Review by Booklist Review
Suzy is off on another adventure in the Union of Impossible Places in Bell's second book. Suzy rejoins her friends Wilmot, Fletch, Stonker, Ursel, and Frederick for a special royal reception for the newly rebuilt and refurbished Impossible Postal Express. But before the big reveal, an earthquake strikes Trollville, sending everything into chaos. While at a junkyard looking for items to help the rest home Wilmot's mother runs, Suzy overhears a terrible plot from the creatures who caused the earthquake and who will risk another one. The intrepid Impossible posties are on the job, hijacking the train to track down the Cloudwrights, magicians and artisans who craft with magic from the clouds. Unfortunately, the Cloudwright they want needs to be placated constantly. Suzy's story alternates with Wilmot's story to great effect; Bell has a knack for timing, knowing just when to break away from the action. The characters in this volume are more developed, especially Suzy, who takes on leadership successfully. Part adventure, part mystery, part fantasy world set on its ear, there is something here for everyone.--Donna Scanlon Copyright 2020 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
The most famous train in Troll Territory is ready to roll once more in this sequel to The Train to Impossible Places (2018).It's been two months since the crash that put the Impossible Postal Express out of commission, and Suzy, now Deputy Postal Operative Suzy Smith, can't wait to return to the Union of Impossible Places to see her friends and hop aboard the Express to take up her position as "postie." An earthquakeTrollville's firstcuts the celebrations of the train's relaunch short and throws the town into chaos. When Suzy discovers that the earthquake was no act of nature, she reluctantly turns to an old nemesis for help defeating a new threat. Suzy is joined by her friends: Postmaster Wilmot, a troll; human Frederick, the Chief Librarian of the Ivory Tower, free from his snow globe prison; and the rest of the Express' quirky crew. The fast-paced dual narrative switches back and forth in the third person between Suzy and Wilmot, each of whom has a role to play in saving not just Trollville, but the entire Union. The ending is satisfyingly tidy, with the setup for the third in this projected trilogy firmly in place. Suzy and one secondary human character have brown skin while trolls are a variety of colors, including purple and cherry red. Frederick is white; assume whiteness for other humans.Full-steam ahead for more fun. (Fantasy. 8-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
