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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
I LOVED this as a kid. I still liked it as an adult, but it didn't speak to me as much.
This is a very entertaining book for young readers and anyone who likes tales of King Arthur. There is lots of suspense, good versus evil, treasure maps and even a dog! It was fun to read.
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I know I read this as a kid but I didn't remember much of it.
Summer by the sea, a mystery, and a trio of adventurous youngsters. Over Sea, Under Stone is the first book in The Dark is Rising sequence, and our first glimpse into Susan Cooper's five-book narrative about the ancient conflict between the Light and the Dark.
The Drew children, guided by a mysterious stranger, discover that the old Arthurian legends are very much alive and thriving in the modern day and age. Not only that, the children must play an important role in keeping the Dark from seizing power.
As an adult, I don't need narratives to define good and evil in terms of "Light" versus "Dark" anymore (we all know life isn't that simple). But this is still an engaging and enjoyable read. The characters are well-realized and I like the way Cooper weaves together modern themes with Grail lore and Celtic mythology/mysticism.
And let's not forget Merriman. This elusive fellow always kept me turning pages just to see where he was going to show up next.
The Drew children, guided by a mysterious stranger, discover that the old Arthurian legends are very much alive and thriving in the modern day and age. Not only that, the children must play an important role in keeping the Dark from seizing power.
As an adult, I don't need narratives to define good and evil in terms of "Light" versus "Dark" anymore (we all know life isn't that simple). But this is still an engaging and enjoyable read. The characters are well-realized and I like the way Cooper weaves together modern themes with Grail lore and Celtic mythology/mysticism.
And let's not forget Merriman. This elusive fellow always kept me turning pages just to see where he was going to show up next.
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I read “The grey king” when I was in middle school and remembered how exciting and mysterious it was then and I was a fan of the Arthurian legend adaptation. It was fun to revisit and read the first book in the series
adventurous
fast-paced
Reread #IDEK. Let's be arbitrary and call it my 12th.
Things I noticed:
The gender equality in this book is amazing compared to so much of what I see today. Polly Withers and Mrs. Palk are as active in their villainy as Mr. Withers and Bill Hoover. Jane is still outnumbered, but at least her mother has a female friend/mentor?
The unquestioned assumption that Jane can and should do anything her brothers can. Their mum the painter leaving Jane to wander the town on her own while she herself wanders the headland alone to paint! And Ellen's beloved art teacher, who takes the parents shark fishing off Penzance.
The quality of writing is so good, again compared to so much of what I see today. It's making me crave the classics. Good stories with beautiful language! Kids lit should have that.
I had some facepalmy moments about the kids' colonial era games and had to remind myself the sun hadn't yet set on the British Empire when this was published.
IIRC, I first read this 32 years ago and the last time was at least a decade ago, probably longer. I love when rereads feel like reading something for the first time. /invested
Things I noticed:
The gender equality in this book is amazing compared to so much of what I see today. Polly Withers and Mrs. Palk are as active in their villainy as Mr. Withers and Bill Hoover. Jane is still outnumbered, but at least her mother has a female friend/mentor?
The unquestioned assumption that Jane can and should do anything her brothers can. Their mum the painter leaving Jane to wander the town on her own while she herself wanders the headland alone to paint! And Ellen's beloved art teacher, who takes the parents shark fishing off Penzance.
The quality of writing is so good, again compared to so much of what I see today. It's making me crave the classics. Good stories with beautiful language! Kids lit should have that.
I had some facepalmy moments about the kids' colonial era games and had to remind myself the sun hadn't yet set on the British Empire when this was published.
IIRC, I first read this 32 years ago and the last time was at least a decade ago, probably longer. I love when rereads feel like reading something for the first time. /invested
I often read The Dark Is Rising at Christmas, but have somehow never read the rest of the series. This first book is lovely, feels very much like the more famous second one, with a wonderful Cornish seaside holiday setting, excitements galore, and an excellent dog.
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
My least favorite book in the series so far. Tons of mapping/logistics being described as the kids go on a treasure hunt - I started skimming.