Scan barcode
mat_tobin's review against another edition
4.0
Far darker than its predecessors, Enemy sees the holiday return of both Ping and Tolly to Green Knowe and its guardian, Mrs. Oldknow. Shortly after arriving, a letter is arrives from a Dr. Melanie Powers who shows an unhealthy interest in a dark secret buried within Green Knowe: that of an occultist who, centuries before, had summoned something horrific into this world and paid the price with his soul. The Dr wishes to explore the house in the hope of unearthing any of the occultist’s texts for ‘historical and cultural research’. So begins the most uncomfortable and invasive story of Green Knowe yet with the most unnerving villain in children’s literature.
From those I have spoken to, there are mixed opinions on this book. Is is too dark for children? Does it go against the spirit of the earlier books? But this is Boston’s story to tell and if anyone is the patron of this world it is her. The more I reflect on her books the more I wonder if she is contemplating and perhaps impressing the concerns of her time and her place (Hemingford Grey) on the narrative world. The threat to Green Knowe this time is unrelenting and no longer lies beyond the Manor but in its floorboards and oakbeams to the point where I could not see how the boys could overcome this dark shadow. It is the objects of Green Knowe, again, that help us to see the ‘truth’ of the place and know it and a special mirror which proves all important.
There is much to consider here. I need to go back and read it carefully whilst, perhaps, finding out more about the author herself. ‘'What's thought cannot be unthought' says the necromancer, Dr. Vogel. I wonder then what thoughts would not leave Boston when she wrote this.
From those I have spoken to, there are mixed opinions on this book. Is is too dark for children? Does it go against the spirit of the earlier books? But this is Boston’s story to tell and if anyone is the patron of this world it is her. The more I reflect on her books the more I wonder if she is contemplating and perhaps impressing the concerns of her time and her place (Hemingford Grey) on the narrative world. The threat to Green Knowe this time is unrelenting and no longer lies beyond the Manor but in its floorboards and oakbeams to the point where I could not see how the boys could overcome this dark shadow. It is the objects of Green Knowe, again, that help us to see the ‘truth’ of the place and know it and a special mirror which proves all important.
There is much to consider here. I need to go back and read it carefully whilst, perhaps, finding out more about the author herself. ‘'What's thought cannot be unthought' says the necromancer, Dr. Vogel. I wonder then what thoughts would not leave Boston when she wrote this.
rcsreads's review against another edition
5.0
For a children's book this is pretty creepy. We've moved on from friendly ghosts and visiting gorillas to plagues of maggots, attempted murder and demonic possession. The end is very Lovecraftian!
Definitely recommend.
Definitely recommend.
kailey_luminouslibro's review against another edition
3.0
I usually like the Green Knowe books, and I adore L.M. Boston's writing style. However, this one is NOT a favorite. The depiction of black magic is just too close to truth for comfort. I would NOT give this one to children to read. Scary stuff.
kiraly's review against another edition
4.0
I think I enjoyed this book more than any of the books in this series after [b:The Children of Green Knowe|377889|The Children of Green Knowe (Green Knowe, #1)|L.M. Boston|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1282757940s/377889.jpg|859023]. It might be because Tolly is back (not that the last two were horribly bad, but I missed him). The villain is more ominous than the challenges or situations in the past three books, though Melanie is perhaps not as fear-invoking as Green Noah was. I was left wondering where Toby, Alexander, and Linnet were hiding...perhaps they are shy of Ping? Or it might be that they don't come around as much in the summer months, or don't need to manifest themselves as Tolly's playmates now that he has one who is flesh and blood. Also inexplicably absent is Tolly's dog Orlando, who would probably have been useful against the plague of cats.
If you read that paragraph and have no idea what I was talking about, read [b:The Children of Green Knowe|377889|The Children of Green Knowe (Green Knowe, #1)|L.M. Boston|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1282757940s/377889.jpg|859023] and go from there. These are books that pull you in and (at least for me) are reminiscent of childhood whimsy. The characters are compelling and (as evident from my paragraph above) feel like old friends by the time you're finished reading.
If you read that paragraph and have no idea what I was talking about, read [b:The Children of Green Knowe|377889|The Children of Green Knowe (Green Knowe, #1)|L.M. Boston|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1282757940s/377889.jpg|859023] and go from there. These are books that pull you in and (at least for me) are reminiscent of childhood whimsy. The characters are compelling and (as evident from my paragraph above) feel like old friends by the time you're finished reading.
michaelstearns's review
5.0
By far the best and creepiest of the Green Knowe books. Made reading the first four titles worthwhile. Brrrr.
mat_tobin's review
4.0
Far darker than its predecessors, Enemy sees the holiday return of both Ping and Tolly to Green Knowe and its guardian, Mrs. Oldknow. Shortly after arriving, a letter is arrives from a Dr. Melanie Powers who shows an unhealthy interest in a dark secret buried within Green Knowe: that of an occultist who, centuries before, had summoned something horrific into this world and paid the price with his soul. The Dr wishes to explore the house in the hope of unearthing any of the occultist’s texts for ‘historical and cultural research’. So begins the most uncomfortable and invasive story of Green Knowe yet with the most unnerving villain in children’s literature.
From those I have spoken to, there are mixed opinions on this book. Is is too dark for children? Does it go against the spirit of the earlier books? But this is Boston’s story to tell and if anyone is the patron of this world it is her. The more I reflect on her books the more I wonder if she is contemplating and perhaps impressing the concerns of her time and her place (Hemingford Grey) on the narrative world. The threat to Green Knowe this time is unrelenting and no longer lies beyond the Manor but in its floorboards and oakbeams to the point where I could not see how the boys could overcome this dark shadow. It is the objects of Green Knowe, again, that help us to see the ‘truth’ of the place and know it and a special mirror which proves all important.
There is much to consider here. I need to go back and read it carefully whilst, perhaps, finding out more about the author herself. ‘'What's thought cannot be unthought' says the necromancer, Dr. Vogel. I wonder then what thoughts would not leave Boston when she wrote this.
From those I have spoken to, there are mixed opinions on this book. Is is too dark for children? Does it go against the spirit of the earlier books? But this is Boston’s story to tell and if anyone is the patron of this world it is her. The more I reflect on her books the more I wonder if she is contemplating and perhaps impressing the concerns of her time and her place (Hemingford Grey) on the narrative world. The threat to Green Knowe this time is unrelenting and no longer lies beyond the Manor but in its floorboards and oakbeams to the point where I could not see how the boys could overcome this dark shadow. It is the objects of Green Knowe, again, that help us to see the ‘truth’ of the place and know it and a special mirror which proves all important.
There is much to consider here. I need to go back and read it carefully whilst, perhaps, finding out more about the author herself. ‘'What's thought cannot be unthought' says the necromancer, Dr. Vogel. I wonder then what thoughts would not leave Boston when she wrote this.
More...