![]() |
Now | 2025 | Previous | Articles | Road Essays | Road Reviews | Author | Black Authors | Title | Source | Age | Genre | Series | Format | Inclusivity | LGBTA+ | Art Portfolio | Purchase Art | WIP |
|
Mabel Jones and the Doomsday Book: 02/01/19
Mabel Jones and the Doomsday Book by Will Mabbitt and Ross Collins is the final book of the Mabel Jones series but narrative wise, there should be a fourth book. Mabel now trapped in the Noo World has decided to track down the Doomsday book to learn what happened to humanity. The clues lead her and her crew to Otom. But now there is a new menace, a creature named Von Klaar is also after the book. The exploration of Otom — aka what's left of Istanbul — should have by rights been the conclusion. It's not. There is lots of derring-do and chasing. And then there's a new clue that points in the direction of whatever has become of Egypt. And then the book and the series ends. With it now three years after the publish date, I doubt there are more books planned. No. I suspect the author did but something happened. Things happen. Plans get set aside. While I don't typically count British travel stories in the road narrative because of the "there and back again" nature of them, I have the Mabel books grandfathered in. I started reading them before I knew for sure what my focus would be. The lack of a conclusion, actually makes this series a better fit the project that it otherwise would have been. I am reminded of The Vacation by Polly Horvath, a middle grade novel that ends before its fictionalized road trip does. The point is, "Noo World" road narratives are often one way and British ones usually involve a round trip. So in terms of the project, Molly's last adventure comes in at a FFCC66: orphan uhoria offroad. Molly has chosen to stay (and now be stuck) in the far future, some in determined amount of time. Molly through her decision is once again an orphan, meaning see's separated from her family. Her travels are primarily offroad as they are by sea.
Over the course of three books, Mabel Jones has gone from a marginalized traveler in a dangerous world, to a sibling traveler (to rescue and then guide her younger sister home), and finally an orphan traveler who has chosen to adventure in this far future world to hopefully prevent whatever tragedy befell humanity. Four stars Comments (0) |