From the Publisher
"Readers will appreciate following an astute heroine whose ultimate ambition . . . [is] to remake the entire cruel and corrupt world around her. A busy continuing saga filled with fantastical drama and feisty finagling."—Kirkus
"The world of the Forbidden Library continues to deepen, adding new magical creatures, new relationships, and new adversaries to an already solid fantasy franchise founded on an appealing heroine, a deft plot, and gripping adventure sequences."—Horn Book
"This third in the Forbidden Library series centers on serious lessons about power and corruption but doesn't skimp on fast and furious battles or small moments of humor. Alice remains a spirited, kind heroine with a noble goal and interesting, loyal characters to support her. More adventures are to come in this enjoyable fantasy series."—Booklist Online
Praise for The Mad Apprentice:
"Wexler is an able builder of magical worlds and creatures, with labyrinths, an enchanted library, and a feisty, swashbuckling heroine at the center. A story rich in action and allegory—fantasy fans will want to hang on for what comes next."—Kirkus
"Full of action and adventure, this tale will enthrall fans of the first novel."—School Library Journal
"With an original concept, a brave and spirited heroine, and tantalizing incipient relationships among the apprentices (including Alice’s hot-and-cold friendship with Isaac, who tricked her in the first volume), Wexler’s series grows stronger by the book."—Horn Book
Praise for The Forbidden Library:
"Working in the grand tradition of children's fantasy, Wexler's off to a promising start."—Kirkus
"A charming, adventuresome fantasy from a promising new author."—Booklist
"Reminiscent of Cornelia Funke's Inkheart (Scholastic, 2003) and Neil Gaiman's Coraline (HarperCollins, 2002)."—School Library Journal
School Library Journal
05/01/2016
Gr 5–8—After the events of The Mad Apprentice, Alice is determined to find her uncle, who is responsible for the murder of her father. As she seeks further proof of her uncle's crimes, she encounters many creatures that may or may not have her best interests in mind. Fans of the two previous books in the series will be delighted with this new entry, which is full of twists and turns. Wexler does an admirable job of building such a large world without contradictions or confusion. Those who are meeting these characters for the first time may find the first few chapters a bit confusing, since they go straight into the action (despite a small recap of what has happened before in the "Prologue"). It isn't always clear-cut whether many of the characters are "good" or "evil." Luckily, that makes them and this series irresistible for young readers.
Kirkus Reviews
2016-01-20
Alice Creighton is out for revenge in this third book in Wexler's Forbidden Library series. When she suspects that her uncle and master, Geryon, is responsible for her father's death, Alice, an apprentice Reader, boldly seeks out a spell in the Palace of Glass that could trap Geryon and help her get some answers. Ending, the cat-shaped labyrinthine, and Isaac, a fellow Reader, return to the plot, joined by some new characters, including Erdrodr, an ice giant girl, and her mother, Helga the Ice Flower. Alice tests her mettle by going up against such strange forces as the bluechill and the Ouroborean in her quest to find The Infinite Prison, a magic book that acts as a portal to another world. Eventually young Alice learns that revenge may backfire, hurting herself as well as others. Despite the frantic pace and elaborate worldbuilding, readers will appreciate following an astute heroine whose ultimate ambition, by the end of this volume, is to be a different kind of Reader—a partner, instead of a master—and to remake the entire cruel and corrupt world around her. A busy continuing saga filled with fantastical drama and feisty finagling. (Fantasy. 10-14)
