A Web of Air
A Web of Air
Select a format:
Paperback ©2013--
To purchase this item, you must first login or register for a new account.
Scholastic Book Service
Just the Series: Fever Crumb Vol. 2   

Series and Publisher: Fever Crumb   

Annotation: Called "imaginative, inventive, and exciting" in a starred review from Kirkus, the second adventure in the Fever Crumb t... more
Genre: [Science fiction]
 
Reviews: 5
Catalog Number: #6707679
Format: Paperback
Copyright Date: 2013
Edition Date: 2013 Release Date: 01/01/13
Pages: v, 293 pages
ISBN: 0-545-22217-6
ISBN 13: 978-0-545-22217-4
Dewey: Fic
LCCN: 2010043341
Dimensions: 21 cm.
Language: English
Reviews:
Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews (Thu Apr 28 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

Fever Crumb is back! Two years after the events of Fever Crumb (2010), Fever finds herself far south of London (which continues to ready itself for mobilization), in a volcanic city where a lonely young man seeks the secret of flight. Reeve's writing, already excellent, shines here as he turns his attention to the romantic, in both the human and poetic senses. Fever herself is a virtuoso character: prickly, even unlikable, hampered by her eminently rational upbringing and the way it distances her from others, yet compelling and even lovable by readers and characters alike. Her rational approach to the world blinds her; readers will intuit elements of the mystery consuming Fever long before she catches on. It also dooms Fever's chance at love, because love in inherently irrational. Religion and political machinations both play a role here, and the actions of her Scriven mother and grandfather continue to intrude on Fever's attempts to make her own way in this ingenious world. A final delight for old fans: Building blocks of the Mortal Engines series appear like video-game Easter eggs (the first Jenny Haniver!). This is clearly the middle of Fever's tale, and the end hints at more adventures to come. Imaginative, inventive and exciting. (Steampunk. 12 & up)  

ALA Booklist

Two years have passed since Fever fled London at the end of Fever Crumb (2010), set centuries before Reeve's Hungry City Chronicles. Now the engineer-raised girl is living the most irrational sort of life with a traveling theater group, which makes a stop in a small coastal city at the edge of Europa. She meets another genius sort who is convinced that he has discovered the old-tech secret to flying, if only he could cobble together an engine light enough to do the trick. They join up, Fever experiences the weird sensation of love, and together they try to outwit a gaggle of deadly villains. Though Reeve again displays a knack for the sort of inviting cleverness that makes readers feel as if they are in on an inside joke, this follow-up is a bit less crammed full of imaginative delights than the first. There is still plenty of high-wire action and inventive writing to savor, though, and if the downer of an ending leaves some crestfallen, the promise of what is in store (the mechanizing and mobilizing of cities) should keep appetites hungry for the next book.

Horn Book

In this Fever Crumb sequel, Fever learns of enigmatic Arlo Thursday's attempts to construct a flying machine. When word leaks out that Arlo's close to powered flight, villains come calling and Fever gets caught up in the intrigue--murder and kidnapping. Reeve's distinguished world building and remarkable storytelling gifts, coupled with a trenchant understanding of human nature, are on full display.

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

Fever Crumb is back! Two years after the events of Fever Crumb (2010), Fever finds herself far south of London (which continues to ready itself for mobilization), in a volcanic city where a lonely young man seeks the secret of flight. Reeve's writing, already excellent, shines here as he turns his attention to the romantic, in both the human and poetic senses. Fever herself is a virtuoso character: prickly, even unlikable, hampered by her eminently rational upbringing and the way it distances her from others, yet compelling and even lovable by readers and characters alike. Her rational approach to the world blinds her; readers will intuit elements of the mystery consuming Fever long before she catches on. It also dooms Fever's chance at love, because love in inherently irrational. Religion and political machinations both play a role here, and the actions of her Scriven mother and grandfather continue to intrude on Fever's attempts to make her own way in this ingenious world. A final delight for old fans: Building blocks of the Mortal Engines series appear like video-game Easter eggs (the first Jenny Haniver!). This is clearly the middle of Fever's tale, and the end hints at more adventures to come. Imaginative, inventive and exciting. (Steampunk. 12 & up)  

School Library Journal

Gr 6-10 Having fled London and her recently discovered parents, Fever Crumb is traveling around a postapocalyptic Europe with an acting troupe. She earns her keep by using her knowledge of technology and electricity to provide lighting and special effects. The audiences and performers are appreciative, but deep inside, Fever is unhappy about how unreasonable the acting business is, since her childhood training by the Order of Engineers focused on facts and rational thought. Then, at a seaside town, Fever comes across a model glider built by a mysterious young recluse named Arlo Thursday, who is trying to rediscover the lost mysteries of flight. Fever wants to help him, but shadowy powers seem to be working against any inventor, philosopher, or engineer who wants to study flight and flying machines. Reeve's intricately imagined world, combined with a fast-paced plot, offers a rich, rewarding reading experience. In the bittersweet ending, Fever continues to develop as a character as she experiences the transformative power of love and makes sacrifices that none of her family and friends can truly appreciate. This book can be read as a stand-alone work, though readers familiar with Fever Crumb (Scholastic, 2010) will have a better understanding of the backstory. Misti Tidman, Licking County Library, Newark, OH

Reviewing Agencies: - Find Other Reviewed Titles
Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews (Thu Apr 28 00:00:00 CDT 2022)
ALA Booklist
Horn Book
Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)
School Library Journal
Word Count: 71,929
Reading Level: 6.6
Interest Level: 5-9
Accelerated Reader: reading level: 6.6 / points: 12.0 / quiz: 146626 / grade: Middle Grades+
Reading Counts!: reading level:8.5 / points:18.0 / quiz:Q53684
Lexile: 1000L
From Fever Crumb: A Web of Air

In her girlhood she had often heard old Dr. Collihole, her fellow Engineer, describe his dreams of flight. She had even flown herself, in the balloon that he had built from scrap paper and filled with hot air on the roof of Godshawk's Head. She hadlistened to him recount the legends about heavierthan- air flying machines built by the Ancients, and dismiss them, sadly, as mere fairy tales, because all his experiments had led him to believe that heavier-than-air flight was impossible. But it seemed to her that someone in Mayda did not agree. Someone in this city was designing a flying machine, or at least a glider. And now a model of it had flown into the hands of one of the few people in this quarter of Europa who could understand what it was...

Which seemed to Fever to be such an unlikely coincidence that she did not think that it could be a coincidence at all. But whoever had launched the glider, from those dark terraces above her, did not seem to want to show themselves, and it was late, and the moon was dipping behind the shoulder of the crater, and so, clutching the white glider to her chest, she went walking thoughtfully back into the city.

The angels had lost interest in her. But from the shadowed terraces above, someone watched her go.



Excerpted from A Web of Air by Philip Reeve
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.

Called "imaginative, inventive, and exciting" in a starred review from Kirkus, the second adventure in the Fever Crumb trilogy is now in paperback.

Two years ago, Fever Crumb escaped the war-torn city of London in a traveling theater. Now, she arrives in the extraordinary city of Mayda, where buildings ascend the cliffs on funicular rails, and a mysterious recluse is building a machine that can fly. Fever is the engineer he needs -- but ruthless enemies will kill to possess their secrets.In this gripping sequel to Fever Crumb, master storyteller Philip Reeve creates a riveting story that is unforgettable and delightful at every fast-paced, breathless turn.


*Prices subject to change without notice and listed in US dollars.
Perma-Bound bindings are unconditionally guaranteed (excludes textbook rebinding).
Paperbacks are not guaranteed.
Please Note: All Digital Material Sales Final.