The Wrath of Mulgarath

Returning home after their adventures in The Ironwood Tree, the three Grace children discover that their mother has been kidnapped by the ogre Mulgarath and his goblin army. With the aid of the elves, who allow Jared to confer with Arthur Spiderwick, the three siblings, together with Byron the griffin, Thimbletack the brownie and Hogsqueal the hobgoblin, set out to rescue her. Their plan - Hogsqueal will pretend that he has captured Jared and Mallory, and 'deliver' them to Mulgarath's camp, while Simon will fly in on Byron - seems to work at first, but when they finally get to the ogre's palace of trash, they discover that all is not as it seems. When Jared sees through the shape-shifter's disguise, a final confrontation is set in show more motion, in which all play a role in defeating this monster who plans to destroy the human world. The book concludes as Aunt Lucinda is brought home to live with the Graces, and Arthur Spiderwick is released from his long captivity...

An exciting and emotional end to the five-book Spiderwick Chronicles, The Wrath of Mulgarath will keep young readers on the edge of their seats, as they race for the conclusion. Holly Black packs a lot of action into this brief chapter-book for younger readers - at 136 pages it is longer than its predecessors, but still short for a novel - picking up just where the previous installment left off, and wrapping up all the various story strands. Readers will enjoy learning, not just how the Grace children rescued their mother, but how Aunt Lucinda was freed from the psychiatric institution, and how Arthur Spiderwick was released from his life-long captivity with the elves. I did find myself wishing for a little bit more, in terms of the happy conclusion, but overall I was both entertained and moved. This really is an outstanding series for this age-group, far more complex and thought-provoking than many of the stories being produced for beginning chapter-book readers. It is also a beautiful series, artistically speaking, and just wouldn't be the same without Tony DiTerlizzi's gorgeous illustrations. Recommended to anyone who had read the preceding four titles in the series... although to be honest, if they've gotten this far, they aren't likely to stop, or to need the recommendation! show less

The final book in the Spiderwick series draws together all of the characters, plots, and family conflict into a mighty confrontation that cleverly resolves everything. The story begins when the Grace children return to their home after their ordeal with the dwarves. They have Mallory back, safe and healthy, but the kids are shaken. They just witnessed a massacre by the goblins and saw Mulgarath for the first time. He had a human prisoner. And now that they are back home, nothing is better, because creatures have evidently ransacked the place and left everything in shambles. Their mother is nowhere to be found. A tearful Thimbletack apologizes for not being strong enough to stop the goblins and Mulgarath. He tells them that the fairy show more creatures took their mom. In horror, Jared realizes that the prisoner they saw earlier was, in fact, their mother. Now Mulgarath has the field guide and their mom.

The children are baffled. As they try to plan their next move, a squealing noise interrupts them, and they figure out that the griffin has a prisoner. They rush upstairs, hoping to stop Byron before he eats it, and discover that it isn't a goblin, it's a hobgoblin - Hogsqueal. They save his life, on the condition that he helps them find Mulgarath, and he agrees under duress. Fortunately, Hogsqueal can tell them some information. He knows where Mulgarath lives, and he knows that Mulgarath has not an only an army of goblins, but some dragons, too.

Though the news has only gotten worse, all three Grace children agree to attack Mulgarath directly. They have no choice - he has their mom. First, Jared makes a risky choice and meets with the elves. He wants to get Arthur's opinion on how to stop the ogre. Unfortunately, Arthur Spiderwick is unable to overcome his disbelief that Jared is his distant relation, and he didn't have much experience with Mulgarath before the elves took him. He proves less than helpful. Jared returns to his siblings, disappointed. They nonetheless proceed with their plan. Hogsqueal pretends to take Jared and Mallory as his prisoners, and marches them into Mulgarath's lair in the junkyard, while Simon flies above on Byron. They get in easily enough, but break their cover almost immediately, as the goblins try to take them away from Hogsqueal for a little snack. Mallory and Jared fight them off, and while the goblins scatter, presumably to regroup, the children reunite with Simon and hurry forward. They pause before entering Mulgarath's junkyard castle, noticing the disturbing spectacle of black lizards feeding off a chained cow. Before they can solve this strange new mystery, a dragon attacks them with lightning speed.

Not only is it fast, with sharp teeth and claws, but everything it touches burns. Jared and Simon are badly hurt, but with Byron's help, they escape the dragon. They also learn a couple of things in the process: the black lizards are salamanders, growing into full dragons on the cow's milk, and griffins are good at fighting and killing dragons. More awful sights await them in Mulgarath's castle, like pixies slowly sinking in a jar of honey, but worst of all is the view of their mom bound in chains. They find her deep in the bowels of the gothic castle built from junk, and with her is another person they least expected; their father. Mallory and Simon rush into his arms, but Jared suspects a trap. Their father would never talk that way, would never say those things, no matter how much he wants to believe it. Jared's suspicions reveal Mulgarath's trap, and their final confrontation with the dangerous fairy begins.

