About this book:
The sequel to the #1 New York Times best seller The Isle of the Lost Mal’s an expert at intimidating her enemies, but she’s broken the habit since leaving her villainous roots behind. So when she and her friends Evie, Carlos, and Jay all receive threatening messages demanding they return home, Mal can’t believe it. Sure, she’s King Ben’s girlfriend now, and she’s usually nice to her classmates, but she still didn’t think anyone would be silly enough to try to push her around. The thing is, it kind of worked. Especially since she and her friends have a sneaking suspicion that their villainous parents are behind the messages. And when Evie looks into her Magic Mirror, what she sees only confirms their fears. Maleficent’s just a tiny lizard after her run-in with Mal at Ben’s Coronation, but she’s the worst villain in the land for a reason. Could she have found a way to escape? Whatever’s going on, Mal, Evie, Carlos, and Jay know they have to sneak back to the Isle and get to the bottom of it. Without its infamous leader, the island’s even worse than when they left it, but the comforts of home-even a home as gloomy as the Isle of the Lost-can be hard to resist for recently reformed villains. Will the kids be able to beat the evil bubbling at the Isle’s wicked core, or will the plot to destroy Auradon succeed?
Great continuation of The Descendants world
RETURN TO THE ISLE OF THE LOST picks up right where The Descendants movie left off, though there is a handy recap before the first chapter for readers who haven’t seen the movie. Those who want the full effect of the character growth should start with the first Descendants book, ISLE OF THE LOST, but basic plot details aren’t lost for those jumping in later.
This new story in the beloved fairy tale characters’ lives focuses on the friendships between the group and their respective relationships with their parents, absent as the parents are. Mal, Carlos, Jay, and Evie have made a lot of personal progress, but the one thing they all still struggle with is trust, whether that’s with a specific person or with themselves. Though they are all reformed children of villains, they still spent a long time on the Isle of the Lost, and navigating healthy relationships doesn’t come easy. The relationship between Mal and Evie is especially fragile at times but ultimately proves strong in a beautiful display of friendship.
The mystery behind the threatening messages and a strange group called the Anti-Heroes drives the plot, and the humor along the way keeps the tone fairly light as good and evil prepare to battle once again. The plot and character resolutions wrap up a bit quickly, but they pave the way for a larger story to be continued in the next book.
Fans of this series will love the continuation of Mal and her friends’ stories. RETURN TO THE ISLE OF THE LOST has everything Disney fairy tale fanatics have come to expect: banter, good versus evil, a splash of romance, and moving friendships.
*You can find this review HERE!*
