Rapacia: The Second Circle of Heck [Hardcover]

Dale E. Basye (Author), Bob Dob (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up | Series: Heck

In the second installment of the popular series, Heck, Dale E. Basye takes Milton and Marlo Fauster on a journey that is as clever, as laugh-out-loud funny, and as satisfying as the first.

Welcome to Rapacia, where the greedy kids go . . .

When Milton escapes from Heck in a soul balloon made of old clothes, Marlo is the only Fauster child left to take the blame. Bea “Elsa” Bubb, the Principal of Darkness, sends her straight to Rapacia, the circle where greedy kids are tormented by glimpses of a just-out-of-reach, glittering shopper’s paradise called Mallvana. Marlo soon falls under the sway of Rapacia’s assistant principal, a grinning metal rabbit known as the Grabbit that seems to have plans of its own.

Meanwhile, back on the Surface, Milton has his own problems. He is determined to get in touch with Marlo and help her find a way out of Heck. But it’s hard to concentrate when his body and soul don’t seem to hold together the way they used to. Will Milton ever reach Marlo? And if he does, will they both end up as pawns in the Grabbit’s mysterious game?

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5–8—With her innocent and geeky younger brother Milton having been the first person ever to escape from Heck in the first book of this series, Marlo Fauster, a blue-haired, street-smart, 13-year-old shoplifter is punitively sent to the second circle of Heck, Rapacia. There, greedy dead kids are meant to endure suitable punishment by being torturously tantalized in Mallvana, a sprawling, shimmery showcase containing compelling consumer goodies they're doomed to achingly desire but never possess. As Marlo tries to figure out how to play Heck's ambitious administrators against one another and maximize her position in this underage underworld, Milton, back on the Earth's surface and uncomfortably undead, is trying to figure out how to, as his body and soul degrade, right himself so he can return to Heck to rejoin—and possibly save—his sister. Complete with a touching and instructive ending, this book is the second cornucopia of corny humor and creative characters in a series that seems destined to, Dante-style, drag readers through all nine levels of a hilariously imagined Heck. If so, librarians and parents might want to go along for this boisterous ride over the River Styx and share this series aloud as it unfolds; a good chunk of Basye's witty allusions reference 20th-century pop culture and are bound to tickle adult funny bones even more than they do those of middle-level readers.—Jeffrey Hastings, Highlander Way Middle School, Howell, MI
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Review

''Complete with a touching and instructive ending, this book is the second cornucopia of corny humor and creative characters in a series that seems destined to, Dante-style, drag readers through all nine levels of a hilariously imagined Heck.'' --School Library Journal

''Basye's second installment in this planned monumental series is as chock-full of wordplay, clever allusions and puns as the first, and readers who delight in such extravagant humor will find it a heck of a good story.'' --Kirkus Reviews --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers; 1 edition (July 28, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 037584077X
• ISBN-13: 978-0375840777
• Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 1.3 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #870,696 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

The idea for Heck: Where the Bad Kids Go came to me where most of my ideas come from: that area just behind the eyes and somewhere, approximately, between the ears. Of course, every story needs what is commonly referred to as a protagonist. That is, a hero, or-at the very least-someone whom the reader can relate to in some way while serving as a guide through a host of unpleasant, fantastical circumstances. Often, the protagonist mirrors the author, not for any significant reason other than it's much easier for the author (fewer things to make up) while giving him/her the perfect excuse to write about himself/herself. Ever the overachiever, I decided to have two protagonists-hardly a "novel" idea-but it allowed me to write through my dual selves-the ever cautious, perpetually in-his-head Milton, and the tart, impulse-control-challenged Marlo.

Preadolescence can feel like an eternity when you're in it, but you actually get through it fairly unscathed, though your body and voice may soon be rendered unrecognizable. This complete freakishness is normal. So let laughter and perseverance be your best and most trusted bodyguards, providing loyal service without even demanding your lunch money in return.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fresh and Inventive, September 22, 2009

By 

A Customer (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rapacia: The Second Circle of Heck (Hardcover)

When we first met siblings Marlo and Milton Fauster in HECK: WHERE THE BAD KIDS GO, they had been shipped off to Heck after dying in a marshmallow bear explosion. Stuck in the first level of Heck, Limbo, they matched wits with the principal of darkness, Bea "Elsa" Bubb, and managed not to freak out over itchy clothing, overcooked brussels sprouts, or the lack of numbers on clocks. Their planned escape ended unsuccessfully, with only Milton managing to return to "the stage" in a spirit-filled balloon made of sewn-together old clothing. Left behind, Marlo was shipped off to the second level of Heck, Rapacia, to await a whole new nightmare.

