Amulet Book 22 is the twenty-second installment in the popular Amulet graphic novel series by author and illustrator Kazu Kibuishi. The series follows the adventures of Emily Hayes, a young girl who discovers a powerful amulet and embarks on a quest to save her family and the world from evil forces. In Book 22, the story continues as Emily and her friends continue their search for the lost city of Cielis. They must navigate through treacherous landscapes, solve puzzles, and overcome various obstacles in order to reach their destination. Along the way, they encounter new allies and enemies, each with their own motives and secrets. The book delves deeper into the lore and mythology of the world, revealing new information about the amulet's origins and its true power.
Slowly and then far too quickly the Elf King is revealed to be a pawn in a larger war. Emily alone swoops in and single-handedly deposes the king in a page spread, which was sorely anticlimactic. Trellis, the king’s exiled son, branded I think a traitor to the elves for outing his father as a corpse, is not even present for the unmasking of the Elf King and his fall from power. Never once do we as readers get to see the two interact. I am seeking out stories right now about characters facing their abusers, and I had expected such a scene at some point within this series and missed it.
Trellis, the king s exiled son, branded I think a traitor to the elves for outing his father as a corpse, is not even present for the unmasking of the Elf King and his fall from power. It is worth noting I think too that the Hayes seem to be of nebulously European descent and that it isn t until the fourth book in the series that we are introduced to a named Black character, present for only that one book, and then we meet another named Black character in the sixth, who is also only present for the one book.
The book delves deeper into the lore and mythology of the world, revealing new information about the amulet's origins and its true power. Emily learns more about her family's legacy and her role in the grand scheme of things. The stakes are higher than ever as the group faces powerful entities and dark forces that threaten to plunge the world into chaos.
Book Reviews: The Wide World of Amulet Needs a Clear Path
I ended up blitzing my way through the remainder of the published Amulet books in a week. Each ends on a tantalizing hook for the next installment, making the series difficult to set aside, but reading the next book, it is difficult to judge how much time has passed between. It seems like it’s meant several times to be months, so I don’t think that the series was ever meant to be read one after the other after the other as I read them. The books felt rushed, and I don’t wholly attribute that to my rapidfire reading of them. I am going to openly admit that this is a series rather than an individual book review. I will have to look again at the books, I think, to even parse out what happened in each.
SPOILERS!!
These books see the arrival of the Hayes to the planet of Alledia. Alledia is Earth-like but larger and home to more races of sentient species, including elves and prophetic gadoba trees and a humanoid species. Poorly understood science is taken as rampant magic in Alledia (and occasionally recognized as science by some): curses and Transpores, mushrooms that help people teleport, and stone amulets that give Stonekeepers telekinetic powers as well as allowing them the ability to enter and manipulate memories under some circumstances. Alledia is being overrun by Shadows for whom Ikol, the voice that haunts and tries to manipulate Stonekeepers, is a servant. Ikol has overtaken the corpse of the Elf King and has set the elven nation to conquering Alledia. Ikol is working to ready Alledia and other planets for habitation by, I think, either the Shadows or the creatures traveling with the Shadows in hypersleep and en route, but I am a bit unclear on that.
Emily Hayes becomes a Stonekeeper, one of only a few remaining on Alledia. Her brother Navin is the prophesied commander of the resistance against the elven army and force that has overtaken their king. Together the two are thrust into a fight to free Alledia from nefarious influences.
The prophesied arrival of a child of Earth to another world and the battles of those children for the worlds in which they find themselves is an old fantasy trope, but one that I find mildly disconcerting now and especially in this context where the Alledians have not been passive or deprived of hope yet. There is an element of white savior-ism here. It is worth noting I think too that the Hayes seem to be of nebulously European descent and that it isn’t until the fourth book in the series that we are introduced to a named Black character, present for only that one book, and then we meet another named Black character in the sixth, who is also only present for the one book.
The stories seem episodic, and the larger plot seems oddly to have taken a backseat to an individual adventure in many of the books, though as I’m writing this review, I can trace the larger plot points a bit better than I could do in the moment. I still feel that I shouldn’t have to take two big steps back from the books to follow the plot’s trail. I appreciate though that many of the characters that we meet have their own stories, are the heroes of their own stories, independent of the larger plot. It brings an element of largeness and realness to the world, but it is also distracting, and I wonder if the inclusion of these stories would be less so in a different medium or in longer graphic novels.
