PawmountPuff

Part 1: General Overview/Review

Overall Rating: 9/10 - It looses a point from me because I feel like the pacing was a little off. It could've done with some more pages to help flesh some scenes out more (because I feel they got glazed over quickly)

Besides that, characters were stellar, the art was amazing, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading it!

This book, while serving as a sort of prequel to ROR (explaining how Uma became AP's Headmistress), I also feel like it was WAY more of a Hook sibling lore book than anything... not that I'm complaining XD

My one gripe is I would've loved to have seen more of Harriet's group, or even had CJ mention Freddie (since they were friends in Wicked World/the School of Secrets books)

Also, even just having more characters mentioned period; like Jay, Evie, Carlos, etc. (cause none of them got even ONE mention, and I know that wasn't the highlight of the book, but still... I miss them)

Characters Included/Shown

Uma

Harriet, Harry & CJ Hook

Gil

King Ben

Queen Mal

Fairy Godmother

Ursula

Desiree (member of Uma's crew from D2/3)

Bonny (member of Uma's crew from D2/3)

Skip (new character; no relevent info. Member of CJs crew)

*No mention of any new characters from the ROR/WW timeline; so yes, that means no Hazel (but I fully think she may not exist yet and may be a product of altering time, but who knows)*

Genrealized Timeline of Events

Uma is unsure of her place in this new, barrier-free world (does quite feel evil, but doesn't feel good either). She goes to talk to Mal & Ben about it;

While there, she makes the decision to sail off with her crew (as a way to try and clear her head/find her place).

Before they sail off, Ben arrived to the Lost Revenge to talk to Uma & her crew about the mysterious disappearance of the Auradon Prep sailing club;

Uma agrees to help find the students. She goes to talk to her mother about it, who's slightly disappointed in Uma's "do-gooder" mentality, but also warns her of the dangers ahead of her on the journey: Sea Wtiches & Pirate gangs.

Lost Revenge sets off, but they end up running into a massive storm which brings them right into the line of the Sea Wtiches (who try to entrance everyone). They fail to take over everyone except Harry, who, under their spell, tries to sink the ship (he fails, but does cause Uma to go overboard, fading the scene to black).

When Uma wakes up, she's with her crew below deck of another ship. They go to meet the Captain and find that it's CJ.

Uma and CJ join forces to try and save the AP students/confront Harriet. The plan is for Uma's crew to go ashore while CJ confront Harriet at sea.

We learn more about Hook as a father from CJ during their talk (and about the Hook siblings in general); Hook isn't the best father, Harriet's stubborn (they all are, let's be honest XD), and CJ used to really look up to her older sister. They all want to make their father proud, but they just don't quite know HOW.

While trying to save the AP kids, CJs ship is attacked at sea and destroyed (sending them all into the sea). While trying to save everyone, the Sea Witches arrive, and Uma has to fight them off with her magic to be able to get to Harry (who's still spelled/tied up to a mast floating in the water). She reverts his spell with her magic and they get him back onboard.

Uma calls for a parlay with Harriet, but the only condition is Uma has to come aboard the ship alone (Harry & Gil aren't happy about that, but promise to stay back... for now)

Shit hits the fan during the parlay, as Harriet tries to convince Uma to join forces w/her, which Uma doesn't want to do. A fight ensues, Uma's crew arrives to protect her, and Harry finally confronts his older sister of the first time in years.

They basically make Harriet not be evil anymore through the power of sibling love and good conversation skills... I'm not kidding

Before they head back with the AP students, Harriet asks for Uma's permission to let Harry stay with her for a while; she's missed him. Uma accepts, and Harry decides to stay with Harriet and sail the seas with her (and I think CJ too, now that her ships been sunk)

Uma returns with the students and is labeled a hero again. Mal and Ben ask her to become AP's new Headmistress, as FG has already been planning to retire/step down; they all believe Uma would be the best person to help lead AP into te new mixed generation of AKs and VKs.

Uma, unsure, goes to talk to her mother; after this talk, she finds it in her to accept the position, taking us right to the point where ROR begins.

