Starred Review There is good news and bad news, readers. The good news is that Rowell's latest Simon Snow novel has arrived, and it's a doozy l 592 pages of it. The bad news is that it's the final volume in her trilogy about the erstwhile mage. More reason, then, to treasure this one, and, happily, Rowell doesn't disappoint. The latest finds Simon and his friends z, Agatha, Penelope, and Shepard, a "Normal" (i.e., non-magical) American who has a demonic curse on his head ck in England from their American sojourn. Disquieting news awaits them: since Simon is no longer the Chosen One, a pretender to that title has appeared, a man with the unlikely name of Smith Smith-Richards, who is promising his cult of followers that he'll strengthen their magic. Baz dismisses him as a charlatan, but Simon isn't so sure. Meanwhile, Penelope is falling in love with Shep, although a Mage-Normal romance is unheard of. But it's the romance between Simon and Baz, with its occasional fits and starts, that always and ever occupies center stage. The psychology of these two characters ong the best since Harry Potter what really moves this character-driven fantasy, which is beautifully realized and deeply satisfying. All of its characters are so wonderfully drawn that it's almost impossible to fathom that they will be no more. Farewell, Simon and Baz; we'll miss you.

Gr 9 Up In this conclusion to Rowell's "Simon Snow" trilogy, Simon and his friends have returned from their American road trip to discover that a new Chosen One has appeared in England. Smith Smith-Richards is promising to strengthen the magic of those who follow him, which is never a good sign. Simon and Baz's romance is naturally center stage with all the angst it entails as everyone returns to Watford, but Agatha, Penny, and Shep all get their chance at love at varying levels of plausibility. Ultimately, this book has the weakest plot of the trilogy and barely touches on what occurred in Wayward Son . VERDICT Despite a hard-won happily ever after, readers will be left wondering what happened to all the subplots Rowell dropped.