book review
Book Review: House of Many Ways
House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I love this book so much!! In this last book of the Howl’s Moving Castle trilogy, Charmain is a girl who has been sheltered all her life, but when she goes house-sitting for her great-uncle, her life is turned upside down! A wizard’s house mostly runs on magic, and since this particular house has hidden corridors, and magic entryways, and dozens of time-slipped and spacially displaced rooms, Charmain gets lost and finds herself through her many adventures.
I loved every character so much, and of course, I was especially pleased to see Sophie and Howl again! The plot is wonderful and surprising and full of unexpected wildness. I just never know what mystical or ordinary thing is going to happen. Continue reading
Book Review: The Celestial Globe
The Celestial Globe by Marie Rutkoski
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I liked this second book in the trilogy better than the first! In the first book, there was a lot of explanations and random minor characters, but in this book we have a more solid story and better pacing, I think.
Petra is on the run again from the evil Prince of Bohemia, and her friends, Neel and Tomik, are swept into her adventures. The mysterious spy/ambassador John Dee is back, and he tries to train Petra to use her magic, but she is an unruly student.
My favorite character by far is Astrophil, the metal spider with an encyclopedic brain. He’s so wise and intelligent and loyal! I just love his snappy dialogue. Continue reading
Book Review: A Stranger at Green Knowe
A Stranger at Green Knowe by L.M. Boston
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
In this story, a gorilla escapes from the zoo and hides in the thicket behind Green Knowe, where Ping befriends and hides him.
This is not my favorite of the Green Knowe books, because I’m very “meh” about monkey stories, especially when monkeys are constantly being compared to men. Monkeys, gorillas, or any other primate are NOT like men. Seriously? They are animals. They work on instinct. That’s pretty much it. Are they interesting and majestic? Yes, sure! But it gets so annoying after the first 100 pages to constantly hear how the gorilla’s expression was just SO human. bleh.
But of course, I adore the old house of Green Knowe, and the delightful grandmother Mrs. Oldknow, and the enigmatic Ping! Continue reading
Book Review: The Stones of Green Knowe
The Stones of Green Knowe by L.M. Boston
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
There is nothing like Boston’s writing! She can take a simple story, and make it full of action and meaning. She can introduce a single character, and immediately you are completely invested in this person’s world.
In this book, the magical stories of Green Knowe are told from the perspective of Roger d’Oldknow, whose father is building the new manor house of Green Knowe in the times of the Normans and Saxons. Roger is worried that the house he loves won’t last or stand the test of time, but when he is whisked into the future, he sees the house in all its beauty and his descendants living there in peace. Continue reading
Recent Reads: Writing, Fantasy, Children’s
Recent Reads: Fantasy, Children’s, Graphic Novels
Book Review: Castle in the Air
Castle in the Air by Diana Wynne Jones
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I adore this book! The first book in this trilogy was fantastic and I had high expectations for this one too, and I was not disappointed. I love the old-fashioned fairytale style!
At first, I was wondering, “Where are Sophie and Howl? I want Sophie and Howl.” but they came into the story just perfectly later on, and I was so pleased.
This book follows the magical adventures of Abdullah, who is a carpet merchant. When he buys a magic carpet and falls in love with the Sultan’s daughter, you think you’re in for an Aladdin retelling, but the story is so much more than that. Abdullah travels north to Ingary, where the first book was set, and meets a magical cat, an irate genie, power-hungry djinns, an old soldier who is not who he seems to be, wizards, witches, and an alarming amount of princesses. Continue reading
Book Review: If You Want to Write: A Book about Art, Independence and Spirit
If You Want to Write: A Book about Art, Independence and Spirit by Brenda Ueland
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Some of the things this author said about writing really resonated with me, but other things were a bit too “out there”, flaky, and/or liberal weird. Most of what she said was really good though, and inspired me to write more freely!
In this book, the author encourages people to write from their true selves, to write with freedom from fear of criticism, to write about things they care about. Her words are at once deep and grand, but also simple and accessible. Her writing feels like a call to arms to a battalion of writers, and then she gives them training in how to be wild and watchful before throwing them into the war of words. Her manner of writing itself is actually very sympathetic and kind, but also includes the sort of tough love and bare truthfulness that makes you want to take action. Continue reading
Book Review: Juliet Dove, Queen of Love
Juliet Dove, Queen of Love by Bruce Coville
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I listened to this on audiobook, and I think that really made a difference to the story, hearing an entire cast of characters reading the dialogue. There was so much acting and expression put into every sentence that it made the story really come alive!
This is the tale of Juliet, who is a shy young teen with a literary and artistic family. When a mysterious woman gives her an enchanted amulet, every boy in town starts to fall in love with her. It’s up to Juliet and her new rodent friends from the Magic Shop to unravel the mystery of the amulet, and get Juliet out of the ancient love story she is doomed to relive.
First of all, I love stories that bring in the old Greek gods into modern settings (because of Percy Jackson). Secondly, I love stories with wise-cracking rats or mice. And thirdly, I love stories with strong family relationships with both a mother and father present and involved and actually parenting (instead of dead, divorced, or absent). Continue reading
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