Book Review: Please Return to the Lands of Luxury

Please Return to the Lands of Luxury by Jon Tilton

MG Adventure/Dystopian. 5 Stars. 178 pages.

Synopsis:

An unexpected treasure. A treacherous journey. A thrilling adventure that will shape her future.

Jane lives on an island of trash. And even though she has to scavenge garbage and deal with sinister robots, she still loves her home. It’s all she’s ever experienced, from her most cherished memories to her foggy past that she can’t quite remember.

But when a doll shows up in the latest batch of garbage, everything changes. Unlike the rest of the junk, the doll is in excellent condition, including its tag which reads, “Please return to Gloria Thatcher.”

Convinced it arrived by accident, Jane vows to return the doll to its rightful owner. There’s just one problem—nobody has left the island before, thanks to the tyrannical robots guarding the Docks, a dangerous place with a mysterious history.

Will Jane find safe passage to the Lands of Luxury? Will she uncover the secrets of her past?

Embark on this thrilling adventure where Jane and her friends discover the importance of hardship and the beauty in sharing stories with life’s greatest treasure—our friends and family.

Please Return to the Lands of Luxury is the first book in this exciting series. Join Jane, Rodney, and Timothy as they explore a distant world, much unlike their own. These riveting tales are packed with an abundance of action, plenty of heart, and timeless themes.

My Review:

I stumbled across this little gem quite by accident. I love a good middle grade story, but I tend to find I like the classics and the stories I grew up with best (shocking). Times have changed, and so has storytelling. Modern stories just don’t quite feel the same – and that’s okay. They can still be appreciated for what they are. In fact, every now and then, you find one that surprises you.

I’m not sure what exactly I expected when I opened this one up, but I can say by the end I was delighted by the pleasant mixture of imagination, adventure, and heart.

Jane and her friends were delightful to follow. From the very beginning, I was drawn in by their camaraderie. These three friends truly felt like lifelong friends, the kind you yearn for. And honestly, I never expected to see them walk the road they did – especially the boys. It was easy to root for Jane in her noble quest, to be excited by the new things she experienced, and to admire her bold bravery. But the boys had quite the adventure themselves. The faced a test of loyalty, courage, and growth in several facets. Those two got to me, and I hope to see more of the trio in the future.

The culture of the island was both fun and meaningful. The dynamics between the children, the few adults, the metal men, and their world kept me engaged. It was so neat to see how they valued and treasured things we so easily take for granted, and it was a treat to see them see “luxury” for the first time. This world reminds readers to be content and grateful for what we have, but also it carries a thread of wonder I think we often neglect as we grow older. It’s part of why I love middle grade so much: the emphasis on joy and childlike wonder in the delightful world we live in. Tilton pulls this balance off really well in my opinion.

Jane’s quest to the lands of luxury is noble and good, and gets her into a fair bit of trouble of course! But the story was far more than just an adventure for a girl learning her worth and an island learning to hope again. The story is of adventure, yes, but also of friendship and family, of doing what’s right, even when everyone else tells you to give up. I think this book has a giant heart encased in a really fun story. One many kids would enjoy, and perhaps even the open-hearted adults too.

The cover is cute. It kind of gave off Iron Giant vibes – and I am always here for Iron Giant vibes! There were certainly giant metal men in a massive junkyard and misunderstandings a plenty. A story I would heartily read again and recommend to others. I’m looking forward to the sequel!

More:

The prequel to the Lands of Luxury series is The Mystery of Doomed Dune

Book 1 is Please Return to the Lands of Luxury (5 Stars)

Book 2 is Welcome to the Lands of Luxury

Learn more about these books on Goodreads with the links above. Though I haven’t read the prequel or sequel yet, I intend to. It’s my understanding that the prequel can be read at any time but the others should be read in order.