Reviewed by Shravan
December 5, 2025
The Unwanteds Series is honestly just amazing. There are so many great aspects about this series, from the characters and detail to the storyline and plot. There is so much depth to this series, while being extremely understandable and easy to follow along. This series is an easy 5 Star rating, and I would recommend this series to ages 8+, because of how easy to understand and enjoyable it is, while being age appropriate.
In this series, in a land named Quill, there is no creativity. Everything is designed to be as efficient as possible. In order to survive in Quill, you must be useful. Being creative and artistic was a death sentence, literally. One day a year, on the day of the Purge, all 13 year olds are lined up. There are the Wanteds, who are the elites of Quill, the strongest and smartest. There are the Necessaries, who are the labor force of Quill. They have different jobs, like farming, cleaning, burying, etc. Finally, there are the Unwanteds, who are deemed too weak, creative or artistic to live in Quill. They are sent to their deaths. However, unknown to the residents of Quill they are sent to the magical land of Artime, where they learn all forms of art and magic. Alexander Stowe is one of those Unwanteds. He has to cope with everything that comes with arriving at a magical land, one that will soon be wanted destroyed by Quill…
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Common Questions About The Unwanteds
What age is The Unwanteds series appropriate for?
The Unwanteds is recommended for ages 8-10 (Grades 3rd-5th). It's extremely easy to understand and follow along while having real depth to the storyline. The concept is creative: in a land called Quill, being artistic or creative is a death sentence. Kids who are deemed "Unwanted" are sent away, but instead of dying, they discover a magical land called Artime. I gave this an easy 5 Star rating.
What order should I read The Unwanteds?
Read in order: The Unwanteds, Island of Silence, Island of Fire, Island of Legends, Island of Shipwrecks, Island of Graves, and Island of Dragons. The story follows Alexander Stowe after he's declared Unwanted and sent to the magical land of Artime. Each book builds the world bigger with new islands and challenges.
Is there a sequel series to The Unwanteds?
Yes, The Unwanteds Quests is a 7-book sequel series that continues the story with new characters in the same world. If your kid loves The Unwanteds, they can move straight into the Quests series for even more adventures in Artime. Both series are on BookVine.
Is The Unwanteds similar to Harry Potter?
Fans often compare The Unwanteds to Harry Potter because both have kids discovering a hidden magical world. But The Unwanteds has a darker premise: creativity is literally punishable by death in Quill. The magic system is also different, based on art and creativity instead of wands and spells. If your kid loved Harry Potter and wants something with a similar feel but a completely different world, The Unwanteds is a great choice.
The Unwanteds is recommended for ages 8 - 10 (Grades 3rd - 5th) with Lexile scores ranging from 810L to 880L.