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This novel is one that I’ve read a few times before. An unsuspecting protagonist is thrown upon an enormous quest and is shown as unprepared and inexperienced. Throughout the book, he/she will mature, gain courage and confidence until they fit the image of a hero. Such is the case in Here, There be Dragons. There’s a good guy (John and co.) and a bad guy (The Winter King). John is notified that he is one of the three caretakers of the Imaganarium Geographica, a magical book that contains maps of all the mythical worlds and lands, namely in the Archipelago of Dreams. It’s written in multiple languages. As the caretaker, he should be able to translate all of them. The Winter King has slowly but surely been conquering the Archipelago of Dreams piece by piece and leaving lifeless shadow in his wake. The story itself is interesting, set apart from others with its allusions to literature and history. It feels as if you’re in on a secret when you recognize the various references during the book. Overall, it’s fun…but a bit predictable. The characters are likable. It doesn’t do anything horrendous, but neither is it spectacularly wonderful. It deserves a look through if you’re interested in fantasy. I award Here, There be Dragons three stars. ***
After her mother is killed in India, Gemma Doyle is sent to the Spence Academy in London. However, she isn't like the other girls there. Visions of her mother's death haunt her and a strange man who calls himself Kartik is spying on her. After proving herself to the group of "popular" girls at the school, she is allowed into their inner ring and actually becomes friends with some of them. Then she discovers the diary of a girl named Mary Dowd, who belonged to a secret society called the Order. Gemma shows this diary to the other girls, and they decide to create their own Order. She continues to have strange visions, and through them Gemma discovers the power to go to another world, which Mary Dowd's diary refers to as the realms. She takes a few select friends with her and they find a terrible secret in this world which they have to fix, or life as they know it will be destroyed.
I thought this book was very interesting, even though at first it seemed like a typical story about an "outcast" becoming one of the popular crowd. The story was original and captivating. I give this book: 3 1/2 stars.
Ally, the daughter of the King's Champion, has been kidnapped. While her parents franticly search for her she is taken to another country and sold as a slave. The family she is now with is a good sort and treat their servants better than most. It all seems too good to be true (as far as being kidnapped and enslaved goes). The God Kyprioth has taken a particular interest in the well being of the family that Ally serves and has enlisted Ally in his bag of tricks to help him keep them in one piece(mostly). Ally has to be on her toes if she wants to keep this family alive and keep a God happy. 4 and 3/4 stars
Since its alot older than what is written today, the wording and details are realy different.Some of the descriptions tend to get lengthy. In the beginning the book explanes how Mr. Darling won Mrs. Darling and all the other things that came before Peter Pan. It also explanes Neverland. Many many things are different from the plays and movies that it just conflicted in my head and i had to stop... Peter Pan is realy into himself. Hook is so much crueler than the movies and plays... the list goes on. Three stars ***
Warning!!! If you read this book expecting it to be like Disney's rendition, or the plays, you will be disappointed.
Mathias and his friends are older now and they have children of thier own. The book starts ( of course) with a feast. That is also when the adventure starts. A mask wearing fox and his troop show up at the gates of Red Wall Abby giving forms entertainment. The next morning the dwellers of the abby wake outside and no memory of falling asleep, to find the young ones missing. Mathias and his friends set out to find thier young ones, along the way they meet others with the same cause. While the Warrior and his friends are gone, from the north comes a new threat. General Ironbeak and the rest of his flock. The General intends to conquer the "red stone house" and keep it for his own. The Redwallers have alot on thier hands...I mean paws... Three stars ***
The Spirit Line by Aimee and David Thurlo is a novel that just didn’t captivate me in the slightest. It’s the story of a young Navajo girl coming of age and trying to reject the classic traditions. One such tradition is the creation of a “spirit line” in weaving. A spirit line is an intentional flaw in a product of weaving to pay tribute to the Spiderwoman who taught the Navajos the art of weaving. Crystal leaves out the spirit line from her greatest work and everything goes wrong from there. Her rug is stolen and the story turns into a mystery detective story. I found the characters somewhat two-dimensional and the plot was simple enough to have it figured out half way through. It ends neatly with almost nothing to wonder about afterwards. The writing style is sometimes jarring. It seems like the authors switch styles throughout the book. It’s difficult to explain, but you can tell that more than one person was penning it. I found it clunky and simple. The story didn’t interest me personally, but it is fine for what it’s supposed to be, a tale of accepting your heritage and still retaining your individuality. I award The Spirit Line 2 ½ stars out of 5.
