A while back Caramel read and reviewed Katherine Rundell’s book titled Impossible Creatures. Today he is talking to Sprinkles about the sequel, The Poisoned King, published originally in 2025.
Sprinkles: You reviewed Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell a while ago. So we are finally ready to talk about the sequel, The Poisoned King.
Caramel: Yup, it is also just as good as the first one.
S: I love it when that happens! So tell me a bit about this book. You had said that the previous book had ended a bit sad. Does this one pick up where that one ended and maybe things get happier?
C: No, I think it’s a little later, maybe a year or so.
S: The same characters?
C: Yes, some of them are the same.
S: Great! So there is some continuity. That is good. So tell us about the story.
C: Yeah, so in the beginning, there is a girl named Anya who is a princess, and her grandfather is killed. So Anya tries to figure out who did that.
S: So is Anya’s grandfather the poisoned king in the title?
C: Yes.
S: So how does Christopher from the other book show up?
C: He doesn’t show up for a while. But we are in the same world and same archipelago.
S: Ooh, and are the same magical creatures from that book still here?
C: Yes.
S: Is the whole book about Anya trying to find who poisoned her grandfather?
C: Sort of. But there are also dragons dying from the same poison.
S: Hmm, kind of like the first book where the magical creatures were in danger.
C: Yeah, except the dragons’ gold is also being stolen.
S: That is interesting! So multiple mysteries all at once.
C: Yeah, but all connected.
S: That makes sense.
S: So in the first book there were a lot of illustrations and you really liked them. Are there any in this one, too?
C: Yeah, it’s like the first one where the pictures are shown only when an important event is described. They are done by the same person, Ashley MacKenzie, and they are just as good. But again, it could have been nice to have more of them.
S: Yeah, I see. Did the book end in a cliffhanger?
C: Yes, it sort of did so there has to be a third book and I have to read it!
S: Yes, apparently there is a third book and it is coming out this September. Its name is The Neverfear.
C: That is a strange title. The other two titles were more regular titles. I wonder what Neverfear means. But yay! I really have to read that book!
S: I am glad you liked this book that much Caramel. So it was fun to read?
C: Yes! I mean, they have magic and they have dragons! Who wouldn’t like that?
S: I know, right? Okay, so before we wrap up this review, tell me if a reader could read this second book before reading the first one. Would it still work? Or should they read the first book before diving into this one?
C: it would be good to have read the first one. You’d have a better understanding of the world. And the characters and the stories from the first book come up here, too, so this second book would not make as much sense to someone who has not read the first book.
S: I see, thank you Caramel, that makes sense. So let us wrap it up then. What would you like to tell our readers?
C: Stay tuned for more book bunny reviews!
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