers once and for all.
But before it’s all over, Alice will be betrayed, her true identity will be revealed, and she’ll have to be willing to give up the person she loves the most.
This is beautifully written, classic, bold historical fantasy—brave, bloody, action-packed and adventurous—with a girl at the center.
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Creators
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Series
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Publisher
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Release date
December 5, 2017 -
Formats
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Kindle Book
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OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9780735227385
- File size: 15071 KB
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EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9780735227385
- File size: 15071 KB
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Languages
- English
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Levels
- ATOS Level: 5.3
- Lexile® Measure: 760
- Interest Level: 4-8(MG)
- Text Difficulty: 3-4
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Reviews
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September 1, 2017
Alice Creighton finds out surprising truths about her own origins in this fourth and final book in the Forbidden Library series. No longer controlled by her master, Geryon, who is now trapped in the book The Infinite Prison, the white girl is free to take input from the labyrinthine called Ending, the library's guardian, who urges her to liberate its kind from the Readers. It seems like a good idea at the time, as does confronting and unraveling the Great Binding. But Alice finds out that being a leader means taking on continuous responsibility and making practical choices in everyone's best interest, even when it's not so easy to figure out whom to trust and not so wise to be led by longings for revenge. The pacing of this volume gets uneven at times, as long, drawn-out scenes are interspersed with concentrated chunks of new information. But Wexler successfully keeps the book, reader, and library metaphors central, while highlighting Alice's growth as chief decision-maker, visionary and risk-taker. Three cheers for a female protagonist who demonstrates strong leadership skills without losing the prospect of love or friendship. (Fantasy. 10-14)COPYRIGHT(2017) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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January 1, 2018
Alice, leading a group of Reader apprentices rebelling against their masters, helps catlike library guardian Ending win control of the binding that keeps her kind enslaved. But is Ending entirely trustworthy? Wexler's unique magical framework and wealth of imaginary creatures keep the fantasy tetralogy feeling fresh, while the characters' poignant sacrifices in this climactic final volume will keep readers enthralled.(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
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