Wildwood Imperium facts for kids
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| Author | Colin Meloy |
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| Illustrator | Carson Ellis |
| Cover artist | Carson Ellis |
| Country | US |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Wildwood Chronicles |
| Genre | Children's novel |
| Publisher | Balzer + Bray (HarperCollins) |
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Publication date
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February 4, 2014 |
| Media type | Print (hardback, acid-free paper) |
| Pages | 576 (hardback 1st edition) |
| ISBN | 978-0-06-202474-9 |
| Preceded by | Under Wildwood: The Wildwood Chronicles, Book Two |
Wildwood Imperium: The Wildwood Chronicles, Book Three is an exciting children's fantasy novel from 2014. It was written by The Decemberists' singer-songwriter Colin Meloy and illustrated by his wife, Carson Ellis. This book is the third in The Wildwood Chronicles series, following Wildwood: The Wildwood Chronicles, Book One and Under Wildwood: The Wildwood Chronicles, Book Two.
The story continues the adventures of Prue McKeel in the "Impassable Wilderness." This magical place is a fantasy version of Portland, Oregon's Forest Park. The beautiful nature and unique feel of Portland are very important to the story. The book was released on February 4, 2014.
Contents
The Wildwood Imperium Story
This book tells a thrilling story of magic, friendship, and bravery. It follows Prue McKeel and her friends as they face new challenges in the Impassable Wilderness.
Part One: New Beginnings and Old Dangers
In South Wood, a young girl named Zita becomes the May Queen. That night, she and her friends try a secret ritual. They hope to call the spirit of the Verdant Empress. Instead, they accidentally bring back the spirit of Alexandra, the Dowager Governess. The other girls run away, but Zita stays.
The Governess starts sending Zita messages every night. She asks Zita to find three items for her. These items are an eagle feather, a pebble from a Wildwood stream, and the teeth of her son, Alexei. Alexei's teeth are in his mechanical body. Zita decides to help the Governess. She feels sad for the Governess, who is grieving her own lost son.
The new Elder Mystic, a young boy from the last book, travels into Wildwood. He hangs a flag to remember Iphigenia on the Ossuary Tree. After this, the Elder Mystic follows a path in the trees. Suddenly, the ground opens up and swallows him. He disappears forever.
Meanwhile, Esben the bear is staying with Prue and her family in Portland. Prue and Esben return to the Impassable Wilderness. They want to follow the Great Tree's wishes. Their goal is to bring Alexei back to life again. Prue leaves Esben hiding in the woods. She goes to South Wood to ask the government for help.
Prue is shocked by what she finds. People are being punished in the name of the "Bicycle Maiden." New leaders called Caliphs are taking control. These Caliphs worship the Blighted Tree of South Wood. They feed people a substance called Spongiform. This substance makes people obey the Tree's wishes. It turns out that Roger Swindon is the leader of these Caliphs. He has also brought all the Wildwood Bandits into his group. The people of South Wood get angry at Prue. They do not want to help bring Alexei back to life.
Rachel, Elsie, and the other former orphans from Unthank's Home are hiding. They are in a warehouse in the Industrial Wastes. They are hiding from Roger Swindon and his workers. Soon, they meet a group of men called the Chapeaux Noir. These men wear berets and speak French. The Chapeaux Noir want to bring down the powerful "Titans of Industry." These Titans control the Industrial Wastes. Their leader, Jacques, was once a Titan himself. His former friends betrayed him and took over his business.
The orphans and the Chapeaux Noir find another helper. It is Joffrey Unthank, who is not well and lives on his own. Together, they plan to attack Titan Tower. The blind Maker Carol and the orphan Martha are being held captive there.
Part Two: Escapes and New Powers
Prue refuses to eat the Spongiform. Soldiers take her and imprison her on the Crag. This is an island fortress in the ocean. She is joined by Seamus, a former Bandit. Prue helped Seamus by removing the Spongiform from his nose.
The Unadoptables and the Chapeaux Noir attack Titan Tower with explosives. Elsie and some smaller children crawl through air ducts. They free Carol and Martha. Titan Bradley Wigman shoots Joffrey Unthank, who dies. Roger Swindon is captured by the fleeing orphans. Rachel and Nico, one of the Chapeaux Noir, join them. They head into the Impassable Wilderness. The Industrial Wastes explode behind them.
Zita finishes finding the three items for the Governess. She performs a ritual. This ritual brings the Governess back to life. The Governess appears as a giant ivy woman.
