This book marks the end of Avery and Zib’s adventures in the Up-and-Under. As always happens when I reach the last book of a series, in practical terms this will be a review of the whole thing. No spoilers.
For those who are unfamiliar, The Up-and-Under by A. Deborah Baker is a children’s book series within the world of one of Seanan McGuire’s other book series. McGuire then decided to go ahead and write the series, under the pen name of A. Deborah Baker, and this is the result.
These four novellas deal with the adventures of very- proper Avery and very-not-proper Hepzibah (universally known as Zib). They grew up on the same street, but never met or knew of each other until they both found themselves in the Narnia-esque world of the Up-and-Under. The series chronicles the adventures of Avery and Zib as they travel the Improbable Road through the Up-and-Under with the goal of reaching the Impossible City, where they are told they can find a way home. Along the way, they meet and are joined by the Crow Girl (who has no other name; she’s a girl who is also a murder of crows) and by Niamh, a drowned girl (she was a girl from Earth who literally drowned. Girls who drown up live in a city beneath the Saltwise Sea in the Up-and-Under). Along the way they meet the King of Coins (lord of Earth), the King of Cups (lord of water), and the Queen of Wands (lady of Air). The Queen of Swords (lady of Fire) is missing, and Avery and Zib and their friends are supposed to find her during the course of their Quest.
Overall, this is a good series for young and adult readers alike. The story is told simply, and it’s a solid one. “Fantastical” is the word that describes it best, I think. They’re novellas, so easy to read through in an afternoon.
For those who have read the series: This is a good ending. There were some developments that genuinely shocked me, and plenty of bittersweetness about the end of the journey.