Book Review | The Edge of the Ocean

Title: The Edge of the Ocean
Author: L.D. Lapinski
Published: 15th April 2021
Publisher: Hachette Children's 
Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Adventure, Magic
Series: The Strangeworlds Travel Agency #2

Rating: 5/5 stars

Pack your suitcase for a magical adventure!

At the Strangeworlds Travel Agency, each suitcase transports you to a different world. All you have to do is step inside…

Flick is now a badge-wearing member of The Strangeworlds Travel Agency so when an urgent summons arrives at Strangeworlds from Pirate Queen Nyfe, she and Strangeworlds Society guardian Jonathan immediately pack their bags for an adventure to Queen Nyfe’s world: The Break, a place of magic and piracy.

Nyfe’s world is falling apart. The Break is used to having ships vanish without a trace, but there has been a sudden increase that can’t be explained by giant squid or mer-people. The edge of their flat world is coming ever closer to them and they need to escape before it collapses entirely.

But how do you sail a ship through a suitcase? How do you fit a mer-queen the size of a whale into something small enough to carry in your hand? Will Flick and Jonathan be able to find a way to transport the inhabitants of the Break to another world before theirs disappears forever?

A magical adventure for 9+ readers that will take you to whole new worlds, perfect for fans of The Train to Impossible Places and The Polar Bear Explorers’ Club. -Waterstones

Huge thank you to Hachette Children’s Books for sending me a proof copy of The Edge of the Ocean for my book review!

If you have been following me for any length of time you will know that The Strangeworlds Travel Agency is one of my favourite books ever, and I was so so excited when I saw that proof copies were available, and I begged for one! I was lucky enough to receive one, and I picked it up immediately.

This book follows Flick and Jonathan as they travel through a suitcase to help pirate Queen Nyfe who’s world is breaking apart. Flick and Jonathan have to battle against time to find another world suitable for the pirates, the mer-people and all the other water creatures who inhabit Nyfe’s world.

This novel is just packed full of adventure. From the very first page it is action packed, and it doesn’t stop until the final page. I couldn’t put the book down until I knew how it would end. Pirates are a personal favourite in books, and I really don’t think enough are published. This one has everything I wanted, sword fights, boat action and threats to walk the plank!

I loved spending time with Flick and Jonathan again. Flick is just as awesome as last time. She is funny and brave and not afraid to take risks to save her friends and strangers alike. We also get to learn more about Jonathan and his father who is missing. The novel carefully and sensitively deals with grief and death, a perfect example of this in a children’s novel. We are also introduced to new character Avery who is so fun! She irritates Flick so much, and is a perfectly sassy addition to the team! I really hope she sticks around for the series as I have grown to love her a lot, as has a certain character in the story!!!

This novel honestly feels like coming home to me. I adore the setting and the magical world that Lapinski has created, and I love the characters. I would highly recommend The Strangeworlds Travel Agency and it’s sequel if you love action packed children’s books, full of magic and adventures!

Thank you for reading my book review of The Edge of the Ocean. Have you read this novel? What did you think?

Buy from Waterstones here