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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
While I did enjoy this overall I found it weaker compared to other middle grades I have read recently. I think I struggled to connect to the characters especially as I found Rose really unlikeable. Arthur was such a lovely kid but then his twin seemed to have turned into a horrid little girl worried about what other people thought of her and being quite cruel to her brother. I think it was the cruelty with which she treated him and never really apologised for it which got to me the most. Had it not been for her I think I would have enjoyed it more. I would have loved to see Arthur develop his own confidence and self worth a little away from his twin.
The story was interesting though and I liked Roar as a land in itself though perhaps it would have been better if it would have explored the world a little more.
I gave this 3 out of 5 stars.
The story was interesting though and I liked Roar as a land in itself though perhaps it would have been better if it would have explored the world a little more.
I gave this 3 out of 5 stars.
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
*I received a free ARC of this book, with thanks to the author and Amazon’s Vine Programme. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
I’ve read some fantastic children’s fantasy adventure stories recently, but The Land of Roar completely blew me away.
Jenny McLachlan takes some familiar tropes and imagery and infuses them with such imagination and enthusiasm that any children reading will be eagerly searching for their own Roar within seconds of putting the book down. Not only do adult readers get transported to Roar, but the author cleverly invokes memories that will have you soaring back to your own childhood playland.
I was reminded of Narnia (here you go through the campbed, rather than the wardrobe), along with Peter Pan (here they are Lost Girls), Jumanji, Coraline, and many other fantasy adventure stories.
Crowky and his powers are quite genuinely scary (I was unnerved!) and Win, Prosecco, Mitch and the furries are all brilliantly imagined and instantly endearing. Not only that, but the characters are deceptively simple and actually complex: I felt sympathy for the villain, chuckled at the inept wizard and his inability to recognise his own limitations, and so on. Of course, Arthur and Rose are the most complex and empathetic characters as they both struggle with the changes of growing up, growing away, fitting in.
This whole book is a fabulous celebration of the imaginative world of children (the light and the dark elements) and a poignant reflection on what we lose as we grow up and learn to relinquish such fantasies to societal expectations. I am so thankful that Jenny McLachlan clearly resisted this dire fate and allowed us to visit her Land of Roar.
My eyes wander over pathways and streams and mountain passes, and I start to lose myself in this strange place we invented. Then something catches my eye – a flicker of movement, a flash of light – and I find myself staring at the Crow’s Nest. I see something that I missed before. A face is looking out of a window. The face is pale with round eyes and a crooked stitched mouth. It’s a scarecrow, a boy, and I can just make out two wings sprouting from his back.
‘Crowky,’ I say, the name coming easily to my lips. I stare at his black button eyes and his smile seems to stretch.
‘I’d almost forgotten about you,’ I whisper.
– Jenny McLachlan, The Land of Roar
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpress.com/2019/08/25/the-land-of-roar-jenny-mclachlan/
I’ve read some fantastic children’s fantasy adventure stories recently, but The Land of Roar completely blew me away.
Jenny McLachlan takes some familiar tropes and imagery and infuses them with such imagination and enthusiasm that any children reading will be eagerly searching for their own Roar within seconds of putting the book down. Not only do adult readers get transported to Roar, but the author cleverly invokes memories that will have you soaring back to your own childhood playland.
I was reminded of Narnia (here you go through the campbed, rather than the wardrobe), along with Peter Pan (here they are Lost Girls), Jumanji, Coraline, and many other fantasy adventure stories.
Crowky and his powers are quite genuinely scary (I was unnerved!) and Win, Prosecco, Mitch and the furries are all brilliantly imagined and instantly endearing. Not only that, but the characters are deceptively simple and actually complex: I felt sympathy for the villain, chuckled at the inept wizard and his inability to recognise his own limitations, and so on. Of course, Arthur and Rose are the most complex and empathetic characters as they both struggle with the changes of growing up, growing away, fitting in.
This whole book is a fabulous celebration of the imaginative world of children (the light and the dark elements) and a poignant reflection on what we lose as we grow up and learn to relinquish such fantasies to societal expectations. I am so thankful that Jenny McLachlan clearly resisted this dire fate and allowed us to visit her Land of Roar.
My eyes wander over pathways and streams and mountain passes, and I start to lose myself in this strange place we invented. Then something catches my eye – a flicker of movement, a flash of light – and I find myself staring at the Crow’s Nest. I see something that I missed before. A face is looking out of a window. The face is pale with round eyes and a crooked stitched mouth. It’s a scarecrow, a boy, and I can just make out two wings sprouting from his back.
‘Crowky,’ I say, the name coming easily to my lips. I stare at his black button eyes and his smile seems to stretch.
‘I’d almost forgotten about you,’ I whisper.
– Jenny McLachlan, The Land of Roar
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpress.com/2019/08/25/the-land-of-roar-jenny-mclachlan/
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
adventurous
fast-paced
Creative, whimsical, and with a spunky pair of twins at its center this should have been right up my ally, yet for some reason the spark never ignited. I enjoyed listening to it but I was never surprised by the events or in awe of the creations in Roar (not even the dragons!). While I did like the complicated sibling dynamics, I think I would've preferred Rose's POV instead of Arthur's. Won't continue with the series, but would definitely recommend to younger readers.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really enjoyed this. I didn’t get that 4 star feeling but this is a solid 4/4.5 stars. This is a middle grade fantasy about twins, Rose and Arthur and they’re highly vivid imagination.
Arthur and Rose are now 11 and they’ve grown apart. Rose is into her phone and Arthur is still wanting to have fun adventures. When they were younger Arthur and Rose made up a game called Roar, but is it just a game?
Arthur and Rose’s grandparents both came from Mauritius and when I saw that I got so excited. My background is Mauritian and it is super rare to see any mention of it in books so that was a really special moment for me.
Regardless of this the story itself was really well done. It was easy to read. Very descriptive. I could picture myself in the story. I liked the journey these characters took not only physically but also personally.
My favourite character was probably the grandpa. He was so cool. Super chill and had a connection and love for his grandkids that I never got to experience because my grandparents passed away before I was born. And the only grandparent I had left when I was younger lived in Rodrigues (small island off Mauritius) so I didn’t get to see him much.
Win was one of my least favourite characters but he eventually grew on me. His incompetence grated on me but I learn to love him. In the end I found him hilarious.
Overall would highly recommend this.
Arthur and Rose are now 11 and they’ve grown apart. Rose is into her phone and Arthur is still wanting to have fun adventures. When they were younger Arthur and Rose made up a game called Roar, but is it just a game?
Arthur and Rose’s grandparents both came from Mauritius and when I saw that I got so excited. My background is Mauritian and it is super rare to see any mention of it in books so that was a really special moment for me.
Regardless of this the story itself was really well done. It was easy to read. Very descriptive. I could picture myself in the story. I liked the journey these characters took not only physically but also personally.
My favourite character was probably the grandpa. He was so cool. Super chill and had a connection and love for his grandkids that I never got to experience because my grandparents passed away before I was born. And the only grandparent I had left when I was younger lived in Rodrigues (small island off Mauritius) so I didn’t get to see him much.
Win was one of my least favourite characters but he eventually grew on me. His incompetence grated on me but I learn to love him. In the end I found him hilarious.
Overall would highly recommend this.