Amy Sparkes, The Tower at the End of Time, Walker Books, January 2022, 272 pp., RRP $14.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781406395327
A hiccupping House, a Hopscotch Championship, a skeleton in the closet and a sword-wielding Spoon…
The sequel to The House at the Edge of Magic has landed, and readers will enjoy this fast-paced romp through the House and the worlds it inhabits. But first, Nine and her companions need to find a cure for the House’s explosive case of the hiccups!
The novel is Howl’s Moving Castle meets Harry Potter, meets Oliver Twist; readers will fall in love with Nine and her band of companions as they attempt to survive the aftermath of the Hopscotch Championship – the nefarious Tower at the End of Time.
The woven narratives throughout the novel build tension and intrigue— Nine’s arrival at the House and the mysteries of her early life, the history of Flabberghast the Wizard and his family, and the relationship between Spoon and long-lost Professor Dish. The House itself is an endearing character and makes the perfect backdrop to the stories of this eclectic group of friends.
Sparkes’s use of humour and vivid visual details will engage younger readers immediately. At times the action was whirring along so quickly it was almost hard to keep up! However, readers will enjoy going for the ride with Nine and her friends, as they take on the Tower and its eerie obstacles.
Overall, a funny and unique middle-grade novel that will leave readers wanting more.
Recommended for ages 9 years and up.
Reviewed by Sarah Stivens