The Spirit Line by Aimee and David Thurlo is a novel that just didn’t captivate me in the slightest. It’s the story of a young Navajo girl coming of age and trying to reject the classic traditions of her people. One such tradition is the creation of a “spirit line” in weaving. A spirit line is an intentional flaw in a product of weaving to pay tribute to the Spiderwoman who taught the Navajos the art of weaving. Crystal leaves out the spirit line from her greatest work and everything goes wrong from there. Her rug is stolen and the story turns into a mystery detective story. I found the characters somewhat two-dimensional and the plot was simple enough to have it figured out half way through. It ends neatly with almost nothing to wonder about afterwards. The writing style is sometimes jarring. It seems like the authors switch styles throughout the book. It’s difficult to explain, but you can tell that more than one person was penning it, and it didn’t transition well between them. I found the writing clunky and simple. Personally the story didn’t interest me, but it is fine for what it’s supposed to be. It’s a tale of accepting your heritage and still retaining your individuality. I award The Spirit Line 2 ½ stars out of 5.
This book is about Aerin, who is a princess but is a bit of a tomboy. She finds a book on how to make potions and such. One of the recipes is for something that can protect from fire. She sets out with this potion to hunt dragons. She hunts them down until there is only one dragon left. This Dragon is the greatest dragon she has fought. She comes out of the ordeal alive, but only just. Her faithful horse brings her home where she spends a very long time in recovery. She never quite heals until she heeds the call of a magic man at a lake. He heals her and tells her she must vanquish and evil man in the north. She goes and manages to kill him. In the end Aerin manages to live long enough become queen and rule wisely. 4 stars ****
This book is about Aerin, who is a princess but is a bit of a tomboy. She finds a book on how to make potions and such. One of the recipes is for something that can protect from fire. She sets out with this potion to hunt dragons. She hunts them down until there is only one dragon left. This Dragon is the greatest dragon she has fought. She comes out of the ordeal alive, but only just. Her faithful horse brings her home where she spends a very long time in recovery. She never quite heals until she heeds the call of a magic man at a lake. He heals her and tells her she must vanquish and evil man in the north. She goes and manages to kill him. In the end Aerin manages to live long enough become queen and rule wisely. 4 stars ****
Here, There be Dragons by James A. Owen
ReplyDeleteThis novel is one that I’ve read a few times before. An unsuspecting protagonist is thrown upon an enormous quest and is shown as unprepared and inexperienced. Throughout the book, he/she will mature, gain courage and confidence until they fit the image of a hero. Such is the case in Here, There be Dragons. There’s a good guy (John and co.) and a bad guy (The Winter King). John is notified that he is one of the three caretakers of the Imaganarium Geographica, a magical book that contains maps of all the mythical worlds and lands, namely in the Archipelago of Dreams. It’s written in multiple languages. As the caretaker, he should be able to translate all of them. The Winter King has slowly but surely been conquering the Archipelago of Dreams piece by piece and leaving lifeless shadow in his wake. The story itself is interesting, set apart from others with its allusions to literature and history. It feels as if you’re in on a secret when you recognize the various references during the book. Overall, it’s fun…but a bit predictable. The characters are likable. It doesn’t do anything horrendous, but neither is it spectacularly wonderful. It deserves a look through if you’re interested in fantasy. I award Here, There be Dragons three stars. ***
A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
ReplyDeleteAfter her mother is killed in India, Gemma Doyle is sent to the Spence Academy in London. However, she isn't like the other girls there. Visions of her mother's death haunt her and a strange man who calls himself Kartik is spying on her. After proving herself to the group of "popular" girls at the school, she is allowed into their inner ring and actually becomes friends with some of them. Then she discovers the diary of a girl named Mary Dowd, who belonged to a secret society called the Order. Gemma shows this diary to the other girls, and they decide to create their own Order. She continues to have strange visions, and through them Gemma discovers the power to go to another world, which Mary Dowd's diary refers to as the realms. She takes a few select friends with her and they find a terrible secret in this world which they have to fix, or life as they know it will be destroyed.
I thought this book was very interesting, even though at first it seemed like a typical story about an "outcast" becoming one of the popular crowd. The story was original and captivating. I give this book: 3 1/2 stars.
Trickster's Choice-
ReplyDeleteTamora Pierce
Ally, the daughter of the King's Champion, has been kidnapped. While her parents franticly search for her she is taken to another country and sold as a slave. The family she is now with is a good sort and treat their servants better than most. It all seems too good to be true (as far as being kidnapped and enslaved goes).
The God Kyprioth has taken a particular interest in the well being of the family that Ally serves and has enlisted Ally in his bag of tricks to help him keep them in one piece(mostly). Ally has to be on her toes if she wants to keep this family alive and keep a God happy.
