The Alcatraz Escape by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
The Alcatraz Escape is the third book in the Book Scavenger series. Emily is still the focal point but this time several of her friends get more page time as well. The second book left it giving the readers a hint as to what the third book will be about. There is a new game afoot, and it will take place in the infamous Alcatraz in San Francisco Bay. The game is intended to be fun and raise money for a local bookstore. Emily, James, and crew, along with many others who won their way into the game, travel to the island and set off on a hunt. This hunt was created by a famous recluse of an author who everyone is curious to see in person. There are elements working against the young group of intrepid puzzle-solvers and they get themselves into plenty of tight scrapes. They must work together as a team and not be torn apart but will they solve it in time?
This book was a quick and easy read like the others. It had elements of tension and excitement to find the solution using clues and each other. Jennifer Chambliss Bertman created a solid children’s book that could draw in many readers. It did keep me reading and wanting to finish. I do like the way Jennifer briefly brings information from the previous books to help set the stage but does not spend too much time on the details. The twist was excellent and I did not see it coming at all. I have said this before, I liked the weaving in of historical elements. At the end she gives a summary of what was fiction vs what was fact. I love this sort of thing. This time around though I found Emily, the main character, getting more on my nerves than the previous books. I know she is young but she had such an attitude. She was defensive, negative, pouty, and self-centered. Emily was childish, which granted she is a child, but this is why I typically stay away from books that are geared towards younger readers. There were plenty of assumptions by many of the characters without evidence. In general, the thought patterns and jumping to conclusions are bothersome. I thought this book was not as well done as the previous two. It seemed a little forced to basically create an escape room instead of a large hunt with many locations. The kickoff to the game at the prison was a little too convenient and lucky for me. There were also many more unlikeable characters without any redeeming qualities this time around. I am still not a fan of Mr. Quisling. I think this is slightly more grown-up than the other two in terms of situations and antagonists. Overall, I would say read it to finish up the series and for some more puzzles & history.
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