Brief synopsis (no spoilers): Five teenagers have been selected to become part of the new Disney Host Interactive (or DHI program). They are made into holographic hosts for the Magic Kingdom park where they give tours and answer questions about attractions. However, once they fall asleep in their beds at night they wake up in the Magic Kingdom. They soon learn that their help is needed to keep the Magic Kingdom from being overthrown.
Category: The library put it in the YA section. I see no reason why it couldn't have been put in the juvenile section.
Why I chose this book: Saw a display for it at the bookstore and a friend put it on their to-read list (Goodreads)
My personal opinion: I wanted this to be good. I really did. If for no other reason than it's got 8 books in the series (I enjoy reading series). The premise also sounds pretty cool, right? First, teens turned into holographic tour guides. Seriously cool science. Second, Disney villains running a muck in the Magic Kingdom? It's got potential... How disappointed I was.
First of all the story is so confusing and disjointed. I had no idea what was going on for the first three chapters. And after that the story would jump from the present to a conversation taking place somewhere/time else.
It doesn't go into any detail about the process of becoming a DHI (something I was interested in learning about). There is no depth to any of the characters at all! And Finn, who we learn the most about, spends most of the book lying to his mother (who in turn keeps secrets from his father), and not really leading his team in the park even though Wayne keeps calling him out as the leader. And speaking of Wayne (the one who tells the DHI's something is wrong in the park), he claims to have known Walt Disney himself, so he's super old and he lives above the fire station. How is he still living? Why does he live at the fire station...
Secondly, the way the author treats the Disney characters is all wrong. Finn sees a few Disney characters on his first trip into the Magic Kingdom in his sleep. Later we learn that Maleficent is real. However, the kids also travel below Disney in the tunnels where they see actors dressed up as characters traveling between parts of the park. How are we supposed to trust which characters are real and which are dressed up? Also, no Disney characters come to the aid of Finn and his team when they are caught by Maleficent.
Lastly, the hunt for clues that they are sent on really just doesn't make sense. There wasn't much thought put into it by the author. And the way that they figure out the clue that makes the difference is just by happenstance - the papers fall to the floor and magically put themselves in the right order to make the secret message. And the conclusion is unfulfilling.
Warnings: The teen characters meet up in a chat room set up by the Magic Kingdom several times and I didn't feel comfortable with the promotion of online interactions. Also the lying of Finn to his mother (who lies to his father).
Movie rating equivalent: PG, but maybe 8+, the scariest thing is some of the Disney automaton's come to life and chase/bite/sword fight after the characters.
Protagonist description: Finn is the main character with Amanda, Charlene, Willa, Maybeck, and Philby playing supporting cast rolls. Not much background information is given on any of the characters. They are all very flat.
Point of view of story: Third person
Book length: Medium
Story flow: Choppy. The story line jumped all over the place without any indication and connecting details were lacking throughout.
Grammar and spelling issues: A few grammar issues
Character connection (no spoilers); None
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