The Children of the Lost by David Whitely

5th August 2010, Puffin 

416 pages, Paperback

Review Copy

Children's, 11+, 

Suspense, occasional gore and violence. 

Summary from Puffin: 

MARK AND LILY HAVE BEEN BANISHED from Agora, the ancient city-state where everything is for sale - memories, emotions - even children.

Lost and alone they discover Giseth, a seemingly perfect land where everyone is equal, possessions are unknown, and Lily believes they will find the secret of their entwined destiny.

But paradise comes at a price. Why are their new friends so scared? What hides deep in the forest? And who is the mysterious woman who appears in their dreams, urging them to find the Children of the Lost?

Nayuleska's Thoughts: 

After having a huge 'Ahhhh' moment at the end of The Midnight Charter (book 1), I was pleasantly surprised to see that virtually every page added to the kaleidoscope of plot twists in The Children of the Lost. I was taken in with the emphasis on emotions. Mark is the suspicious one. He is the one that doesn't want to be there, the one who wants to go back to Agora (but can't). Lily is so happy to find her niche in life. She can't understand Mark's absurd behaviour. They were more alike in book 1 than in this book. Here, they are definitely drawing apart. Mostly because of circumstances, but also because the way they view the world. I enjoyed watching their character arcs within the story. I didn't like Mark a lot of the time, but I could understand why he felt in such a way.

 I liked how I could understand the politics within the new world Lily and Mark live, and the undercurrent mystery of the secret society and the whole issue surrounding The Midnight Charter. David Whitely has carefully laid clues in the book which make sense once you reach the end (this is particularly true of the first book).  The ending - oh wow. I can't spoil it, but I was so sad to reach the end of the book. Book 3 can't come quick enough! 

Final Conclusion: A story full of layers that will have you thinking long after the last page. 

Be sure to have read the first in the series: The Midnight Charter.