EVIL HEARS

Seven teenage warriors frantically search for keys to the underworld in hopes of reuniting with their abducted mothers in this second installment in Woffington’s series.

This entry, which follows Evil Speaks (2017), opens in the infernos of hell with Kami—one of seven point-of-view characters—attempting to reunite with her six warrior friends: Amir, who’s blind; Chaz, who uses a wheelchair; Raj, who has a large birthmark on her face; Benny, who once was mute; Zuma, whose quirks include a tendency to overeat; and Layla, who struggles with cowardice. The book immediately explodes into action as Kami, who’s deaf, fights her way through hordes of demonic minions. However, she also unexpectedly finds her mother, Miko, whom she last saw when she was 2. Now, Miko is the prisoner of Lord Izanagi in the underworld, where the other six warriors’ mothers are also held captive. Back at One World Academy, the seven warriors—led by the goddess Minerva “Minnie” Pallas—discuss next steps: a plane ride to the Toshogu Shrine in Nikko, Japan, where statues of “three wise monkeys” reside: See No Evil, Hear No Evil, and Speak No Evil. There, the warriors embark on the first of many quests to find keys to the underworld, which they hope to use to save their mothers—and the world. Woffington’s prose is simple and straightforward: “Kami watched the water gurgle and swirl and drip and sputter. It needed no sound to make it any more perfect. The water danced before her eyes.” The pacing is quick and exciting, as the protagonists move from adventure to adventure quite rapidly, and most chapters are less than 10 pages long. However, the action-packed plot comes at the expense of characterization, as the seven protagonists’ personalities are not clearly distinguishable. Although the protagonists are high school age, the style, tone, and content may be more appealing to middle-grade readers. The high stakes and brisk action will sustain young readers’ attention despite the high page count.

A fast-paced, worldly fantasy sequel that’s likely to appeal to a preteen audience.