From the Publisher
RAISE FOR A WEB OF AIR, BOOK 2 IN THE FEVER CRUMB TRILOGY[star] "Fever Crumb is back! Imaginative, inventive and exciting."--Kirkus Reviews, starred review"Reeve's intricately imagined world, combined with a fast-paced plot, offers a rich, rewarding reading experience." --School Library JournalPRAISE FOR FEVER CRUMB, BOOK 1 IN THE FEVER CRUMB TRILOGYAn Amazon Best Book of the Year, An ALA Notable Children's Book, An ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults, A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, A Kirkus Reviews Best Book for Teens[star] "Reeve is not just an excellent writer, but a creator with a wildly imaginative mind." --School Library Journal, starred review[star] "Reeve's captivating flights of imagination play as vital a role in the story as his endearing heroine, hissworthy villains, and nifty array of supporting characters." --Booklist, starred review [star] "Beautifully written, grippingly paced, and filled with eccentric characters and bizarre inventions (such as foldable assassins made of paper), this is a novel guaranteed to please Reeve's fans-and very likely broaden their ranks." --Publishers Weekly, starred review
School Library Journal - Audio
Gr 6–9—In the last book (2012) in Reeve's trilogy, Fever Crumb's life continues without the influence of the totally rational engineers. She recognizes and begins to embrace her humanity. As New London continues its path toward hungry mobility (which starts the "Mortal Engines" series), Fever travels north with her mother to ascertain the truth about the rumors concerning a power source. Fever's story becomes entwined with those of Charlie Shallow and Cluny Morvish. Charlie is a conniving, murderous boy who has risen to power and prestige and will stop at nothing to retain his position. Cluny, a prophet from the North, is more like Fever than either initially realizes. British actress Sarah Coomes's reading makes the fast-paced story come alive, and her accents from different parts of England are effective in not only differentiating characters but also in highlighting class distinctions. The dramatic, breathtaking, and often violent plot is well paced and effective though more sophisticated thematically and in content than the earlier offerings. Listeners must be familiar with the back story from the previous two titles, so this is only for fans of Fever Crumb and Web Air (2011, all Scholastic).—Maria Salvadore, formerly Washington DC Public Library
School Library Journal
Gr 8–11—Picking up where A Web of Air (Scholastic, 2011) left off, this final installment in the trilogy won't disappoint Reeve's many fans. Fever Crumb returns to London, but the place where she grew up is now unrecognizable. It has been transformed into a city on wheels, thanks in part to Wavey, Fever's mother and London's Chief Engineer. The nomad tribes of the North are threatened by this new moving city and plan to attack. Meanwhile, Wavey hears of a black pyramid in the North Country that might contain useful information about the past. The mother and daughter are inevitably drawn toward the structure, but, on their journey, tragedy strikes, leaving Fever to make some tough decisions and choose alliances she never thought possible. She also meets Cluny Morvish, a member of one of the nomadic warrior tribes and travels with her. Fever's friendship with Cluny changes her perspective on many things, including raising questions about her own sexual identity, which Reeve handles delicately. Beautifully complex language and a fully realized, highly creative future world will draw in readers, although those unfamiliar with the previous books will struggle with characters and concepts. Fever's journey concludes with satisfying answers to long-standing questions about the basis for her society and her own heritage. For die-hard fans of science fiction, it doesn't get much better.—Mandy Laferriere, Staley Middle School, Frisco, TX
Kirkus Reviews
The third (and final?) Fever Crumb story reminds readers of the serious themes beneath Reeve's often madcap, always entertaining tales. Following the events of A Web of Air (2011), a subdued Fever has returned to London. It's not long before she heads north with her mother, following rumors that a mysterious structure that may hold the key to Stalker brains has been breached. Meanwhile, London nears the mobility it will enjoy years into the future (Mortal Engines, 2003, etc.), but the northern nomads are ready to challenge London based on a young girl's prophetic dreams. Whew! Beneath the plot run three narratives: of Fever, discovering the truth about the Scriven and her own humanity; of Cluny Morvish, reluctant prophet and, it turns out, another of Godshawk's experiments; and of Charley Shallow, who once tried to kill Fever and is now an upstanding young sociopath who pulls a lot of strings. There are few truly happy moments here, and lots of violence, but the rich worldbuilding continues to hold surprises, and the writing never falters. Most hopeful--although perhaps unexpected--is a possible romance for Fever; the not-fully-resolved ending leaves hope that the feelings might be reciprocated. The implication that only away from London and science can Fever find happiness echoes the themes and tensions between technology and nature Reeve has explored throughout this and the Hungry Cities quartet. Quiet and somber, but still deeply satisfying. (Steampunk. 13 & up)
