annieb123's Review of Archibald Finch and the Curse of the Phoenix (Archibald Finch, #2)

by Michel Guyon

The Archibald Finch saga continues with another thrilling adventure! It’s been months since our hero returned from Lemurea, but nothing is back to normal. When Archibald realises he isn’t the only thing that crash-landed at the manor that night, he knows he’ll need to return to the dark world he only just left.

Archibald is a changed boy. He stands up to bullies and hangs out with the gargoyles that used to scare him. But for all his new toughness, he's also a lost boy who misses his friends in Lemurea. When strange footprints are discovered on the manor grounds, he realizes a piece of that world has followed him home...

Without golems, witches or magic, Archibald knows there's little to stop what's prowling the London suburbs, which means he'll have to return to Lemurea to seek Faerydae's help.

In a new adventure for Archibald, Hailee, Oliver, and Faerydae, two worlds collide—two worlds with more in common than any of the kids could’ve imagined. A hunt for clues, golems, and Marodors unearths some shocking answers and hard truths as Archibald and his companions embark on yet another daring journey that tests each of them in different ways.

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Archibald Finch and the Curse of the Phoenix is a very dark but beautifully written crossworlds fantasy novel by Michel Guyon. Released 26th Sept 2023 by Andrews McMeel, it's 464 pages and is available in hardcover, audio formats, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

Following closely on the first book in the series, this is a complex sequel. For that reason, it's not recommended as a standalone read. The author does a superlative job of character development - they really live and breathe and the world building is unparalleled. There's an impressive amount of real history and knowledge woven into the story - much of the plot turns on Leonardo da Vinci's life, sketchbooks, and wonderful inventions.

This is a surprisingly dark book, and although the target audience is supposed to be 9-12 years (Lexile 860L), prereading or skimming by an adult, especially for library acquisitions, is highly recommended. It's not a book for most kids. Not even in an R.L. Stine creepy/scary way...

Four stars (with the above cautions).

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Reading updates

6 May, 2024: Started reading

6 May, 2024: Finished reading

6 May, 2024: Reviewed