A WAY BETWEEN WORLDS

The quest that began with The Lighthouse Between the Worlds (2018) continues.

Four days after escaping Somni and its evil, magic-wielding priests, Griffin and Fi have taken refuge on Caligo, one of the eight worlds connected by lighthouse portals. The children learn they are crucial to defeating the priests, who are bent on controlling the magic of all eight worlds. (Earth is one of the eight, and its magic, oddly, is not disclosed.) The priests have now invaded Fi’s home world of Vinea, aided by mind-controlled soldiers from Earth. Fi discovers the greenwitch magic of Vinea has been lying dormant within her and must learn to trust her new power in order to help the resistance back home. Griffin travels to Maris, an oceanic world whose sonic magic may be able to protect Earth from further mind control. The risks are great, but they have no other options. Worldbuilding is vivid, from Caligo’s library, with bear-sized batlike creatures that convey visitors to the multistoried stacks, to Maris, where the inhabitants live on docks suspended above the sea. Third-person narration alternates between Griffin and Fi. Each has a fair balance of accessible strengths and weaknesses. Griffin is white; other Earth humans assume a white default. Greenwitch skin glows green, and Marisians have bronze skin.

An effective and exciting conclusion.