SuitabookQueste
Angie Sage
- Reading
- Prepare for magical danger, a ghostly presence and time-related confusion. Reading earlier series instalments may help with returning characters, but the book’s exact level of backstory and ending are unclear.
- Themes
- Choice under pressure: Septimus is targeted for a dangerous quest while he and Jenna pursue their own plan to reach the House of Foryx. The situation invites attention to whether a person can retain agency when others assign them a role, but the narrative’s judgement is unknown.
- Friendship and recovery: Septimus and Jenna hope the House of Foryx will help them find Nicko and Snorri, who were trapped back in time. The search gives the adventure an emotional purpose beyond defeating a threat, potentially opening discussion about loyalty and persistence.
- Power and the supernatural: Merrin Meredith returns with Darke plans, while Tertius Fume, a ghostly former Chief Hermetic Scribe, seeks to direct Septimus. The book places magical authority and threatening supernatural influence alongside the protagonists’ own plans.
- Worth knowing
- Consider discussing how characters respond when powerful figures set their path for them. The story’s treatment of choice, responsibility and self-discovery may be more useful to explore than simply following the action.