Part Three: The Final Battle and New Beginnings
An owl who had not left his tree for years builds a model of the Eiffel Tower. He uses a photo from a postcard given by a squirrel. When he finishes it, the growing enchanted Ivy knocks it over. The Ivy was unleashed by the Dowager Governess. The owl then disappears from the story.
The orphans, Nico, Carol, and Roger Swindon get caught in a rope trap in Wildwood. Rachel and Elsie are surprised to see who set it. It is their missing brother, Curtis. Curtis could not find his fellow Bandits. He rebuilt the Bandit's Hideout in the trees. He built a strong fortress high in the trees in just a few weeks. He was helped only by a rat named Septimus.
Owl Rex and some of his bird subjects rescue Prue and Seamus from the Crag. They take them to South Wood. There, they find Zita, who is sorry for what she did, and Esben the bear. They still do not know where Carol, the other Maker, is. So, Esben starts trying to make the Mobius Cog with Seamus's help.
The Ivy has already covered all of South Wood. All its residents are asleep under it. Prue uses her plant powers. She pulls the Ivy off the Wildwood Bandits, including Brendan, the Bandit King. Then she removes the Spongiform from their noses. This frees them from the spell.
Curtis, his sisters, and Carol are chased by Ivy Giants. These giants are created by Alexandra. The Ivy takes over the new Bandit's Hideout. Nico is covered by the Ivy. The wooden cell holding Roger Swindon is also covered. But the others are rescued at the last moment. Avians ridden by Brendan and the Wildwood Bandits carry them to safety. They fly to North Wood. Prue is already there, gathering animals and farmers to fight the Ivy.
When they realize Carol is the other Maker, he is quickly flown to South Wood. He is reunited with his old friend Esben. Together, the two Makers rebuild the Mobius Cog. Zita gives them Alexei's teeth. They bring him back to life in his mechanical body. But he is sad about being forced back to life. They convince him he is needed to stop his mother. He agrees, but only if Zita will remove the Cog and let him die again after he stops her. She agrees.
Prue, the Bandits, and the reformed Wildwood Irregulars join the Avians. They battle the Ivy. But they are overwhelmed by Ivy birds and giants created by the Governess. The Ivy takes over the Great Tree and splits it in two. This breaks the Periphery Bind. The Ivy is then unleashed upon the world. It tears down the remains of the Industrial Wastes. Then it covers Portland and puts all its residents to sleep.
Alexei, in his mechanical body, arrives. He goes to his Ivy mother. He tells her he forgives her for bringing him back to life. Her anger disappears, and she is finally set free. She vanishes into the ground forever.
Prue climbs to the top of the destroyed Great Tree. She uses her power to pull the Ivy back from Portland and the Industrial Wastes. The Ivy is no longer enchanted. She gathers it to her and tells it to fold itself into the ground. Then she falls unconscious. The North Wood Mystics pick her up. They carry her to the Ossuary Tree in Wildwood. This journey takes many days. The Bandits escort them. They lay Prue on the ground near a new sapling. This is where the Elder Mystic disappeared. Prue is also swallowed up by the ground. The sapling, now called the One Tree, grows a leaf. The Periphery Bind is recreated.
Alexei decides to stay alive with Zita. He helps to rule the new land. The buildings of South Wood were torn down by the Ivy. Roger Swindon is never found. He escaped his cell in the Bandit Hideout. Months later, his Caliph robe is found outside a coyote den. The orphans from the former Unthank Home are taken in by the Bandits. They begin training to become Bandits themselves.
In Portland, Curtis and his sisters are reunited with their happy parents. Their parents had been searching for Curtis in Europe. They understand that Curtis needs to return to his fellow Bandits. But because the whole family has a special connection to Wildwood, they can visit him there anytime.
In Portland, Prue's parents continue their lives with their son Mac. They still miss their lost daughter. One day, they find a sapling growing in their yard. They start to take care of it. It grows several feet each day. Then, one morning, it is gone. In its place is Prue. She tells them about her adventures. The whole family then enjoys some hot chocolate together.
Real-Life Places in Wildwood
Many places and symbols in the Wildwood series are based on real locations in Portland, Oregon.
The Witch Castle
A mysterious stone house in one chapter is based on "The Witch Castle." This is an old, abandoned public bathroom in Forest Park. A big storm in 1962, called the Columbus Day Storm, partly destroyed it. Hikers and joggers often use it as a resting spot on the park's Wildwood Trail. Many local legends have grown around it over the years. Some say it was once a home, or even the home of a real witch!
Other Portland Landmarks
Other real places from Portland that appear in the book include:
- Pittock Mansion
- The St Johns neighborhood
- Forest Park
- The Willamette River
