Review – Tilly and the Map of Stories

Title: Tilly and the Map of Stories

Author: Anna James

Series: Pages and Co #3

4.5 stars

You can find my reviews for Book s 1and 2 here

Third in the modern-classic and bestselling bookwandering series that celebrates all that is best in life: books, adventure, friendship – and cake.

Strange things are happening. A man comes into Pages Co looking for a book… then suddenly can’t remember it. Tilly and her family feel like the world is changing – but can’t quite put their finger on why.

Meanwhile, the Underwoods are expanding their control over bookwandering – and they still have their sights set on Tilly. Leaving the safety of the bookshop, Tilly heads to America to find the legendary Archivists and save bookwandering…

… or at least, that’s the plan. Wandering in layers of story, Tilly and her friend Oskar come up against dangers they could never have expected, team up with an unexpectedly familiar face, and ultimately find themselves taking on the biggest threat to stories there has ever been – with only their courage and ingenuity to help them. As well as some of their dearest fictional friends…

My Thoughts

I adore this series and this book was just and magical as the other two. This truly dives into the magic of stories, we finally get to explore book magic, It is a such a fun adventure, filled with awesome references and magical wonders we have come to expect from Tilly’s adventures, including magica train journeys, paper forests, the library at Alexandria and a walk in the fairies woods of a Midsommer’s Night Dream. I love the inclusion of workers and stories for all ages, characters that can be recognised by any age.

I will admit this was the perfect time to read this book for me. I started it while the world hung on every movement within the US Presidential race. This is significant as the book spends a good deal of time talking about political power, how someone that may seem distasteful to you can seize it, how they keep it. It had the best description of the helplessness and hope you feel as an adult that what you believe is true and good will win out, and that even the smallest actions can make a big difference. It really hit home at that moment in time before sweeping me into the magical world.

This whole series is just beautifully written, there were some fabulous moments in this book which made me smile or laugh out loud, as well as moments of foreshadowing that were truly sad, but still filled with the magic that stories hold. I really liked the ending we got both an exciting resolution to the trilogy and enough open ending that there can be plenty more stories with Tilly and the Pages and Co gang.

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Happy Reading!