4 and 3/4 stars
Peter Pan-
ReplyDeleteJ.M. Barrie
Since its alot older than what is written today, the wording and details are realy different.Some of the descriptions tend to get lengthy. In the beginning the book explanes how Mr. Darling won Mrs. Darling and all the other things that came before Peter Pan. It also explanes Neverland.
Many many things are different from the plays and movies that it just conflicted in my head and i had to stop...
Peter Pan is realy into himself. Hook is so much crueler than the movies and plays... the list goes on.
Three stars ***
Warning!!!
If you read this book expecting it to be like Disney's rendition, or the plays, you will be disappointed.
Mattimeo-
ReplyDeleteBrian Jacques
Mathias and his friends are older now and they have children of thier own. The book starts ( of course) with a feast. That is also when the adventure starts. A mask wearing fox and his troop show up at the gates of Red Wall Abby giving forms entertainment. The next morning the dwellers of the abby wake outside and no memory of falling asleep, to find the young ones missing. Mathias and his friends set out to find thier young ones, along the way they meet others with the same cause. While the Warrior and his friends are gone, from the north comes a new threat. General Ironbeak and the rest of his flock. The General intends to conquer the "red stone house" and keep it for his own.
The Redwallers have alot on thier hands...I mean paws...
Three stars ***
The Spirit Line by Aimee and David Thurlo is a novel that just didn’t captivate me in the slightest. It’s the story of a young Navajo girl coming of age and trying to reject the classic traditions. One such tradition is the creation of a “spirit line” in weaving. A spirit line is an intentional flaw in a product of weaving to pay tribute to the Spiderwoman who taught the Navajos the art of weaving. Crystal leaves out the spirit line from her greatest work and everything goes wrong from there. Her rug is stolen and the story turns into a mystery detective story. I found the characters somewhat two-dimensional and the plot was simple enough to have it figured out half way through. It ends neatly with almost nothing to wonder about afterwards. The writing style is sometimes jarring. It seems like the authors switch styles throughout the book. It’s difficult to explain, but you can tell that more than one person was penning it. I found it clunky and simple. The story didn’t interest me personally, but it is fine for what it’s supposed to be, a tale of accepting your heritage and still retaining your individuality. I award The Spirit Line 2 ½ stars out of 5.
ReplyDeleteReview by Alisa Heskin
The Spirit Line by Aimee and David Thurlo is a novel that just didn’t captivate me in the slightest. It’s the story of a young Navajo girl coming of age and trying to reject the classic traditions of her people. One such tradition is the creation of a “spirit line” in weaving. A spirit line is an intentional flaw in a product of weaving to pay tribute to the Spiderwoman who taught the Navajos the art of weaving. Crystal leaves out the spirit line from her greatest work and everything goes wrong from there. Her rug is stolen and the story turns into a mystery detective story. I found the characters somewhat two-dimensional and the plot was simple enough to have it figured out half way through. It ends neatly with almost nothing to wonder about afterwards. The writing style is sometimes jarring. It seems like the authors switch styles throughout the book. It’s difficult to explain, but you can tell that more than one person was penning it, and it didn’t transition well between them. I found the writing clunky and simple. Personally the story didn’t interest me, but it is fine for what it’s supposed to be. It’s a tale of accepting your heritage and still retaining your individuality. I award The Spirit Line 2 ½ stars out of 5.
ReplyDeleteReview by Alisa Heskin
The Hero and The Crown, by Robin Mckinley
ReplyDeleteThis book is about Aerin, who is a princess but is a bit of a tomboy. She finds a book on how to make potions and such. One of the recipes is for something that can protect from fire. She sets out with this potion to hunt dragons. She hunts them down until there is only one dragon left. This Dragon is the greatest dragon she has fought. She comes out of the ordeal alive, but only just. Her faithful horse brings her home where she spends a very long time in recovery. She never quite heals until she heeds the call of a magic man at a lake. He heals her and tells her she must vanquish and evil man in the north. She goes and manages to kill him. In the end Aerin manages to live long enough become queen and rule wisely.
4 stars ****
The Hero and The Crown, by Robin Mckinley
ReplyDeleteThis book is about Aerin, who is a princess but is a bit of a tomboy. She finds a book on how to make potions and such. One of the recipes is for something that can protect from fire. She sets out with this potion to hunt dragons. She hunts them down until there is only one dragon left. This Dragon is the greatest dragon she has fought. She comes out of the ordeal alive, but only just. Her faithful horse brings her home where she spends a very long time in recovery. She never quite heals until she heeds the call of a magic man at a lake. He heals her and tells her she must vanquish and evil man in the north. She goes and manages to kill him. In the end Aerin manages to live long enough become queen and rule wisely.
4 stars ****