The Conspiracy of Us and Map of Fates by Maggie Hall - Guest Post
GUEST POST:
ANGELA THOMPSON - East Northumberland SS
Title: The Conspiracy of Us and Map of Fates
Author: Maggie Hall
Description - Conspiracy of Us: When sixteen-year-old Avery West learns her family is part of a powerful and dangerous secret society, and that her own life is in danger, she must follow a trail of clues across Europe.
Description - Map of Fates: Accompanied by Jack and Stellan, Avery jets around the world, unraveling the mystery of the Circle with the aim of setting herself and her mother free, before it's too late.
Angela's Rubric Rating:
Conspiracy of Us: Level 2 - Like it
Map of Fates: Level 3 - Laud it
Why I read
these books:
An “ordinary”
girl gets thrown into a treasure hunt, attracts the attention of two fabulous
looking boys, and has a role to play in a conspiracy that could end the world
as we know it…sounds pretty good to me.
Honestly, it was the publisher’s blurb on the cover of The Conspiracy of Us that enticed me to
read the first book and I read Map of
Fates because I was so mad that it took Hall 324 pages to get the adventure
moving and I couldn’t walk away without knowing if Avery and her friends could
unravel the clues.
Prom is
looming, but Avery is determined to stick to The Plan – no social commitments, superficial friendships, and absolutely
no boys – life is just easier that way.
If her past is true to form, she figures that she will be moving in a
few months anyway. Lakehaven,
Minnesota is just the latest stop for her mother who works as a military
contractor. Avery has learned to
dread manila envelopes and any conversation that has to do with ‘the mandate’. Of course, a prom invitation by a
mysterious boy named Jack and her mother’s insistence that she not leave the
house that particular evening sparks her latent teenaged rebellion. When her mother leaves for work, Avery
sneaks out. What is the harm in spending one night with a remarkably good
looking boy?
A lot. Avery finds herself on a plane to Paris
and poised at the centre of a conspiracy that could change the world. She is the linch-pin in an ancient
prophesy set in motion by Alexander the Great. Descendants of Alexander’s Diadochi (twelve generals) form
the modern-day Circle of Twelve -- twelve very rich and influential families who
control much of the political and financial happenings of our world. The Circle
is searching for Alexander’s tomb and a weapon that will make whomever controls
it invincible. To find it, they
need “the girl with purple eyes” and “The One”. This is the focus of “the mandate”. As the pieces of her life click into
place, Avery has no idea who to trust – her childhood neighbour Mr. Fitzpatrick
who leaves her clues? The
mysterious Jack? The even more
mysterious Stellan? Her powerful
father she just met? It will take many betrayals and dangerous encounters for
Avery to figure it out.
In Map of Fates, Avery becomes convinced
that The Circle is only interested in abusing whatever weapon Alexander’s tomb
reveals, Avery turns to her peers – Jack, Stellan, Elodie, Luc, and Collette to
help her interpret “the mandate” and decipher the clues around a pair of
Napoleonic gold bracelets. The
romantic aspects of the novels also heat up and Avery seems torn between her
two boys – Jack and Stellan – who each offer her something different -- and
pretending to uphold her father’s plan to marry her off to one of the sons in
another powerful Circle family.
The history
about Alexander the Great is interesting and the clues that Avery has to decode
are Da Vinci Code-esque, which may appeal to readers who need a bit of mystery,
but on its own, The Conspiracy of Us
is disappointing. It takes 324
pages for Hall to establish the background story and get the adventure started. She builds characters that you care
about, but who, admittedly do very little in the first book. The heart of this
story comes to light in the sequel, Map
of Fates.
Clever
marketing ploy aside, Map of Fates is
a thrilling, globe-trotting, read.
India, Germany, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Greece, and France are all
locations that are pointed to by one clue or another. I was a
little dismayed that all of the helpful or well-intentioned adults in these novels
are either peripheral or killed off rather quickly. As much as Avery becomes a capable and intelligent
protagonist, I’m not entirely comfortable with the fate of the world on her
shoulders. I’m also not ready to
count her out just yet. With the
ending of Map of Fates almost as wide
open as The Conspiracy of Us, there
is plenty of room for Hall to write another instalment...which is in the
works.
Recommended
Readers: Gr. 7 and up – violence –
superfluous at times, nothing explicit (sexual or language).
Themes: Self-discovery, problem solving, romantic
relationships, family, secret societies, kidnapping, quests, secrets, identities
Cross-Genre Links:
Movie: The Da Vinci Code (2006)
Music: Conspiracy Theories performed by Nick Jonas and the Administration
Websearch: Conspiracy Theories
Websearch: Alexander the Great
Inquiries and Activities:
- Who is Alexander the Great and how did he influence the world?
- Why are conspiracy theories so popular? Do you believe in conspiracy theories?
- Why is identity important?
- How is Avery supported by her friends? Is anyone more a hindrance than a help? How do the adults play a role in these novels. How do Avery's parents try to influence her life?
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