By the ninth book in The 39 Clues series, Storm Warning by Linda Sue Park, the series was coming to a close. Amy and Dan have discovered the identity of their family branch and are starting to think more seriously about things.
For those of you who don’t know, The 39 Clues is a multi-author series in which Amy (14) and Dan (11) Cahill learn that they are members of the most powerful family in human history. The source of their families power is hidden throughout the world in the form of thirty-nine special clues. Unfortunately, Amy and Dan aren’t the only ones after the prize. Their treacherous relatives will do anything to get the clues first; even kill.
Read more about The 39 Clues here.
At the end of the eighth book, Amy and Dan find a clue leading them in the direction of Anne Bonny, a famous woman pirate. That means the next clue is in Jamaica.
I actually have a special connection to this book because Linda Sue Park lives in Rochester, NY (the same place I live), and is only a few blocks away from my house. She gave a talk on the book at Barnes @ Noble the day it came out and I got to hear her perspective on the book, so it was quite interesting. Of course, I had already finished the book before I went to her talk that night.
Summary
Even though Amy and Dan know that the next clue is in Jamaica, Dan wants to go to the Bahamas first to play at a water park, so they do. It’s not a total waste, though; they infiltrate a Tomas hideout and steal a bear claw.
After Amy hurts herself in the Bahamas they decide to go and track down Calico Jack in Jamaica, a pirate who had Anne Bonny on his ship. As you’d expect from Amy, they visit a library. They find that some of the stuff on his ship included the bear claw and the necklace Amy got from Grace.
Amy and Dan have been suspecting Nellie for several books now, but things come to a complete head in this book, and Amy and Dan refuse to trust her at all. Nellie is forced to admit that she does in fact work for William McIntryre.
At the library, Amy and Dan meet a nice man named Lester. He doesn’t know anything about the clue hunt, but introduces them to his grandmother, a former friend of Grace. To everyone’s shock she has an earring that matches the snake ring in Nellie’s nose. Nellie was born into the clue hunt just as much as Dan and Amy.
Throughout the whole book Amy and Dan are confronted by the Kabras. Ian and Natalie, but mainly Isabel, the most ruthless villain in the whole series (and that’s saying something!).
Amy and Dan realize that Isabel’s wolf fang necklace might also be connected with the clue, and attempt to steal it from her. Isabel is by no means an easy catch, but Amy, Dan, and Nellie are able to set a trap for her.
Things come to a terrible head as Lester continues to help them find the last clue. An innocent person dies, not for the first time, but it shocks Amy and Dan worse than ever. They realize that they can’t just keep on like this and let people die. They need to quit the clue hunt.
After that Nellie takes them against their will to the Man in Black (yes, his identity is finally revealed!), where Amy and Dan are put to the test. Who are the Madrigals? Are they good or bad? And will Amy and Dan join them?
Review
This is a very good book, although it was written very differently from the rest of the series. Linda Sue Park admitted at her talk that she was surprised when they asked her to write a book for The 39 Clues because she’s not an adventure writer. However, they said they wanted her because she is good with emotions and would be able to handle the death and problems with Nellie and everything. She does a very good job.
We also learn a lot in this book. The true identity of The Man in Black (which we’ve been trying to discover since the first book), the real scoop on the Madrigal clan, and what is going to take place in the last book.
I love reading this book because it shows the characters of Amy and Dan very well. Sue Park definitely does a great job dealing with the death of an innocent person, and it makes Amy and Dan seem more human and real than at any other time in the series.
This is a must read for sure. Linda Sue Park may have been surprised they asked her to write the book, but I’d be even more surprised if you don’t want to check it out.
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