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This is book 2 of a series. I have not read the first one, although I was under the impression that this works as a standalone story - and it does, up to a point.

The people, titles and concepts in this book I found initially quite confusing. If I had read the first one I am sure I would have been more "up to speed" and enjoyed it a lot more. I was undecided as to whether to award three or four stars, but I've given it the benefit of the doubt and awarded four, with the caveat that I'd recommend reading the first book first. A glossary/appendix at the back would have helped greatly with this niggle. There is some sort of recap of what I assume happens in the first book, at around page 300.

It is very well written, the words flow off the page and there are three story threads that intertwine to some extent, although Mark's doesn't seem to be particularly integral or necessary for the purposes of the story, and it is Kate's tale that is the most intriguing and exciting. Mo is barely present and I'm not entirely sure when she became a physical presence or where she was prior to that (I must have missed something). Alan has the main thread which links the characters together, as he tries to rescue Kate who, at the start of the book, is imprisoned in the titular tower by the witch. Things don't go quite according to plan, resulting in him spending most of the book not heading in Kate's direction at all.

I received this book as part of a GoodReads giveaway.

It took me ages to get around to reading this book. It started off OK, and the writing is fine, but the sheer number of characters and the darting around between different groups that the author does, meant I lost track of who was who and what they were doing quite quickly. I finally gave up about two fifths of the way through, having scant idea of what was happening, where it was happening, whether all those people were originally on that boat, why it was being attacked, and whether I should care whether they make some mysterious island which was either cursed or inhabited by barbarians, not that I knew why they were going there anyway.

I put it down because I wasn't getting anything out of it. I picked it up because I got it for free from a Goodreads giveaway. At least nobody can say that has influenced my review!

I might have another go at it if I run out of other books to read, but for now I can't award it any less than 1 star (I literally can't - it won't let me).

It's a book of words. I'm undecided as to whether it is supposed to be educational, a cursory glance would suggest it is, but closer inspection would question some of the words.

For instance, inside the front cover the alphabet is spelt out. You'd expect "Apple, Ball, Cat (or whatever)", but no - this book has Angry Anchovy, Kicking Kerploppus and a Very Vain Vampire! (I think the people making up the Ubuntu release names need a copy of this book)

The rest of the book is themed per page. There's a page of drawings (or one big drawing) with things of interest labelled. The first spread is Music and features a marching band, rock and roll band, country and western band and... a washtub band. The instruments are labelled as to what they are ("saw", "comb and tissue paper", "washboard" and "washtub bass" in the latter-named band). There's a monster hiding in the tuba. There is humour throughout, partly in the great drawings, and partly in the labels. The County Fair page contains a "weight-guessing trollusk". On the pets page, the lion is labelled "big kitty cat". There's a pet shoe. Ways to Travel that are suggested include "UFO", "use your wings" and "rubber horse" alongside more traditional modes of transport.

This book made me giggle when I was young, and I kept hold of it although I'm not entirely sure how it survived all these years (although I was worried I'd lost it a while back). It's still raising a smile now and I've lost count of how many times I've read it.

It is, unquestionably, the best book of words I've ever seen/read.