Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
The Spiderwick Chronicles: Book Five - The Wrath of Mulgarath
For ages 7 to 10
Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, 2004 ISBN: 978-0689859403
It is hard to imagine a worse situation than the one that Jared, Simon, and Lucinda are in now. After escaping from Mulgarath the ogre and his goblin servants, the three dispirited and exhausted children head home. On arriving back at the Spiderwick estate they discover that the place has been ransacked, and most terrible of all, that their mother has been abducted. Even though Mulgarath has Uncle Spiderwick's infamous Guide, there is apparently something else that he wants from the Mallory children. The question is what, and how are they to rescue their mother without becoming Mulgarath's prisoners themselves?
The children have to try to rescue their mother but they feel very ill-equipped for this new adventure that faces them. As it happens, they get some unexpected and surprisingly useful assistance from some very unlikely characters. There is the highly annoying and untrustworthy hobgoblin, Hogsqueal; Thimbletack the boggart, who feels very badly about the fact that he was not able to protect the Spiderwick Estate and Mrs. Mallory from Mulgarath's horrible goblins; Byron, the griffin, who has a most useful appetite; and finally there is Uncle Spiderwick himself who offers information.
With the three fairy world helpers Mallory, Simon and Jared set off for Mulgarath's headquarters not knowing what to expect nor how they are going to free their mother. With sharp wits, courage, intelligence, and determination as their only real weapons, this is not a battle that they can afford to loose - for everyone's sakes.
Exciting and filled with unexpected twists and turns in the story, this fifth, and alas final, installment in the Spiderwick Chronicles is a most satisfying read. There are also new elements in this last book in the series which make it especially memorable, for within the pages the reader will also encounter loss, grief, and recovery.