Back on the surface, Milton struggles to return to normalcy. His body and soul do not seem to be connecting as they used to. There is also the little problem of his sister being stuck down below without a way to reach her. Milton goes to extremes, and then some, to try to contact Marlo and stop the waves of fogginess that come without warning. His attempts include a little experiment with a bug zapper, his tongue, a bunch of mosquitoes, a bat, and his ferret Lucky. Milton also wanders into the Paranor Mall (more like a crazy man's collection of strange stuff) to look for ways to reach Marlo. It also doesn't help that Milton is also being stalked by the pesky candy striper Necia Alvarado, who seems to have an agenda all her own.

Meanwhile, Marlo is subject to a whole new level of authority in the vice-principal of Rapacia, a large metal rabbit named Grabbit. Speaking only in rhyming couplets, Grabbit oversees Marlo and the other girls as they experience a kleptomania nightmare. Only a few feet away, on the other side of an old grate, is Mallvana, the largest and most gratifying shopping center in the afterlife. Marlo and her fellow classmates salivate at the thought of putting their skills to use in the endless floors of commercial bliss. After winning a hand of cards against her teacher, Poker Alice, Marlo takes the class on a field trip to Mallvana for a little friendly competition of who-can-steal-the-most-in-an-hour.

Being a professional, Marlo of course wins and attracts the attention of Grabbit, who presents Marlo with an enticing challenge she simply can't refuse. Grabbit has his own plans for Heck, and Marlo seems strangely drawn to do whatever he says. In the meantime, Milton finds himself in one undesirable situation after another. And don't think that Bea "Elsa" Bubb has forgotten how Milton humiliated her ineffective mismanagement when he escaped the first time. It seems as though there are more levels to this story, and Heck, than it originally appears.

You can't help but smile, giggle, or even laugh out loud when reading these books. Whether it's the chapter titles ("Butter Off Dead," "Mall Or Nothing," "A Side Of Cole's Law"), the creative descriptions (her Italian hat was made from real Italians) or the clever play on words (The Knights of the Omniversalist Order Kinship, or KOOKs), Dale E. Basye never seems to run out of ways to keep the writing fresh and inventive. Some readers may not get all the fun wordplay, but it doesn't matter as the original characters and moving storyline keep it interesting. This is only the second installment in a planned nine-book series, and I can't imagine what awaits in the next circle of Heck.

--- Reviewed by Benjamin Boche

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars More of the Same, October 17, 2011

By 

Pop Bop (Denver, Colorado United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Rapacia: The Second Circle of Heck (Hardcover)

If you are considering this book, I assume you've already read the first volume. If you haven't, I suggest you go to that. It sets out the premise of the series and introduces the characters, and I'm not sure this second volume will make a lot of sense if you haven't read the first.

That said, if you've read the first volume, you probably don't need to read this one. The plot here is much weaker, and just barely provides a framework for the wordplay. The jokes and puns are still good, but it's a little like just putting more and more icing on the same cake.

I don't think this is a "love it or hate it" series. It's more of a "tell me when you've had enough" series. And if the books tickle your fancy, well this one will not be a disappointment.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Never trust a rhyming bunny, February 5, 2010

By 

DelusionalAngel (USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Rapacia: The Second Circle of Heck (Kindle Edition)

In Rapacia, the sequel to Heck, we find Milton alive and not so well as he tries to adjust to being the freak that has come back to life. It seems that no one, not even his parents, knows how to deal with his sudden to return to the land of the living.

And where do we find Marlo? Moved to Rapacia, of course. There, Grabbit is in charge. Rapacia is the place where the kids learn about wants and greed. The types of classes that you would expect in Heck are here, taught by the teachers that you'd expect. The kids are also introduced to Mallvana -- it's probably just what you imagine it to be, Nirvana for kids, in Mall format.

Frankly, what is happening in the land of the living is far freakier than what is happening down in Heck -- at least for the first half of the book. Milton is stalked, meets the curator of a paranormal mall, hooks up with a lawyer who is beyond questionable, gets mixed up with a cult -- and that's a relatively nice fairly spoiler free way to explain it. I've got to say Milton's life in Heck seemed a lot easier than life on earth. At least, his second chance at life.

So yup, it's another wild ride for all involved. Not all of it good. It did seem a bit confusing in places. The Milton alive / Marlo dead thing seemed to take away some of the fun of the first book -- it felt as though there was a lot less character interaction / development in this book even as there were even more characters added to the mix. It was a little weird in that sense. Still despite those flaws, they were so minor that I did go ahead and pre-order the third book, because overall it did stay true to the first book / was just as fun as the first. And, of course I do want to see how those unresolved issues are dealt with.