A Tangle of Gold is the final installment in Jaclyn Moriarty’s Colors of Madeleine trilogy, and picks up right where The Cracks in the Kingdom left off: Elliot has crossed over from the Kingdom of Cello to Earth, and discovered his missing father there. But as delighted as Madeleine is to have Elliot here in person, he has to leave almost immediately or risk forgetting his true identity. Before she knows it, he’s been whisked away back to Cello – where the world is still in turmoil and he’s a fugitive – and she’s left feeling like her part in the story might be over.
I should begin this review by stating just how much I love this series! The Colors of Madeleine trilogy is so creative, funny, and weird, full of both magic and science. All three books have been an utter joy to read, and I really don’t know why these books aren’t more popular than they are. If you haven’t read them, get a jump on it!
A Tangle of Gold absolutely doesn’t disappoint and is as delightfully odd and imaginative as the first two books. I don’t think I fully appreciated how wry and clever Moriarty’s dialogue was before (a crime, I know). There are lines that will make you laugh out loud even in relatively serious parts of the book. Just as a series-finisher should, A Tangle of Gold also has quite a few twists and turns in store for readers, some of which I saw coming, but some of which I was gobsmacked by, in a good way. It all comes together to make a truly satisfying ending – I’m only sad that we’ll have to leave Cello behind.
I did notice that some fans might be disappointed in the fact that not all characters get equal attention in A Tangle of Gold. We do see far less of some characters that featured more prominently in the first two books, like Belle, Jack, Corrie Lynn, Samuel, and Sergio. It’s not that they’re absent – they all make appearances and have vital plot points of their own – but their involvement is limited to make room in the text for Elliot, Madeleine, and Keira, primarily. I didn’t mind because I felt that everyone’s stories were tied up nicely, but some readers might be somewhat put out not to see more of their favorites.
This series is definitely one I’m going to want to re-read now that all three books are out!
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for review.
