The Tenth City (Review)

The fate of Land of Elyon lies on Alexa Daley’s hands. The third book of The Land of Elyon series, The Tenth City, is published by Patrick Carman and Orchard Books in 2006. This book’s style is filled with appealing adventures followed by a miracle, and an unbelievable surprise. The Tenth City is one of my favorites in the Land of Elyon series because the second part is covered with more depressing news with each following second until the point where I had tear rolling down my cheeks.

Alexa and her companions are drifting on the Lonely Sea with the hope of reaching Bridewell within three days in order to save Yipes from Grindall’s clutches. Elyon guides Alexa along as she and her friends try their best to defeat Grindall. They faced the strength of the Lonely Sea, and they experienced the feelings of being betrayed by a close friend. With all that they went though, will Grindall and his ogres finally be defeated? Will the Land of Elyon finally be left in peace?

Carman’s eloquent details make this book even better than the rest, especially the descriptions about Victor Grindall. The vivid vocabulary he uses illustrates pictures after pictures. “‘She must show herself by tomorrow or I’ll have to throw you out the window,’ Grindall threatened, his wicked voice echoing off the walls…” Carman makes Grindall be like those evil sorcerers that’s presented on TV without the need of showing a single picture. It feels like watching a movie instead of actually reading a book.

This book is once again written on a basis of an intricate plot. With Grindall and his ogres waiting for Alexa’s arrival at Bridewell, the story already begins with a complex situation. To me, the plot is somewhat similar to the second book. It begins pretty straight forward with sudden twists and turns nearing the end.

Patrick Carman’s creativity and originality yet again created another distinctive adventurous book to children as well as adults. Its intricate plot develops on to become even more intriguing adventures that Alexa has to take to protect the Land of Elyon. What is the fate of the Land of Elyon, and what is the secret that Alexa is about to discover? Its secret is revealed in The Tenth City.