It comes out February 27, 2014 in the UK, and April 22, 2014 in the US. I will be ordering the UK edition, because of not being able to wait, and because I like the cover better. (I have a vague feeling that UK fantasy books for kids are less gender marketed--in this case the purples and pinks of the US cover look to me like the book is being marketed more to girls...and the UK cover, what with the boy and his sword, looks more friendly to both genders).
From Amazon: "Aileen was supposed to grow up magical - just like the other women in her family. Unfortunately, she's just found out that the magic seems to have skipped a generation...but that's not her biggest problem right now. In her world, there are four Islands of Chaldea. The largest and most magical island has been cut off from the other three for decades - and is slowly draining the magic from them. But now a prophecy has come to light. Someone from Aileen's island will gather a man from each of the three islands, bring down the magical barrier, and unite them with the fourth island again. And according to the king, that someone is Aileen's Aunt - who insists on dragging Aileen along. AND the boy Aileen is sure she'll marry (one day); AND the local boy with more brawn then brain. Someone seems to want to stop them too...someone with an interest in keeping the Islands apart. But still, with magic on their side, nothing can go wrong. Right?"
Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.
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I'm quite a bit sad about this book. At least when Diana Wynne Jones was alive and releasing books, I didn't know which one was going to be her last. But this one really, really is the absolute last one and there won't be any more after it, and that breaks my heart.
ReplyDelete(I agree with you about the covers. UK wins this round.)
I'd also note that the US cover only has a girl, and the UK has a group of three people, presumably boys and girls.
ReplyDeleteTrue that!
DeleteAh, I'm looking forward to this one today, too. I hadn't seen the UK cover, but I too like it more. I think the UK has done a better job overall with DWJ - the US covers can be truly terrible. *shudders*
ReplyDeleteA new world! No one could world-build like DWJ.
ReplyDeleteThe British cover does have more of a Jones feel to it.
I think I'm looking forward to this one with a bit of trepidation.
I haven't read any of these books, but I know they are popular in my library. I will have to add this to my order list! I'm a new Bloglovin follower.
ReplyDeleteCheck out my WOW
OH MY GOD. Diana Wynne Jones was my favorite author as a kid, and still high in my top 5. I've made it a point to read all of her books (I'm not there yet, but I own them all!) and I didn't even know her final book was going to be published. I'm so sad that this will be the last of her writing the world sees, but I hope that Ursula completed it true to Diana's vision. (I agree, by the way. The UK cover is WAY better. The US cover doesn't even look like Diana's style.)
ReplyDeleteC.J.
Sarcasm & Lemons