Castle Waiting, vol. 2

Writer(s): Linda Medley
Artist(s): Linda Medley
Publisher: Fantagraphics
ISBN: 978-1606994054
Price: $29.99
Page count: 384
Year Released: 2010
Status: in print
Original Source: Castle Waiting (vol. 3)(?) 1-15
Other Collected Edition(s): n/a
Genres: all ages; adventure; children's lit; fantasy; historical fiction; humor; teen/young adult
Recommended for Fans Of: the first volume; fans of fairy tales with strong female characters
Possibly Objectionable Material: a few isolated instances of coarse language
If You Like This Book, Try: Bone
Also in This Series: preceded by Castle Waiting, vol. 1

Plot Summary
In this volume of Castle Waiting the castle itself takes a turn in the spotlight as Lady Jain and Mr. Rackham each decide to move into the castle's keep, which has been empty ever since Sleeping Beauty left all those years ago. Fortunately, Iron Henry's (adoptive) brother, Dayne, a hammerling (read dwarf), and their nephew Tolly arrive at the castle for a visit, just in time to put their hammerling skills to good use by creating a new entryway to the keep, which is filled with labyrinthine secret passageways and booby traps.

This volume also features four sets of flashbacks. The first provides more backstory on Lady Jain's childhood, her relationship with her father, and her impending marriage to Tylo (her father's business partner's son). In the second, the events that led to Henry's iron heart are briefly retold. In the third we learn of the tragic events that led to Dr. Fell's detachment with the world, and, finally, Dinah tells how she met her husband, the giant.

Another bright spot in this volume is an epic bowling tournament, a game the hammerlings are particularly fond of.

My Own 2 Cents
As with the first volume, this one provides another enjoyable exploration of Medley's well-rounded characters, and she tells their stories with wit, humor, and gorgeous artwork. The book is compulsively readable and I devoured all 400 pages in less than two days.

My only complaint, really, is that the end comes rather abruptly and without much resolution, which would be fine except that plans for a third volume don't seem to be imminent.