If you enjoyed the Willoughbys, in all of its slightly macabre undertones and dry humor, this book is an incredible follow up; it’s both similar and distinctly different. It retains the comedic jabs at literary tropes, while at the same time offering more substance and complexity than the first.
As a quick note: the narrator did not bring the hilarious sarcasm the first guy did. She speaks in a rather condescending “I’m reading a children’s story” tone, and refused to stoop to actually sing “Let It Go” when brought up.
While the main characters are children, and the story is written for children, the true stars are all of the adult characters, which begs the question: who was this written for?
Adults in children’s stories are things to be rid of. Whether literally killing them off, as in the first book, or simply leaving the children as orphans, this book addresses the problem that many children’s books face: what about the parents? What about the fallout that all children face when left to deal with their emotions regarding evil parents?
The Poores are an incredible addition to the story. Disabled by their own poor choices, the author questions the reader in subtle yet clear tones: are you making choices that inhibit your own growth?
If the Willoughbys left anything to be desired, the author has put in an incredible amount of work to redeem anything that was broken in the first story. I applaud you, Lois Lowry, for recognizing that the first story was ever incomplete.