I have read a four book series to my (at the time[1]) five year old son. I’m not saying he saw every plot twist coming[2], but he is absolutely capable of focusing on the story and retaining information between books. I’ve been considering The Hobbit, although Mary says he’s too young for chapter five.

Anyway, The Fall of the Readers marks the end of Alice’s journey from orphaned apprentice to… well, to whatever she is destined to be, right? Can’t very well give away the farm right at the end, can I? But the point is, she has done three or four impossible things before breakfast, and it’s time to take the fight to the Readers[3] themselves. This will probably involve puzzles and mazes and friendship, like usual, you know?  And also like sacrifice, if the last couple of books are any measure.

And that’s only part one…

I declare myself satisfied with this series. It did not end the way I expected, it had a major reveal that I also did not expect, and it was worlds more my speed than a lot of the books that I read to him. I mean, I also wanted to know how things turned out! …as opposed to already knowing is most of what I mean, but also as opposed to not really caring.

[1] (As of today, he is six, you see)
[2] To be fair, I’m not saying I did, either
[3] If you know, you know. If you don’t know, well, it’s right there in the title. You can’t exactly pretend to surprise.