-0.5 star for the sudden illustrator change. Really hate it when authors/publishers either change the covers in the middle of a series or the illustrator.

First up, I decided to delete my pre-order for the paperback. Sorry, but I have been waiting for a year already and I just couldn’t wait any longer. I have now decided (well depending on if the cover also changes) to buy the hard cover of this series until the end. Why? Because I think it is absolutely ridiculous that it takes 1 or 2 years to get a paperback out in the world and I just can’t wait that long. I just want to know what happens.

Now to the book. I do love Penelope, though I was shaking my head or rolling my eyes a lot in this book. So many things are so easy, or so simple to deduct, and yet Penelope never got the hint, or didn’t understand it. I noticed this behaviour in the previous books as well, but I never got annoyed by it. Until now that is. If things weren’t so obvious I wouldn’t have minded it. But come on, even an idiot can see what is happening, and Penelope is said to be quite smart, yet she doesn’t show it.
I also think it is still weird that she is 16, she mostly comes across as 18 or 19, so it is weird to see her being mentioned by her real age.
But other than that, I loved her. She is a great character and she takes wonderful care of her charges. She teaches them well, and even tries to make it fun for them by taking them outside and learning them by means of games the poetic stuff.

The children, ah, they are so much fun and I love them more and more with each book. They are interesting, and I love how much they changed. Book 1 with them being still wolf-like, to now, were they only have some tendencies and some wolfy things. It is fun to see them grow up and learn normal language and normal things.
And their talents came to good use in this book. Scent, map making, howling and more. Oh and I loved their dodo thing, and how Penelope made them think chickens = dodos to prevent them from eating said chickens. 🙂

The mystery is getting bigger and more clear, though I still have many many questions. Like the hair-colour thing, the hints to family stuff, the whole mystery about the Ashtons, the Incorrigible children and so many more! We still got 2 books at least to go, and I hope everything will be answered!

The art was, like I said, a point that made me sad. I love Jon Klassen’s work, so imagine my sadness when I find out that dear Jon Klassen got removed and we have some new artist. I really don’t understand why writers/publishers change covers or illustrators in the middle of a series. The art is good, don’t get me wrong, but it just doesn’t fit. It doesn’t feel right and I don’t think the art style fits with this book. Jon Klassen fitted perfectly, but the new artist style just feels weird and at times bleh. Especially with how the humans are drawn. I do hope that the next book will have Jon Klassen again, and otherwise I hope the cover at least will still be the same.

All in all though I am looking forward to the next book. Hopefully we will get some great answers there, because I am just dying to find out more about everything! Only 4 months to go!