The Return of the White Witch (Calinore Chronicles 2)

What worked:
The story has a nice blend of magic and adventure. Dylan and his ancestors have been chosen (cursed?) to defend the royal family of Calinore, even though the king’s soul is trapped in a journal and the rest of the royal family are mice. Drucilla is the main antagonist, as the dark sorceress uses her powerful magic to spread evil. Flying gorillas, three-foot-long spiders, and subservient humans make up her army and obey her out of fear, not loyalty. Dylan is supported by witches, pirates, and common folk hoping to get out from under Drucilla’s tyranny. Dylan’s most powerful ally is a fire-breathing dragon that he rescued from prison in the previous book.
Drucilla’s evilness is a highlight of the story. She’s the most powerful character and uses her narcissistic, wicked personality to inflict terror on everyone she encounters. She plans to marry the current king, King Mordrid, who’s an equally despicable person. His adoration for Drucilla blinds him to the mocking, disrespectful way she treats him. Drucilla also controls an army of crows that act as spies and aerial weapons against the story’s heroes. Maybe it’s her feelings of superiority and overconfidence that keep her from realizing the flaws in her evil plans. Treating her followers with cruelty and malevolence can only spell problems in the future.
One unusual aspect of the story is that Dylan is assisted by his father, as most middle-grade books find the young hero going on quests with friends, not parents. Dylan’s father was the previous chosen one until Dylan received an amulet on his birthday. The White Witch joins the plot in the book’s second half, and she provides answers to questions readers might have. She also possesses the magical powers needed to end the curse on the Calinore king and his family. From the previous book, readers will remember that the king’s soul was trapped in a journal when he was murdered by Drucilla. Readers will know the conflict with Drucilla is over once the king becomes a breathing human once again.
What didn’t work as well:
References are made to events from the previous book, and readers new to the series may not fully understand them. The easy remedy is to read the first book. Also, the resolution seems to drag on unnecessarily. It answers questions readers might have about how things turn out, but then it creates new ones that linger. However, I’ve just discovered this is a trilogy, so my questions will be answered in the last book!
The final verdict:
The Amazon listing indicates this book is for ages twelve and up, but there’s absolutely no reason why younger readers can’t enjoy it too. It might be read independently, but I recommend you read The Quest for Calinore first. It’s an exciting adventure with a wonderful blend of action, magic, and drama. I recommend you try it for yourself.