Scrivener's Moon: Fever Crumb, Book 3

Gr 6–9—In the last book (2012) in Reeve's trilogy, Fever Crumb's life continues without the influence of the totally rational engineers. She recognizes and begins to embrace her humanity. As New London continues its path toward hungry mobility (which starts the "Mortal Engines" series), Fever travels north with her mother to ascertain the truth about the rumors concerning a power source. Fever's story becomes entwined with those of Charlie Shallow and Cluny Morvish. Charlie is a conniving, murderous boy who has risen to power and prestige and will stop at nothing to retain his position. Cluny, a prophet from the North, is more like Fever than either initially realizes. British actress Sarah Coomes's reading makes the fast-paced story come alive, and her accents from different parts of England are effective in not only differentiating characters but also in highlighting class distinctions. The dramatic, breathtaking, and often violent plot is well paced and effective though more sophisticated thematically and in content than the earlier offerings. Listeners must be familiar with the back story from the previous two titles, so this is only for fans of Fever Crumb and Web Air (2011, all Scholastic).—Maria Salvadore, formerly Washington DC Public Library