Synopsis
In this pulse-quickening sequel to ANOTHER FAUST, an ancient Egyptian spell is turning the tony Marlowe School into a sinister underworld. Will all hell break loose?
Sixteen-year-old Wendy Darling and her insecure freshman brother, John, are hitting the books at the Marlowe School. But one tome consumes their attention: THE BOOK OF GATES, a coveted Egyptian artifact that their professor father believes has magical powers. Soon Wendy and John discover that the legend is real—when they recite from its pages and descend into a snaking realm beneath the Manhattan school. As the hallways darken, and dead moths cake the floor, a charismatic new R.A. named Peter reveals that their actions have unleashed a terrible consequence: the underworld and all its evil is now seeping into Marlowe. Daniel Nayeri and Dina Nayeri return to reimagine Peter Pan as a twisty, atmospheric, and fast-paced fantasy about the perils of immortality.
VOYA
Wendy Darling is a junior at New York City's prestigious Marlowe School. Her precocious brother, John, is entering Marlowe early—at thirteen—so he can graduate in three years. Their father, George, is a somewhat befuddled ancient history professor at the same school; the trio, having been abandoned by the mother, lives in near-poverty in shabby campus housing. The British Museum has loaned Professor Darling several obscure ancient Egyptian artifacts relating to his specialty. Any reader expecting a Disney or Broadway version of Peter Pan will be disappointed as this is a dark and often terrifying continuation. Peter returns as a boisterous and selfish resident assistant still seeking eternal youth; joining him are his sexy loyal side-kick Tina and several Lost Boys. The quest is framed by five legends contained in the exhibit's Book of Gates, stories of mummies who were embalmed and never died. Their bone-dust can become Peter's veritable salvation. Peter, Wendy, and John enter the underworld that slowly engulfs Marlowe in a series of frightening adventures as they strive to prove that the curse of the mummies exists with all of its horrific implications. The allusions are myriad, but dedicated fantasy readers will not find them distracting as they follow Wendy's emergence as a compelling heroine seeking her own identity. Reviewer: Judith A. Hayn