Most of you already know that my favorite series is Keeper of the Lost Cities. Oh, you didn’t know? Well KOTLC is my FAVORITE!!!!!! I mean talk about an absolutely stunning book series!!!!!!!!
So let me explain. I found this series about 10 years ago. And when I started reading the novels, I had no idea I would fall in love with every last book!!!!! I can’t even tell ya’ll enough about this series. And that is why, every year I do a review on the series while I wait for the next book. Except this time I thought I would explain the books as well as warn you of the violence in each novel so you are prepared.
Keeper of the Lost Cities is about Sophie Foster. Your average 12 year-old girl, except she skipped 6 grades and can hear peoples thoughts. Sophie has never fit in, that is until Fitz shows up and tells her that she is actually an elf hidden in the human world and takes her to the Lost Cities, a land of elfs, ogres, trolls and more! But Sophie realizes that she doesn’t quite fit in there either, her powers are much stronger than anyone knows. And the secret, illegal group called the Black Swan who made her have something planned for her. But she doesn’t know what. All Sophie knows is that there is danger lurking in the elfs glittering cities, and there are more secrets hidden by the peaceful leaders than anyone knows…
These books are some of the best fiction I have ever read! Each novel is 600+ pages, (some even 800!) and are filled with humor, romance, danger, adventure and soooo many secrets!!!!! I just love these books. And Shannon Messenger has written a very clean series for kids 9 and up! The magic in the books is more scientific. There isn’t any wands, spells or such. No voo-doo and such. Just a fun, fantasy book series!
Now here is the main ‘con’. KOTLC does have violence. Mention of blood, wounds, broken bones, burns and more. And I will go through what each book has. Book 1: Kidnapping and mention of being burned. Some mention of blood and dying. Book 2: Mentions of blood, fighting and wounds. Mention of setting broken bones. Mentions of peoples minds being broken and such. Book 3: Mention of blood, lots of mentions of burns. People die. Plus a somewhat dark chapter where someones hand gets burned off… (Not detailed, just mentioned) Book 4: Mention of getting hurt, bruised and such. Mention of someone who went missing and might of been tortured. Some mention of blood and wounds. Book 5: Mention of people getting killed, hurt and wounded. Mention of a stab wound and some blood. Mention of visiting the place where someone was tortured. Mention of someone dying after something fell on them and grey matter. Book 6: Mention of fighting, cuts, wounds and such. There is a fight scene where someone gets cut really bad and it mentions lots of blood. Mention of people who were tortured and experimented on. Mention of PTSD kind-of things. Book 7: Mention of broken bones, people getting really hurt. Shadow arrows and spears that stab people. Mention of blood and pain. Plus mention of attacks and battles where people get hurt, monsters get stabbed in the eye and it is quite literally a fight till the death. Not too detailed, but violence is mentioned. Book 8: Mention of fighting, some people get injured but not much blood. There is a scene where someone gets blasted with shadows and light in some experimental thing. It isn’t creepy, just weird. Book 8.5/9: Mention of fighting, practicing with weapons and such. Some battles and mention of burning things down. Mention of some blood and explosions.
Overall, this series is incredibly clean. The way it is written makes all the fighting and battles not too gory and I like that the violence is really only mentioned. I believe kids 9 and up who love fantasy, adventure and action would LOVE this series!!!!! Totally suggest! Have a beautiful day! -The Young Llama Reader.
