Alessia in Atlantis
The Jellyfish Jailbreak
In the fantasy sequel Alessia in Atlantis: The Jellyfish Jailbreak, young people in an underwater community dodge political intrigues, hoping to help maintain peace.
Written for middle grade readers, Nathalie Laine’s fantasy novel Alessia in Atlantis: The Jellyfish Jailbreak follows a girl who learns astonishing secrets during an intriguing underwater adventure.
Now twelve years old, Alessia returns to the underwater cities of Nethuns. She faces school exams to prove her competency and other hassles too. Meanwhile, catastrophic air blows around the people above the sea in the wake of the escape of a former land dweller who committed one of Atlantis’s most heinous crimes. In Alessia’s view, the mayhem is the responsibility of her exiled mother, Cariesa, the rebel leader of Atlantis. Besides avoiding the impending conflict between the people on land and those in the sea, Alessia and her friends navigate obstacles such as resistive and wary sea creatures. It is key, however, that she keeps her mind-controlling powers from luring her toward pursuing dominance.
The fantasy novel unfolds over a backdrop of thrills, friendship, the drive for supremacy, and the determination to rein in one’s urges. As Alessia and her pals navigate the complexities of Atlantis, including its political and social issues, their voyage becomes exhilarating. Throughout the undersea city, their adventuring finds them facing hazardous tasks, through which the concept of kinship comes into sharp focus. Even as disagreements and periods of uncertainty put their friendships to the test, the children are strengthened over time.
The story pays close attention to the psychological well-being of its cast, in particular of the three Sensates who have anomalous powers. This trio is torn between listening to their evil, internal alternate-self voices and attempting to regulate the uses of their powers for good. Their struggles demonstrate inescapable but manageable urges to dominate others, and their ultimate choices direct the plot.
The book includes several twists and exposed secrets that spice up its plot. Some are introduced without enough prelude, though, and others are rushed through. As a result, scenes like the consequential entry of Cariesa and the unanticipated demise of a main character are muted and jarring, though some also foreshadow mysteries for future series entries.
In the fantasy sequel Alessia in Atlantis: The Jellyfish Jailbreak, young people in an underwater community dodge political intrigues, hoping to help maintain peace, order, and an alliance with those on the land.
Reviewed by
Tripti Kandari
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
