Archibald Finch and the Curse of the Phoenix is a very dark but beautifully written crossworlds fantasy novel by Michel Guyon. Released 26th Sept 2023 by Andrews McMeel, it's 464 pages and is available in hardcover, audio formats, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.
Following closely on the first book in the series, this is a complex sequel. For that reason, it's not recommended as a standalone read. The author does a superlative job of character development - they really live and breathe and the world building is unparalleled. There's an impressive amount of real history and knowledge woven into the story - much of the plot turns on Leonardo da Vinci's life, sketchbooks, and wonderful inventions.
This is a surprisingly dark book, and although the target audience is supposed to be 9-12 years (Lexile 860L), prereading or skimming by an adult, especially for library acquisitions, is highly recommended. It's not a book for most kids. Not even in a R.L. Stine creepy/scary way...
Four stars (with the above cautions).
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
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