What a fabulous ending to a great series. The suspense builds to a confrontation with Mulgarath, and the climax is taut and satisfying. Mulgarath is truly a horrific character, and stronger than the children; fortunately, he is arrogant, and thinks that Jared and his siblings are too weak to stop him. His pride is his undoing, as Jared uses the help of some of his smaller friends to outwit and finally destroy the ogre. The way he battles Mulgarath is believable, with the result that the children face a villain against great odds and manage to defeat him using their own skill and the friendships they have made. This can be a difficult feat in a children's book, where often miraculous intervention from adults or unbelievable plot turns are necessary for the children to save the day, and I really appreciated the clever resolution of the climax. Also, I applaud the writers for bringing in the Grace children's "father" at the end, so they are working towards closure not only with their fairy problems, but with their family issues as well.

Accompanying a great story are great illustrations. They are beautiful. I can't imagine the books without Diterlizzi's drawings, and when I visualize the story, I see his people in my mind. Characters from all four previous books return; even the phooka makes a whispered cameo. Nothing is left loose, and the ending brings satisfaction and new possibilities, for countless other adventures can happen to children who see fairies. I absolutely loved reading this whole series - if my superlatives haven't already made that sufficiently clear - and was delighted that it ended as strongly as it began. show less

These three are short, but they were so woven to be one story, that I'm giving them only one review. They are beyond adorable. I adore them and I want to have them for my kids.

And I love how all the races are done, the words in each of them, and how they connect. And the art! How can I not tell you about the art! Half of the fun of moving on through any of the stories is the art that's everywhere, brightening everything.

I love Mallory, Jared and Simon in their own ways, and I love how completely un-cliche they each are really. I'm looking forward to getting the rest of Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles one day too!

Summary: When the Grace siblings return home after their adventure in the dwarves' caves, they are expecting to be yelled at by their mother for being out all night. However, what they find is much worse - their house ransacked, the field guide missing, and their mother kidnapped by the evil ogre Mulgarath. It's up to the three of them to save her and stop Mulgarath's plan for world domination.

Review: I needn't have worried - this book does an excellent job of bringing all of the various threads in the previous books to a satisfying conclusion while still providing a good adventure of the Graces' battle against the big baddie. Is it the most complex or suspenseful or emotionally deep ending ever? No, of course not, but it flows well in show more the context of the rest of the series, and is satisfying (and moving) in its own right. This series isn't destined to become a favorite, and I'm not left with a burning desire to seek out any of the accompanying books, but it was enjoyable two days' worth of light reading. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Recommendation: A satisfying end to a fun series. I'd recommend the whole thing to young-ish fantasy fans as well as to adults who need a light little break. show less

As a book, this was well-written with a good plot. As the final book in the series, it left me unsatisfied. While there is a lot of things to pack in a small package, this book felt rushed. The ending was predictable, but somehow unsatisfying because everything was quickly wrapped up in the last two chapters. Nice, quick pace for young readers, but still left me wanting more out of it.

Having said that, I do plan on reading the companion books, because I think this is a very good series.

This final book is more graphic than the first three, with a few scenes that made me a little squeamish (Dragon scene, Mulgarath's fate). I can see my 6-year-old self being very upset with these scenes, so keep in mind for young sensitive readers.

Overall show more a good book. show less

It's rather frustrating that these Spiderwick books are so short. The five book series is more like a single book split into 5 tiny parts to maximize profit. I wouldn't recommend paying full price for these, find them at a yard sale if you can (to give an idea, each book is only about 1 hour in audiobook format).

The story is fun and very simple, great for younger kids (and older 'kids' too). Very simple, but it doesn't try to be anything more.

The audiobook version is fun, Mark Hamill does a great read and lends his fun, mysterious voice well. There are a few times when his vocal inflection is 'off' from the text, but his bizarre voices for the fairy creatures make up for it.

After their encounter with goblins, dwarves, and elves, Jared, Simon, and Mallory Grace realize they have to tell their mother about the faerie world surrounding them. But they may have waited too long and it will take everything they have plus help from some friends to make everything okay.

"The Wrath of Mulgarath" is the exciting conclusion to the five book series "The Spiderwick Chronicles". The book picks up right where "The Ironwood Tree" ends and is filled with non-stop action. There is the return of old favorite (Thimbletack and Hogsqueal) and not so favorite (Mulgarath) characters as well as more than one surprise along the way. The book is full of twists and turns and not everyone and everything is what they seem to be. There show more are moments filled with real suspense and even some humor along the way. While the climactic battle scene has plenty of action, I was a bit disappointed because certain events seemed a bit anticlimactic.

Since this was the fifth and final book in "The Spiderwick Chronicles" series, everything is neatly wrapped up in the end. Readers will love reading what happens to Jared, Simon, and Mallory, as well as Thimbletack and Hogsqueal, and even Aunt Lucinda. Her ending is the most bittersweet of all.

"The Wrath of Mulgarath" is a great ending to a wonderful series. show less