Review: #514
Title: The Whispering Skull
Series: Lockwood & Co. - 2nd book
Author: Jonathan Stroud
Read Before: no
Comments: The Whispering Skull is a sequel to the stunning The Screaming Staircase. Unfortunately, it has to live up to the superb first book and in a way, it doesn’t quite reach that peak. Don’t misunderstand; The Whispering Skull contains a fantastic story in its own right, filled with mysteries, a complex plot and an intriguing storyline. It reduces the amount of action and instead focuses upon the abilities of the missing relic: a mirror that supposedly acts as a looking glass and allows you to view into the Other World. It is a fascinating idea, which, while isn’t original, contains a lot of potential, especially from this author. The book ends up being a bit flat (but still a good read) in the first four-fifths of the story, it is only once you start approaching the end where the setting up of the story is finally completed, that the excitement begins. Once again, the climax is addictive, forcing you to turn page after page in a bid to find out what is going to happen. While the revelation isn’t as gratifying or riveting as The Screaming Staircase, it was still satisfactory. The characters were great, especially now that you have more time to learn about their personality traits and habits. The author perfectly blends his iconic sarcastic humor with a great storyline which makes The Whispering Skull a fabulous read.
Rating: 7.5/10