Illustrated by Elisa Paganelli.

Published by Macmillan Children’s Books, 2024.

I’d loved the first book in the Greenwild series and so I was excited to be reunited with Daisy Thistledown and the rest of the Five O’Clock Club for their latest adventure.

In this fantastical follow-up, Daisy and her friends set off on a dangerous quest across the ocean to find the mysterious Iffenwild – a city hidden beyond the sea. There, a strange botanical magic is stirring. It will take all of Daisy’s courage – and the trust of a new friend – if she is to discover the truth that haunts Iffenwild, and save the magical world before it’s too late.

As before, the world-building is incredible; this fantasy world is described vividly and with so much detail that it comes alive on the page. And this time, as well as the splendour of Mallowmarsh, we have a whole new pocket to discover: Iffenwild, the secret lost capital city of the Marindeep. And what a place it is! A city of spiralling shell towers and mother-of-pearl domes and turrets beside a vast coral reef and crystal clear lagoons. The book itself is beautiful too – from the gold foiled cover and stunning illustrations by Elisa Paganelli to the exquisitely detailed endpapers (maps of Iffenwild).

Another of the book’s strengths is the character development. It was great to be back amongst the familiar personalities from book one – Indigo, Acorn and the Prof are fabulous sidekicks – but I also enjoyed how Max, a character we met briefly at the end of the last book, has now become a central figure in this new story. I liked how the focus of the chapters initially alternated between Daisy and Max until their paths collided and their journeys ran parallel. Max is a complex and important new ally and watching his and Daisy’s friendship unfurl and grow, as they slowly learned to trust each other, was very satisfying. The Grim Reapers return in Greenwild: The City Beyond the Sea and they have grown in power and are even more hell-bent on destruction. The book also introduces two terrifying and formidable new villains who are ruthless in the pursuit of their aims.

Running throughout the book are important environmental messages: reminders of the damaging impact humans are having on the natural world and how important it is that we do everything in our power to protect the planet.

For me, another deeply satisfying aspect of the book is Daisy’s struggle to control her magic. Her frustrations and difficulties make her character more relatable. Her resilience and perseverance are qualities to admire.

Greenwild: The City Beyond the Sea is a tale of marine magic, adventure and mystery set in an incredible fantasy world. Dive in and enjoy!

Rating. 💙💙💙💙💙

Suitable for children aged 9+

Thank you to Macmillan Children’s Books for sending me this book to review. I reviewed this book as part of the Greenwild, The City Beyond the Sea blog tour. Check out all the other posts on the tour for more exclusive content.

You can read my review of book one here.