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hstapp's review
adventurous
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
3.0
This one was an easier read and more fun throughout than the first book, but I think the first book was more exciting in the end.
aizaksonas's review
adventurous
funny
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
4.0
rubyparr's review
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
lorimca's review
5.0
J loved loved loved this book. It's totally wacky, and kept his attention. We just ran to the library to get the one that came before it in the series.
elephant's review
4.0
So, apparantly I have gone and read another book that is a sequel without reading the book that comes before it again. That is ok, you don't have to have read the prior book to enjoy this one. Written for children in grades 4 to 9 or so, this is a cute and funny book about Yggdrasil Birnbaum who lives in a haunted hotel and goes on adventure to find out where her ghost friends have been disappearing to. Set in LA in the early 1950s with the ghosts of Rudolph Valentino, LaBrea girl , Chase, the ghost bunny, and many others, this book is full of Pinkwater's highly descriptive fun and nonsense. I personally enjoyed it a lot, but I think that a lot of the puns and humor may be about things that 4th to 9th graders have no knowledge of and so they may miss some of the humor.
kmccubbin's review
4.0
The second in Pinkwater's, as of now, trilogy, nestled between "The Neddiad" and "Adventures of a Cat-Whiskered Girl", this book does not have the nostalgic drive of the first oe or the sheer mania of the third, but it is still a lot of fun.
Daniel Pinkwater is a national treasure and his value to parents of kids moving through grade school, as someone who is funny and intriguing to such a wide variety of maturities, is beyond measure.
Daniel Pinkwater is a national treasure and his value to parents of kids moving through grade school, as someone who is funny and intriguing to such a wide variety of maturities, is beyond measure.
pussreboots's review
3.0
The Yggssey by Daniel Pinkwater is the sequel to The Neddiad. As the Greek inspired title implies, this book follows Iggy, aka Yggdrasil. She is the girl who lives in a hotel haunted by Hollywood movie star ghosts. She's noticed now that the ghosts are going missing and she decides to figure out why they're leaving and where they are going.
If The Neddiad was Pinkwater's Iliad, or more specifically, a long on-going war, ultimately decided not by a horse but a turtle, then The Yggssey is the author's Odyssey. Just as Odysseus was trying to find his way home, Iggy tracking of the ghosts leads her to understanding her importance and the significance of her name.
Now in one of those odd thematic link-ups I see sometimes while reading multiple books, Iggy's name is the Norse word for the world tree. It's also the tree that's on the portal that plays such a big part in Fullmetal Alchemist. While there is no alchemy in The Yggyssey there is travel between worlds, ghosts and magical realism.
For me though, the book lacked the focus of The Neddiad. There are just too many things going on. The missing ghosts mystery melds into an Oz and Wonderland mashup. To make things even more complicated there are guest appearances from fictional characters like Harvy.
If The Neddiad was Pinkwater's Iliad, or more specifically, a long on-going war, ultimately decided not by a horse but a turtle, then The Yggssey is the author's Odyssey. Just as Odysseus was trying to find his way home, Iggy tracking of the ghosts leads her to understanding her importance and the significance of her name.
Now in one of those odd thematic link-ups I see sometimes while reading multiple books, Iggy's name is the Norse word for the world tree. It's also the tree that's on the portal that plays such a big part in Fullmetal Alchemist. While there is no alchemy in The Yggyssey there is travel between worlds, ghosts and magical realism.
For me though, the book lacked the focus of The Neddiad. There are just too many things going on. The missing ghosts mystery melds into an Oz and Wonderland mashup. To make things even more complicated there are guest appearances from fictional characters like Harvy.
libscote's review
3.0
This was good right up until the end. I just didn't like the ending. Otherwise, if you enjoyed The Neddiad you're going to enjoy this book.