Part 2: Useful Lore/Observations

Lore will be in blue (L); Observations will be in Red (O)

L - Auradon Prep has a Sailing Club (they are the ones who go missing, sending Uma's crew on their journey)

L/O - Hook's been MIA from the Isle for "years", according to Harry. No one knows where he is or what he's been up to (but it's interesting to hear more about where villains are/what they've been up to since the barrier came down, since we didn't get that in ROR)

O - No definative answers, but this takes place sometime after the Royal Wedding short, and the start of ROR (it IS confirmed via dialouge that it's been years, but the # of years isn't specified); it's enough time that Mal & Ben are married & Mal's being called Queen

O - The little girl on the beach calling Uma her "hero/ the hero of Auradon" really healed something in me & I haven't recovered

L - New TV show (soap opera?): A Villains Heartbreak

O - Ursula's house (in what I'm assuming are the swamps of the Isle from the look of the setting) is really interesting; we've only ever known of Uma growing up in/around the Chip Shoppe, so it was cool to get some new places.

O - Ursula is a good mom confirmed? (well, I wouldn't say GOOD, but better than some other villain parents)

O - Seems like, with the barrier down (for however long it's been), the villains don't want to/just haven't caused any issues or sought any revenge. Even though, you know, they totally have a right to after everything they and their children endured on that Isle... (like, Hooks just MIA out at sea somewhere and Ursula stays @ home basically all day watching TV)

O - NO THE SEA WITHCES FUCKING GOT MY MAN!! (maybe you shouldn't have dropped the damn beeswax, Harry...)

O - OH CJ'S DESIGN IS STUNNING!

O - OMFG WE GOT TO SEE BONNY (she's so pretty)

O - I'm living for the representation of some of Uma's D2/3 crew, truly I am

O - OMG, evil Harriet confirmed??? (I'm here for it, honestly)

L/O - OMFG that Hook sibling baby photo, are you KIDDING??

L/O - Also, just all the Hook siblings wanting to make their father proud, but not really knowing HOW to do it was killing me the whole book. How they talk both about him and about themselves devestated me... (no one talk to me, I'm crying rn)

O - Oh, Gil, my sweet and loveable dumbass (all his lines in this book have been so fucking good cause he's so damn clueless like 24/7)

O - Harry being soft for his sisters? In fact, ALL the Hook siblings being soft for each other? Why doesn't someone just take me out right here and now? Huh, WHAT THEN?

O - Oh now we're holding CJ hostage...

O - I honestly like that we still have some evil/morally grey VKs and that they aren't all just automatically "good" (like Dizzy, the Smee twins in D3, etc). It's nice to see them still retaining that "I want to make my parents proud, so I have to be bad" mentality

O - Seeing all the Hook siblings come back togehter (and watching CJ first hug Harriet, and then hug Harry as well) was just SO good. Although, I do wish we would've gotten a group Hook sibling hug, but I'll still take the solo ones (I guess XD)

L - Harriet asked Harry to stay with her and sail around because she misses him (it's been years since she's seen him). Well, that would explain why he isn't around during ROR; he's out with his sisters, sailing the seas as a trio as they've always wanted <3

O - Uma (to Harry as he's hugging Harriet): "Are you crying?" (dont ask me why I giggled when I read that, I couldn't tell you)

O - The ending talk between Ursula and Uma was actually so sweet. Like, Ursula showing she's proud of Uma in her own little (sort of narcasistic) way was sweet. And Uma wanting to try and have a better connection with her Mom again was great.

O - I like this version/explaination of how Uma got the Headmistress position better than the vauge/odd explaination during ROR (cause it is just slightly different)

O - UMA & FG HUG?? Okay, I was NOT expecting that one

O - Oh? And the final hug with Uma and her crew? Yeah, someone just sedate me now, I can't...

Part 3: Peronal Favorite Scenes/Photos

*They were supposed to be in order, but apparently decided they didn't want to be. Not that it really matters, but still. These are all my own personal favorite photos/scenes, so if there's a scene/photo you want to see what I didn't include, just let me know; I'd be happy to post it!*