The Jellyfish Jailbreak (Alessia in Atlantis 2) by Nathalie Laine

What worked:

There aren’t many middle-grade books that take place under the sea but Alessia returns to Atlantis very early in the plot. The author creates an imaginative setting on the ocean floor and in the waters above with creatures of all kinds. Crabs act as a police force and as the title says, a secret, secure jail is guarded by jellyfish. An inventive detail is the use of pearls called Drifts to introduce memories and flashbacks. The Drifts are like holograms that allow characters to visit other times and places for pleasure or to collect information. Alessia, the main character, comes from dry land called Selva and there’s growing suspicion and fear of anyone from the “overland”. It’s not safe for them to walk around Atlantis as overlanders are blamed for a prisoner’s escape and other suspicious activity. These issues become the main conflict in the plot, although there are evil, covert operations below the surface.

I haven’t read the first book in the series and I base my reviews on each individual edition. The author efficiently shares highlights from the previous book to quickly provide new readers, like me, with the information needed to understand what’s happened so far. The biggest news is that Alessia’s mother is a major fiend, public enemy number one, and Alessia will have a very hard time if the public ever discovers this connection. Alessia is quick to blame her mother for every “fishy” situation even when it doesn’t make sense. Readers should remember to consider the evidence themselves and draw their own conclusions.

Alessia is able to control people’s minds but she’ll need to master the ability if she hopes to stop her mother. As the book’s summary indicates, using her power has a dark side that may eventually corrupt her character. Alessia has a confusing relationship with Vulcor, the new emperor, as she’s not sure if he feels a growing closeness as she does. She also has complicated troubles with Kella, her best friend. Kella begins to notice changes when Alessia uses her power but Alessia feels like Kella doesn’t understand what’s happening. Sometimes, it’s difficult for people to accept the truth and Alessia’s ability almost becomes an addiction. Readers will be inside her head as she struggles with a myriad of problems.

What didn’t work as well:

The template for the story is very familiar with a main character learning to use her power, an evil parent plotting terrible schemes, and a close group of friends banding together to do the right thing. A nice twist is that Alessia took the power from her mother and her mother wants it back to fulfill her plans.

The Final Verdict:

The format of the story is easy to follow but the author includes original qualities to keep it fresh. Hidden conspiracies always keep things interesting and make everyone a potential antagonist. Overall, this is a very entertaining book and I recommend you give it a shot.