Above

Gr 8 Up—This book picks up exactly where Below left off, with Hokk and Elia separated Below. Elia is living among the Torkin marauders, attempting to blend in as one of the male workers. Hokk is a wanted man in Torkin and must go to great lengths to reunite with Elia and free her so that they can continue their quest to Above. Along the way, they are being pursued by a Torkin warrior who has been acting as Elia's protector and wants to see Hokk dead. They are also trying to find another woman who fell from Above many years earlier, and they hope that she will provide insight into their journey and possibly join them. Meanwhile, a new set of characters are introduced, and they become instrumental in the protagonists' quest to locate Elia's family and solve the mystery of the box she carries with her from her days as a palace laundress. The author moves the plot along more quickly than in the first installment, filling in holes regarding the history of the invented world. He also brings in many more characters, most of whom are disappointingly one-dimensional. The box that Elia carries with her from Above is the motivation for her desperation to return home, but it is not discussed much until the end of the story, and the delay in making these connections may frustrate some readers. The tale concludes with a cliff-hanger, setting up what will hopefully be a decisive third installment of the series.