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4.27 AVERAGE
4.27 AVERAGE
Sweet ya novel about a mountain girl who goes on a brave journey to find her kidnapped grandmother, the village storyteller.
Many magical things happen. Stories are interwoven. Fun.
Many magical things happen. Stories are interwoven. Fun.
This is another of Grace Lin's fun adventure stories that also features Chinese folktales. The combination of the old and new stories seems effortless. Additionally, several characters from the companion books, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and Starry River of the Sky, are brought back. Some of these characters' identities are obvious, but for some, the pieces don't fall into place right away, giving a sense of mystery.
In comparison to the companion books, When the Sea Turned to Silver is paced more like Where the Mountain Meets the Moon than Starry River of the Sky. Like in the former, the characters are constantly traveling to new places as part of their journey (whereas the latter takes place in only one village). It's possible to read this book as a standalone, but I'd recommend reading the companion books first.
I'd recommend this book to anyone looking for a middle-grade novel to read.
In comparison to the companion books, When the Sea Turned to Silver is paced more like Where the Mountain Meets the Moon than Starry River of the Sky. Like in the former, the characters are constantly traveling to new places as part of their journey (whereas the latter takes place in only one village). It's possible to read this book as a standalone, but I'd recommend reading the companion books first.
I'd recommend this book to anyone looking for a middle-grade novel to read.
I loved this book. I voted it for best middle grade/children's book on the choice awards.
Reviewed from ARC: Grace Lin has done it again! With Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and Starry River of the Sky, Lin has set a high bar for herself in this genre of Chinese folklore fantasy that she has essentially created and perfected. And she did not disappoint!
Lin's writing style is artful and poetic, making the reader feel like each sentence is its own work of art. The story and characters are captivating; Pinmei represents the timid, shy young girl who finds her voice and her strength through her journey, and this is the kind of heroine that I believe young girls need to read about today. Lin has also mastered the art of the big reveal, where stories intertwine with each other and with reality in unexpected ways. Even though I know this about her and was looking for it, the big reveals still caught me off guard in this novel! I also loved the nods to the companion novels; they felt like little winks to readers who know the previous novels, but did not take away from this novel's ability to stand on its own.
The only reason I gave four instead of five stars is that Lin's fantasy novels sometimes involve so many subplots and characters that it's hard to keep track. I found this to be the case somewhat in Where the Mountain.., but it was even more so in the case of When the Sea.... I would find that as I progressed through the book, I would recognize a name or story from earlier in the book, but wouldn't be able to remember who or what they were. A character glossary or some sort of cheat sheet would be helpful!
All in all, Lin delivered another gorgeous, riveting, and artful story that will captivate adults and children alike. I can't wait to see the final version!
Lin's writing style is artful and poetic, making the reader feel like each sentence is its own work of art. The story and characters are captivating; Pinmei represents the timid, shy young girl who finds her voice and her strength through her journey, and this is the kind of heroine that I believe young girls need to read about today. Lin has also mastered the art of the big reveal, where stories intertwine with each other and with reality in unexpected ways. Even though I know this about her and was looking for it, the big reveals still caught me off guard in this novel! I also loved the nods to the companion novels; they felt like little winks to readers who know the previous novels, but did not take away from this novel's ability to stand on its own.
The only reason I gave four instead of five stars is that Lin's fantasy novels sometimes involve so many subplots and characters that it's hard to keep track. I found this to be the case somewhat in Where the Mountain.., but it was even more so in the case of When the Sea.... I would find that as I progressed through the book, I would recognize a name or story from earlier in the book, but wouldn't be able to remember who or what they were. A character glossary or some sort of cheat sheet would be helpful!
All in all, Lin delivered another gorgeous, riveting, and artful story that will captivate adults and children alike. I can't wait to see the final version!
4 stars= I really liked it
This was such a cute children's book! I loved the illustrations, and how all the stories that were told turned out being true. Blending the stories and the main story made the book so interesting and kept me guessing.
Fav character: Pinmei duh
At the end of my reviews in the past month, I'm putting this link. It has many many resources, like petitions and where to donate.
https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
This was such a cute children's book! I loved the illustrations, and how all the stories that were told turned out being true. Blending the stories and the main story made the book so interesting and kept me guessing.
Fav character: Pinmei duh
At the end of my reviews in the past month, I'm putting this link. It has many many resources, like petitions and where to donate.
https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway. I really enjoyed this book. I liked the journey it took me on and all of the stories within the book. I will definitely read Lin's other books.
I've never read any of Grace Lin's books before, though I have only heard wonderful things. I decided to give this one a try, since my daughter is now at the age that she might enjoy reading Lin's books. "When the Sea Turned to Silver" is, apparently, a "companion" book to "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon", though it can absolutely be read as a stand-alone.
In "When the Seat Turned to Silver", Pinmei must rescue her grandmother - The Storyteller - from an Emperor who is determined to make himself immortal. Along the way, Pinmei meets some truly strange and wonderful people and creatures, helps try to steal the moon, and learns that friendship can be one of the best gifts given. Interspersed within the story are beautiful full-color photos done by Lin that each show a piece of the story.
I truly enjoyed this story, and one of the best parts about it was the storytelling within the story. A wonderful variety of tales being told by Penmei or her grandmother, yet all related in some way to the main story itself. It was quite well done, and very interesting. In fact, I'm going to have to read "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon" now to see if it is done the same way, and which characters from this book might make an appearance in that one.
Overall, I do recommend this book. It would be a great book for readers in 3-6 grade (3rd grade for advanced readers, 6th grade for readers who struggle). It would also make a wonderful read-aloud book for teachers and parents alike!
In "When the Seat Turned to Silver", Pinmei must rescue her grandmother - The Storyteller - from an Emperor who is determined to make himself immortal. Along the way, Pinmei meets some truly strange and wonderful people and creatures, helps try to steal the moon, and learns that friendship can be one of the best gifts given. Interspersed within the story are beautiful full-color photos done by Lin that each show a piece of the story.
I truly enjoyed this story, and one of the best parts about it was the storytelling within the story. A wonderful variety of tales being told by Penmei or her grandmother, yet all related in some way to the main story itself. It was quite well done, and very interesting. In fact, I'm going to have to read "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon" now to see if it is done the same way, and which characters from this book might make an appearance in that one.
Overall, I do recommend this book. It would be a great book for readers in 3-6 grade (3rd grade for advanced readers, 6th grade for readers who struggle). It would also make a wonderful read-aloud book for teachers and parents alike!
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Another enchanting adventure with wonderful illustrations and characters.
The first in this series will always be my favorite, but this was a lovely addition. I liked seeing all of the stories coming together, both within this novel, and the threads from the two previous books as well. While I don't think this one quite reached the level of perfectness the first one did, I thought the characters were strong, and the weaving of so many different plot threads into one cohesive whole was masterfully done.