Elissa's Odyssey

| Tasha

Elissa’s Odyssey by Erica Verrillo.

This is the second book in the Phoenix Rising trilogy, following Elissa’s Quest.  It continues the journey of Elissa after she and her friend Maya escape the evil Khan.  Elissa and Maya are set to travel via river after surviving the heat and dryness of the desert.  However, when Elissa heads to market for a gift to surprise her friend, she is drugged and robbed, missing the boat.  Luckily, a young sailor finds her and offers her a job as a ship’s cook aboard the cobbled-together Swamp Maiden.  So her adventures begin once again, this time surrounded by swamp, jungle and lots of insects.

In this second book, Elissa also discovers new powers.  She had always been able to speak with animals, but now it seems as though plants will listen to her as well.  Readers will continue to wonder as they did in the first book about who Elissa really is. Though they will be closer to the answer by the end of the book, the third book will be the one to tie up all of the loose ends.

Elissa is a strong girl heroine, who never sacrifices her girlhood to be a heroic figure.  Instead, she finds her own way to solve problems and survive.  She is always true to herself in every instance, which makes a refreshing change for a female character.  The writing is easy to enjoy, making reading a pleasure.  The pace on the Swamp Maiden may be unhurried, but the storytelling stays brisk and interesting. 

This magical series will be embraced by fans of Tamora Pierce, who may be looking for another trilogy to read.  Appropriate for ages 10-13.

4 thoughts on “Elissa's Odyssey”

  1. You really hit the nail on the head with “she is always true to herself.” That’s what I like best about this trilogy. Girl heroines tend to be wishy-washy in most fantasies, but not this one! Which means that boys can enjoy it, too. (Though I have to say I was relieved when Favian came on board. Can’t wait until he actually uses that sword.)In some ways, I liked the second book in this trilogy more than the first. The Blue People were awesome in Elissa’s Quest, but in this book, Billy Buck, Cappy and Doc provided a lot of comic relief. They were truly appealing. And there are some scenes in this book that really stuck with me, like the one with Mama Red Flag and in the temple at Alhamazar. I have the feeling that the trend is going to continue and last book is going to be even better than the first two.

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  2. I LOVED both books, but the second had some really great scenes. When she gets lost and then drugged in Alhamazar I actually got nervous. (I knew it would work out in the end, but I couldn’t help it.) I really liked the part where she flies over the jungle. (Not to mention, I’d love to make friends with two black panthers.) Anyhow, this book had everything in it – danger, lots of adventures, great characters, magic, mystery, and one of those endings that makes me wish the third book was already out.

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  3. Perfect books for tweens. I got both books, Elissa’s Quest and Elissa’s Odyssey, for my daughter. She talked about them so much I had to read them myself. I thought the books were funny, interesting, had engaging characters, and a terrific plot. What makes a better fantasy than a quest, especially if the main character doesn’t know what she’s looking for? It keeps you guessing. I’m really looking forward to the next book in the series.

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  4. I thought Elissa’s Odyssey was truly delightful. The characters were charming, the plot engaging, and the writing smooth. In short, it’s got it all! What I particularly liked about this book (and the last one, too) is the fact that in spite of the fact that Elissa is still trying to figure out who she is (and for her that is quite a task!) she doesn’t ever just “go with the crowd.” She always thinks for herself. Every young girl should read this book for that message alone.

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