Dandelion Fire

 Dandelion Fire by N.D. Wilson

 

Hardcover: 480 pages
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers (February 24, 2009)
ISBN-10: 037583883X

 Product Description
Henry York never dreamed his time in Kansas would open a door to adventure—much less a hundred doors. But a visit to his aunt and uncle’s farm took an amazing turn when cupboard doors, hidden behind Henry’s bedroom wall, revealed themselves to be portals to other worlds. Now, with his time at the farm drawing to a close, Henry makes a bold decision—he must go through the cupboards to find the truth about where he’s from and who his parents are. Following that trail will take him from one world to another, and ultimately into direct conflict with the evil of Endor.

I've noticed some people writing first and last sentences when they do a review and I kinda like that so I will try something similar here.

Book 2 of this series jumps right in where 100 Cupboards left off.

First paragraph: Kansas is not easily impressed.  It has seen houses fly and cattle soar.  When funnel clouds walk through the wheat, big hail falls behind. As the biggest stones melt, turtles and mice and fish and even men can be seen frozen inside. And Kansas is not surprised.  Henry York had seen things in Kansas, things he didn't think belonged in this world.  Things that didn't.  Kansas hadn't flinched.

To me there is both good and bad to this book...

The bad part is that Henry gets separated from Henrietta and her family.  Now we have 3 groups in the cupboards, with no one knowing where the others are.  That would be ok but  one moment you are reading about Henry and the next paragraph you are reading about Henrietta.  The change happens so fast that at times you have to backtrack because you wonder how you got from one to the other!

I have to admit it got somewhat confusing for this old befuddled brain.. 

There were many new added names of those living in the cupboards too, and so I had to slow up and read only a little at a time.  This is not to say that YOU will have to do the same thing.. my brain is just not functioning at full capacity... and it may never again for that matter!   (don't get old!)

Some of the good stuff is that as things all came together for the "must be ending" that I found I was glad I continued on through all the many names in the cupboard . 

Although the use of doors to other worlds has been used before, N D Wilson put a nice twist on it by making them cupboard doors.  One wonders if cupboards had a special meaning in the authors life at one time or another.

Over all I enjoyed the book.. or maybe I should say the 2 book story that it told.  The ending was gratifying and did not leave any loose ends dangling... which leads me to think that this might be just a two book series ?! 

End sentence:  Soon, the city heard the sounds that it would come to love,  The crack of a bat and laugher, and the sound of the first ball hit far enough to reach the water.  Uncle Frank rounded the bases.

Thus concludes the second book for Once Upon a Time.