This instalment follows Ellie and Jez as they escape the Administration and are subsequently abandoned on a theme park / pleasure resort world called WonderLand. Originally built for the rich of Celestion, it was abandoned mid-build due to the decline and later ecological disaster of Celestion.
This was very much split between two plots; Ellie and Jez living on WonderLand, and Deacon searching for clues on Ellie in New Haven.
Ellie and Jez's part feels very much like filler between book 3 and 5, with a vague murder mystery built into WonderLand. Why are there only two maintenance crew at WonderLand and why are they so odd? Grey and Shelby are indeed very strange, and you read it very much from Ellie's perspective who finds Shelby robotic and Grey creepy.
Deacon's part on the other hand, is much more interesting. I got the feeling that it was Deacon's parts pushing the plot forward, as he hunts for those helping Ellie Quin and rubs into the Rebornist Church and their violent subset the Awoken. Sean, Ellie's childhood friend is returned and it is explained who he is and what he's been doing since The Legend of Ellie Quin.
As such, this instalment felt very slow, much like The World According to Ellie Quin. I'm hoping that this doesn't become a pattern across the series. Also, the series is beginning to show the time period in which it is written. It relies heavily on famous scientists from this era when the novels are set multiple centuries in the future. With the various technological advances that have been made prior to this series, you'd think that there would be the scientists to accompany that, but there isn't. The ending is also very abrupt. It's neither a cliffhanger or has closure. It felt very strange.
Rating = 3* / 5*
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