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thatbookishwriter's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-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
3.75
amyeewing's review against another edition
3.0
I absolutely loved this book when it was first published (starting to feel a little old here) and wanted to go back and greet and old favorite. Sadly, growing up changes this book. It's a wonderful fantasy read full of wonderfully romanticized images of Scotland and daily life. When I was a kid, I thought it was amazing. Now that I've gotten older and been to the places described, it seems less romantic to me. It actually took most of the book to really get into the feel of things. Once I did, it was fun. But until then I felt a little too grown up.
Something that made this book difficult for me to read was the nature of the computers described. While I think this would be great book for children, modern day children might quickly get hung up on how off just about everything involving computers is in the book. Everything involving the fantasy is great. The tech? Not so much. I also appreciated the description of grown ups. Some were open to believing in magic while some were not. There wasn't the overwhelming feeling of children against adults that seems to dominate books like this.
Overall, enjoyable read, but possibly too dated for modern times.
Something that made this book difficult for me to read was the nature of the computers described. While I think this would be great book for children, modern day children might quickly get hung up on how off just about everything involving computers is in the book. Everything involving the fantasy is great. The tech? Not so much. I also appreciated the description of grown ups. Some were open to believing in magic while some were not. There wasn't the overwhelming feeling of children against adults that seems to dominate books like this.
Overall, enjoyable read, but possibly too dated for modern times.
key_lime_cake's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
This was not a bad story for its time. It ends up feeling very old because the technology of the computers at the time the book was written is completely outdated by now. I enjoyed learning more boggart lore since I had heard of them in Harry Potter but never really understood what they were before.
electricicebird's review against another edition
3.0
The is good but not something which I would call out standing. The story revolves around two characters and how the boggart messes with them tho it was very fun in the start but by the end the book started to get stale and boring. But I would recommend this book to children since it is a small read and it can be fun.
lisawreading's review against another edition
4.0
When a Canadian family inherits a Scottish castle, they also inherit the Boggart, a mischievous ancient spirit who delights in playing pranks and being a general nuisance. Unfortunately for the Boggart, he accidentally ends up shipped back to Canada along with some of the castle's furnishings, and that's when the trouble starts.
Emily and Jessup, the two main characters, have to figure out just what's causing all the weird occurrences in their normally placid suburban life, and once they do, must come up with a way to send the Boggart back where he belongs before he can do any further damage. The plotline ends up relying heavily on the children's use of technology, and that is the one feature of the book that might be a bit off-putting for kids reading the book today.
"The Boggart" was first published in 1993, and what must have seemed cutting-edge then is now remarkably dated. Jessup is one of the first kids on the block to have a personal computer. We get descriptions of how a floppy disk works and what a screen-saver is, and the kids are quite shocked to see a blue dot on their black-and-white monitor. The story itself is charming, but because of the great emphasis on the kids' clever use of technology, the book comes off as being old-fashioned.
That said, my 9-year-old son was quite enchanted by the story overall and enjoyed it very much, despite having to stop me to ask "why don't they just send an email?", "why don't they have a color monitor?", and "wouldn't a flash drive work better?". I recommend "The Boggart" for middle-age readers, but be prepared to explain the "ancient" technology.
Emily and Jessup, the two main characters, have to figure out just what's causing all the weird occurrences in their normally placid suburban life, and once they do, must come up with a way to send the Boggart back where he belongs before he can do any further damage. The plotline ends up relying heavily on the children's use of technology, and that is the one feature of the book that might be a bit off-putting for kids reading the book today.
"The Boggart" was first published in 1993, and what must have seemed cutting-edge then is now remarkably dated. Jessup is one of the first kids on the block to have a personal computer. We get descriptions of how a floppy disk works and what a screen-saver is, and the kids are quite shocked to see a blue dot on their black-and-white monitor. The story itself is charming, but because of the great emphasis on the kids' clever use of technology, the book comes off as being old-fashioned.
That said, my 9-year-old son was quite enchanted by the story overall and enjoyed it very much, despite having to stop me to ask "why don't they just send an email?", "why don't they have a color monitor?", and "wouldn't a flash drive work better?". I recommend "The Boggart" for middle-age readers, but be prepared to explain the "ancient" technology.
saroz162's review against another edition
3.0
This is a pleasant mid-grade novel that feels like exactly the sort of thing I would have listened to on audiobook in the mid-'90s, when it came out: fairly short, very straightforward, no real edges to it. A lonely boggart - or mischievous spirit - follows a brother and sister home to Canada after their family comes to inherit (and sell off) on old Scottish castle; wacky hijinks ensue. It's exactly the sort of cheap'n'cheerful book designed for Scholastic book sales and low-level series potential in the last couple decades of the 20th century, and indeed, that seems to be exactly what followed (sequels having been published in 1997 and, astonishingly, 2018).
By sheer coincidence, I picked this up looking for a light "cleaning up around the house" audiobook and, even at almost forty years old, I wasn't disappointed. My audiobook was very effectively read by actor David Rintoul.
By sheer coincidence, I picked this up looking for a light "cleaning up around the house" audiobook and, even at almost forty years old, I wasn't disappointed. My audiobook was very effectively read by actor David Rintoul.
situationnormal's review against another edition
4.0
I wasn't expecting great things from this book--I picked it up because I have an uncanny ability to find covers with creepy kids on them in used bookstores--but listening to the audiobook was a great experience. The narrator's voice was excellent for the story, and I loved the Boggart himself. A little tongue-in-cheek, but also has great descriptions of the scenery, and some lovely brother/sister, and parent/child moments.
mscezik's review
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
archergal's review against another edition
4.0
I'm not sure how I missed this Susan Cooper book. I'm a big fan of her other works. I found this on Scribd last night and decided to read it.
I love authors that can make non-human creatures actually NON-human. The Boggart of the title is a creature of old Wild Magic. He's not motivated by many human things, and doesn't feel most human emotions. He has developed a taste for things like peanut butter and applesauce over the centuries, and once or twice, he's felt grief. In this book, he gets homesick, because he was accidentally carried far from his home in the Scottish castle where he'd lived time out of mind. The boggart is curious and experimental; his antics are fun to him, but are capable of causing real harm. And it's harm that the boggart is largely incapable of understanding.
This is one of those early 90's books that carries an odd cross of technology and supernatural things. Computers form a link between the children and the boggart.
And there's a happy ending. It's a slight book, but a nice story.
I love authors that can make non-human creatures actually NON-human. The Boggart of the title is a creature of old Wild Magic. He's not motivated by many human things, and doesn't feel most human emotions. He has developed a taste for things like peanut butter and applesauce over the centuries, and once or twice, he's felt grief. In this book, he gets homesick, because he was accidentally carried far from his home in the Scottish castle where he'd lived time out of mind. The boggart is curious and experimental; his antics are fun to him, but are capable of causing real harm. And it's harm that the boggart is largely incapable of understanding.
This is one of those early 90's books that carries an odd cross of technology and supernatural things. Computers form a link between the children and the boggart.
And there's a happy ending. It's a slight book, but a nice story.
micksland's review against another edition
4.0
Well... I'm actually giving this book 4 stars because it was really good when I first read it, in like 3rd grade. I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be as great if I read it again because it's really old and the technology (a major part of the story) would definitely be dated.