The first books made it seem as though the climax would be a confrontation with the Elf King and the conclusion would be an end to the imperialistic expansion the elves’ rule, although perhaps I drew that conclusion influenced by Avatar: The Last Airbender, which finds echoes here with its exiled prince from an imperialist nation, who drew me first towards these books (in addition to their popularity).
Slowly and then far too quickly the Elf King is revealed to be a pawn in a larger war. Emily alone swoops in and single-handedly deposes the king in a page spread, which was sorely anticlimactic. Trellis, the king’s exiled son, branded I think a traitor to the elves for outing his father as a corpse, is not even present for the unmasking of the Elf King and his fall from power. Never once do we as readers get to see the two interact. I am seeking out stories right now about characters facing their abusers, and I had expected such a scene at some point within this series and missed it.
That I am eight books into a nine book series and unclear about the identity of the Big Bad is frustrating. I am only just as of the eighth book beginning to understand the stakes—possibly to avoid being wiped out to make way for this invading alien race or to stop their invasion?—but even now I am uncertain. I want to know the end goal of all of these fights. I want to know towards what the characters are working. That I don’t yet know any of this for certain seems poor storytelling. Kibuishi has said that the series will end with one final book, and I struggle to see how he will satisfactorily conclude the series in one book when I feel that I don’t even yet truly understand who is the antagonist.
As the series has become more science-fiction than fantasy, there are possibly some echoes of Orson Scott Card’s Enderverse here too. I wonder if these characters will too have to wrestle with the sentience of the Shadows and the obviously technologically advanced creatures that they accompany.
The illustrations, particularly the watercolor backgrounds against which the characters play, remain outstanding. The spines of these books are definitely worth cracking just to enjoy Kibuishi’s artwork.
Kibuishi, Kazu. Amulet, Books 1-8. New York: Graphix-Scholastic, 2008-2018.
Intended audience: Ages 8-12, Grades 3-7
This review is not endorsed by Kazu Kibuishi, Graphix, or Scholastic Inc. It is an independent, honest review by a reader.
The story begins with an emotional hay maker. A dramatic (see also: scary as all git out) car accident leaves Emily, her brother Navin, and their mother reeling. Fast forward two years and the three of them are moving to an old family house in the country, eager for a fresh start. Then things start to get weird. Emily discovers a mysterious necklace. Strange noises appear. When their mother investigates and disappears, Emily and Navin are forced to enter into a dangerous alternate universe full of man eating arachnopods (half spider, half octopus) to get her back. Their search brings them into contact with their great-grandfather Silas and his loyal band of robots, who offer to help the children find their mom. It must be said that “The Stonekeeper” has its moments of excitement. A sequence when the kids and their robotic pink bunny guide, Miskit, travel through the Gauntlet is genuinely thrilling; battles with the aforementioned arachnopods will undoubtedly grab young reader’s attention.
Kibuishi's stunning artwork is showcased once again in Book 22, bringing the story to life with vibrant colors and intricate details. The panels are beautifully crafted, capturing the emotions of the characters and the sense of adventure and danger that permeates the series. Amulet Book 22 is a thrilling installment in the series that will captivate readers of all ages. It combines action, mystery, and fantasy in a seamless way, keeping readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. The story is filled with surprising twists and turns, ensuring that readers will be eager to continue the journey with Emily and her friends in future books..
Reviews for "Amulet Book 22 and the Power of Imagination"
1. Sarah - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "Amulet book 22". The story seemed rushed and the characters lacked depth. The plot twists felt forced and the overall pacing was off. I was a fan of the previous books in the series, but this one fell short for me.
2. John - 1 star - "Amulet book 22" was a huge letdown. The artwork was subpar compared to previous volumes and the writing felt sloppy. The story seemed disjointed and the dialogue was cringe-worthy. I expected much more from this highly anticipated installment, but it just didn't deliver.
3. Emily - 3 stars - I was really excited to read "Amulet book 22" but it didn't live up to my expectations. The story felt repetitive and predictable, and the characters didn't show much growth or development. The artwork was still beautiful, but the overall plot left me wanting more.
4. Michael - 2 stars - I've been a fan of the "Amulet" series since the beginning, but book 22 was a major disappointment. The plot felt convoluted and the action sequences lacked suspense. The pacing was off and it seemed like the story was just dragging on without any clear direction. I hope the next installment brings back the magic and excitement of the earlier books.