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ab_bie's review
adventurous
dark
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
5.0
mcnamaste's review against another edition
5.0
This is by far the darkest children's novel I've read... Yes I've seen the film Paperhouse, but even if I hadn't... Very enjoyable, at times truly terrifying!
foggy_rosamund's review
4.0
Marianne discovers that she can manipulate her dreams by using a pencil she finds in her great-grandmother's sewing basket. Marianne is recovering from a long illness, and through her dreams she meets Mark, who has polio. As a child, I found this book frightening: the world Marianne discovers in her dreams is chilling and populated by malevolent figures. What struck me on this reread is the nuanced portrait of illness and disability, and the genuine fear that the children will not survive. It's an interesting take on recovery from illness and the way serious illness affects our way of thinking.
mat_tobin's review against another edition
5.0
I'm never disappointed with Storr! I don't want to give anything away only to say that Storr's story style is wonderful as is he use of language. The story starts off all light and enjoyable but it isn't long before the tale takes a dark and sinister turn. Such a great story with both a strong male and female protagonist who combat not only their fears but their illnesses too. Some may find the language date but I thought it added real charm.
rdgls's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
lemon_drop's review
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
onelittleorange's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
snoakes7001's review against another edition
5.0
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this old childhood favourite. It definitely stands the test of time - I wonder that I wasn't scared witless by it though!
ashleylm's review against another edition
4.0
A quite unusual book. The author's voice was pleasantly neutral, and so little happened that I trouble gauging the period--there were a few moments where I was startled to realise it must have been a much older book than I'd guessed from the tone. It's both gentle, and disturbingly creepy.
What I appreciate most is that in a "dream" book, the dreams often feel of no consequence since one knows they aren't real (setting aside the fact that Alice in Wonderland is generally thought to consist of 99% dream, and is engrossing as heck). In this story, though the author keeps her cards close to her chest, it's very easy to intepret this as the dreams being real and having consequences.
Don't look for explanations, there are none, and none are needed. It's like the best Doctor Who episodes, but before the Doctor starts crowing about how smart he is and how he's figured it out, and unravels the mystery—it's like the unsettling bits beforehand, where you wonder "what on earth's going on?"
(Note: 5 stars = amazing, wonderful, 4 = very good book, 3 = decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. I'm fairly good at picking for myself so end up with a lot of 4s).
What I appreciate most is that in a "dream" book, the dreams often feel of no consequence since one knows they aren't real (setting aside the fact that Alice in Wonderland is generally thought to consist of 99% dream, and is engrossing as heck). In this story, though the author keeps her cards close to her chest, it's very easy to intepret this as the dreams being real and having consequences.
Don't look for explanations, there are none, and none are needed. It's like the best Doctor Who episodes, but before the Doctor starts crowing about how smart he is and how he's figured it out, and unravels the mystery—it's like the unsettling bits beforehand, where you wonder "what on earth's going on?"
(Note: 5 stars = amazing, wonderful, 4 = very good book, 3 = decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. I'm fairly good at picking for myself so end up with a lot of 4s).
ohnoflora's review against another edition
4.0
I remember being profoundly unsettled by this book when I read it as a child, and reading it as an adult I can still access some of that unease: the eerie emptiness of the dream plain with wind rustling through the grass, the white house with blank windows, THEM.
Storr manages to capture what it is to dream, without falling into the trap of being too outlandish or fantastical or scary: the feeling of unreality; of just KNOWING that you need to do something (and being unable to do it); and of things being somehow off in an inexplicable way.
It's also just a very good story about children being bored and frustrated; about the benefits of doing something creative or thinking creatively; and about escape (not just escapism) through fantasy.
Storr manages to capture what it is to dream, without falling into the trap of being too outlandish or fantastical or scary: the feeling of unreality; of just KNOWING that you need to do something (and being unable to do it); and of things being somehow off in an inexplicable way.
It's also just a very good story about children being bored and frustrated; about the benefits of doing something creative or thinking creatively; and about escape (not just escapism) through fantasy.