Fourteen-year-old Alexandria Richardson has had a rough childhood. Raised in an orphanage surrounded by people who treated her badly, Alexandria somehow manages to survive thanks to the depth of her willpower. In the Name of the Otherworld is a fantasy adventure that focuses on redemption and friendship, transporting readers to a complex parallel world. I enjoyed the overall concept of the book very much and while more can be done to amplify the story, this book shows great promise. Please see my full review here.
The Otherworld is in trouble, and it is up to fifteen-year-old Alexandria and her friends to journey into the Underworld and protect their home at all costs. It has been a little over a year since Alexandria last visited the Otherworld and learned of her epic lineage. Now that she has been practicing her skills and is more aware of the dynamics and creatures in her home world, she is better equipped to solve the problems plaguing it. Accompanied by a troupe of companions, Alexandria braves the unknown with strength and wit in order to bring peace back to the Otherworld. This second in the Otherworld Trilogy is based in equal parts on dialogue and action. Within the dialogue, readers will find British colloquialisms and references which place the narrative in a familiar setting for readers from the UK. The writing has matured noticeably from the first installment, and readers will enjoy getting to know the characters in more detail in this book. As the story progresses, the lengthy chapters alternate points of view, using first-person writing to convey each character’s thoughts. Though these segments would benefit from clearer differentiation in the voices of the characters, it is nice to have different perspectives throughout the novel. Younger middle grade readers will appreciate the varied approach to the storytelling along with the dramatic action sequences and chaste romantic moments included within the plot. This is an engaging second installment in an upper middle grade trilogy written by a young author.
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