In this the second book in the Cynthia’s Attic series, best friends Gus and Cynthia are once again swept back in time into a world of fantasy, mystery and adventure. These two young protagonists never give up or say no at the opportunity of a good thrill, and this book is even better than the first.
By way of the magic trunk in Cynthia’s old and cobweb-filled attic, the girls are transported back to 1914, where they end up in a circus and at the hands of a sinister and mean hobo clown who tries to force them to work for him as clown performers. They also meet a beautiful and alluring fortune-teller gypsy who rescues them from the circus.
However, she has a proposition for them that may be even more dangerous — they must travel in time to find the lost magic medallion. And if Gus and Cynthia don’t accept, they may not be able to get back to their present-day homes. As they go in search of the magic medallion, the girls meet a set of interesting characters and fall into a vortex of non-ending escapades.
The action is non-stop, the dialogue engaging, the secondary characters intriguing, and the protagonists nothing short of adorable — smart, kind, and with an unbeatable sense of adventure. This is a middle-grade novel that will be devoured by girls ages 10-13. I eagerly look forward to the third book in the series.