Peter M. Last

RANTS AND RAMBLES

• • DISCLAIMER: When I review books, weaknesses and inconsistencies tend to dominate my discussion; therefore, I will emphasize that any particular rant (and, yes, they can be long-winded) does not have special bearing on my unified opinion of the book. For this, please refer to my overall star rating. Additionally, this review is my personal opinion, intended to help like-minded readers navigate the plethora of available options. Use it as a tool but do not assign undue importance to it (i.e. feel free to disagree with me).
  • I like how the main characters are each given a skill set at the beginning of the story and use it (along with their literal tool belts) to solve problems rather than randomly acquiring new skills when needed. This shows how much care Alex took in the creation of his characters and in making sure they remained consistent across the volume.
  • I don’t know who is meant to be the main character in this book, and I think maybe Alex was torn on the topic. Considering the audience, the two children seem like the logical choice; however, neither really has an arc, something which normally accompanies main characters. Only three characters have something approximating an arc (the father, the mother, and Sebastian Silver), and of these, only the father can be considered a main character, but even he does not seem to carry the story. Because of these incongruities, the story lacks focus it could have otherwise had.
  • Spoilers: There are several parts of the story which seem worthless at first glance. But upon closer examination, they actually have subdued, yet significant impacts on the tale. For example, Madeline and Phillip’s quest to win a fan-making competition so they can use the prize money to pay off their debt ultimately ends in failure. They go back home in pretty much the exact state they left making this feel like nothing more than extended side quest. On the other hand, this journey develops Phillip’s arc, throwing problems in his way which he must fix, only to arrive at the end in failure. This couples with the mother’s flu (a sequence I initially thought was a bit superfluous) to break Phillip’s resolve. And yet, the resolve which is broken is his obsession with his job which was the double-edged sword, keeping him from spending time with his family. All of these odd meandering storylines coalesce into the climax of the best character arc in the novel.
  • Spoilers: Conversely, Phillip’s arc doesn’t fit into this story’s ending very well. Arcs work best when they impact the plot of the book, but while the beginning of the father’s arc helps to kickstart the plot, the conclusion does not complement the climactic confrontation with Bartholomew Tullock.
  • Spoilers: The snow bear is teased throughout the book but exists solely to kill an antagonist. Teasing a deus ex machina before its use doesn’t make it any better.
  • Spoilers: The climactic assault on the fan tower doesn’t change anything in the long run. During the attack, we learn the fan which controls the weather is worn out and is degrading over time. This means the same thing would have happened in short order whether the town attacked the tower or not. It is less than ideal when the big decision and action of your heroes does not meaningfully change what happens in the third act.