Review by Booklist Review
A young prince defies his destiny by escaping the castle he is meant to rule. At first, the surrounding city seems magical, full of wondrous sounds and sights, but the prince becomes very lonely without anyone to talk to. The kindness of several strangers allows him to begin building a new life for himself, and he eventually finds a job, a home, and, best of all, true friends. All would be well if it were not for the king's courtiers, who will stop at nothing to get the boy back to the castle. The second volume in this contemporary fairy tale continues the quiet introspection and striking visual elements of The Invisible Kingdom (2016) as it examines concepts of personal choice and responsibility. The gently rambling narrative flows easily, and the prose balances a sense of wonder and underlying tension. Simple black figures set against a range of colorful, patterned backgrounds make for vibrant, engaging pages that echo the events in the text. A cliffhanger ending will leave readers waiting for the next volume in this enchanting series.--Hayes, Summer Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Second in a trilogy, paper-cut artist Ryan's follow-up to The Invisible Kingdom finds the young king from the previous book exploring the outside world he barely knows. Living on the streets, he befriends another homeless man, a woman who runs a mobile soup kitchen, and a restaurant owner, slowly building a new life for himself, even as palace officials work to hide/explain his absence. Ryan's crisp silhouettes and thoughtful storytelling adeptly capture the story's emotional highs and lows as the king, having taken the name John, discovers the rewards of a self-determined life and embarks on a nascent romance. A dramatic cliffhanger ending, however, leaves his future very much in question. Ages 8-up. (Aug.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 4 Up-The young king of Ryan's The Invisible Kingdom quickly comes to terms with his decision, based upon sage advice he reads on a carved pedestal, to run away from his protected and advantaged life at the palace. Having left home with no money, extra clothing, or plan for obtaining food or lodging, he is befriended in the park by a large, "shaggy-looking" man who finds him a jacket and a sleeping bag, leads him to a van in a quiet alley that serves free warm meals, and gives him a "fistful of money" with instructions to call his mother to tell her he is OK. Roaming the city day after day and visiting and sleeping in museums, a cathedral, and a movie theater, the king-now known as John-listens carefully to his new friend's advice: "You become a man when you begin to put other people before yourself." Volunteering at the food van leads to a paying job at a café owned by kind Angelo, who treats John as family; sufficient earnings to allow the boy to rent a small room; and a girlfriend. Readers might wonder why no one recognizes the young king, why the queen doesn't rush to her son's bedside when she hears the rumor that he has a contagious disease, or why an educated, caring young man would choose to disappear rather than confess his lack of interest in becoming the reigning monarch. This second volume of a trilogy ends violently. Like the first installment, this features a large, picture book-style trim size and is heavily illustrated with cut paper, screen print, and black silhouette artwork. VERDICT Recommended where there are fans of the first title.-Susan Scheps, formerly at Shaker Public Library, OH © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A reluctant young king escapes the confines of the palace to experience life in the surrounding city.The boy delights in watching his subjects as they stroll through gardens and run to catch trains. He has his first taste of salt-and-vinegar chips. After a few days of wandering, penniless and sleeping in the rough, he decides to return home. But a man offers him some advice: You grow up and become a man when you begin to put other people before yourself. With that, the young king renames himself John, volunteers at a soup kitchen, and searches for meaning in his life. But whats truly revealed in this second book of a trilogy that began with The Invisible Kingdom (2016) is that Ryan is far more accomplished as a visual artist than as a writer. The large-format book is gorgeously designed and illustrated with a mixture of the cut paper and screen printing that the British artist is known for. But the overlong text meanders through a meaningless plot cluttered with inane platitudes: I never realised that life could feel as sweet as this; What a world! Readers might be excused for skipping the text altogether just to thumb through the pages of matte-finished, heavy stock paper to appreciate the subtle coloring and shifting perspectives that capture city life. The king and other humans are depicted as silhouette cutouts, giving few clues to race or ethnicity, but his hair is straight. Unfortunately, the artwork isnt enough to save this book from itself. (Illustrated fiction. 13 up) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
