The Land of Roar by Jenny McLachlan

3.85 AVERAGE

neverending_bookshelf's profile picture

neverending_bookshelf's review against another edition

4.0
adventurous funny relaxing medium-paced

l_noona's review against another edition

4.25
adventurous dark emotional funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced
missbookiverse's profile picture

missbookiverse's review against another edition

3.0
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.
zanybibliophile's profile picture

zanybibliophile's review against another edition

4.0
Roar is magical, beautiful and not as imaginary as the Arthur and Rose believed.

You can read my full review here.

I enjoyed the read and would be glad to visit Roar again!

rebekkavanh's review against another edition

5.0
adventurous funny medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: N/A
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
motherbooker's profile picture

motherbooker's review against another edition

4.0
 Being a twin myself, I always get more engaged with books featuring twins. As a child, I always loved finding a book that had twins in it. I'm sure there were loads around but I didn't come across many of them. The Land of Roar sees twins, Rose and Arthur, rediscover the magical land from their childhood. Roar was the place they invented as children but neither have thought about it for ages. When their grandfather accidentally enters Roar, Arthur must summon up all of his courage to go after him. Unfortunately, someone else finds his granddad first. It's their nemesis, Crowky, who is a scarecrow-crow intent on turning Grandad into a scarecrow. Can Arthur find his grandfather before it's too late? Will he be able to stop Crowky without the help of his sister? 

This book is part Narnia and part Wizard of Oz. It's an exciting and fun adventure in a great fantasy world. The story is about that sensation of being between childhood and being a teenager. Both Rose and Arthur have grown out of their childhood games and are growing apart. Rose prefers to spend her time with her female friends and not with her brother. She's worried about fitting in with her schoolfriends which is less of a concern for Arthur. So, they've been arguing more and their relationship is getting more tense. It's a great example of siblings getting older and the friction that can occur when their interests and priorities change. It's such a strong element of the book and I'm looking forward to seeing how it develops through the books. 

The rest of the book is pretty standard fantasy but it's done well. We've got dragons, a ninja-wizard, mermaids and a rebellious girl gang. We don't get to see much of Roar but there is some strong world-building here. It doesn't reveal too much too soon but that's a great thing. It means you get to spend more time on the bits you do see and get more of an idea of how everything works. It's not the most imaginative or original world but it has potential. It also works for this story because it's about the importance of imaginative play. This is a world that two children created so of course it will be slightly derivative. It will have taken bits from their frame of reference as well as incorporating their own preferences.

The narrative here is all about believing in yourself and not letting fear get in the way. Arthur is lonely without the support of his sister at school because he isn't fitting in as easily. He relies on her for everything, so he struggles without her help in Roar. It's something that we've seen before but it's still a charming story. I enjoyed the aspect of not turning your back on your childhood. That you should always embrace your creativity and imagination as you grow up. Just because you are getting older, it doesn't mean you also have to grow up. It's the exact message that an adult reading children's fiction needs to hear.

bevpages's review against another edition

4.0
There is something about children’s books that is just so wholesome. This was super cute and the imagination was just wild and I loved it solely for that. Also I was not expecting the twins to be people of colour it was just a nice surprise and of course I was here for it. This will be a children’s series that I will try and keep up with because I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would, and also can we just appreciate the cover illustrations please ?!! One word, stunning.
wolfie_larue's profile picture

wolfie_larue's review against another edition

4.0
adventurous lighthearted medium-paced
allygrove's profile picture

allygrove's review against another edition

5.0
This book made me nostalgic for the magic we lose as we leave childhood. I loved the story and all its fantastic elements. I purposely picked the physical book because of its illustrations. I recommend this for the young and young at heart.

pio_near's review against another edition

4.0
Ugh. Isn't believing in yourself the most intangible goal of kids books?!?

Yet it continues to captivate us. And rightfully so! Whether we were raised on a series of unfortunate events, or a progression of mysteries we had to solve with Frank, Al, Chet or Nancy, or even figuring our way thru a phantom tollbooth or bridges destined for failure, WE made it thru.

THAT is the power of imagination, and that is what this series strives to invoke in all of us.

Sure, does a comfy chair and beverage in the middle of a working class day seem frivolous to some?

That's the misconception.

Do we care?

...

Welcome to the land of Roar... or whatever you want to call it. It may not be what you expect...

But you will not be dissapointed...

And you WILL change the world.