In this conclusion to DiTerlizzi's much-loved series, Eva Nine is on the run, branded a traitor and a spy. The humans and aliens who both populate the magnificently lush planet, home to upside-down birds and immense water bears, are now at odds, and Eva is the only one with the skills to reason with each species. Like Middle Earth and Oz, Orbona is packed with creatures and places with proper names in unfamiliar languages, and although there are a few stabs at exposition, readers will more fully appreciate the epic sweep of this complicated story if they read the books in order. Of particular interest is Eva's development into a young woman of unwavering compassion and courage, even in the face of betrayal, loss, and injury. DiTerlizzi's beautiful illustrations are worth the price of admission, as usual, and they do much to help the reader distinguish among the plethora of strange creatures. WondLa fans will be sad to see it all end, and, even with some uneven pacing, they'll be satisfied with the result.

This conclusion to a complex trilogy picks up after Eva Nine's escape from New Attica and takes readers through her saving of planet Orbona from Loroc, and ultimately through the next three centuries. As intricate and emotionally rich as DiTerlizzi's accompanying sepia-hued illustrations, this final volume should satisfy fans of its individually distinctive predecessors. Glos.

Gr 4-7 The epic trilogy comes to a satisfying end in this last installment. Readers will be thrilled to step back into DiTerlizzi's well-realized and intricately detailed world as Eva Nine and her friends try to save their planet.