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ofavalley's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
misslezlee's review against another edition
5.0
The perfect book for a late December sick bed. I got the flu for Christmas this year.
The copy I read is old and falling apart, its pages brittle and yellowing. It was purchased, according to the inscription on the inside cover, at Southend Market in July 1975 by the young man whom I would later meet, marry and eventually divorce. Lord knows why I still have his book.
I didn’t read The Weirdstone of Brisingamen as a child, but I’m pretty sure I read it aloud to at least one class of nine and ten year old children in the 1970s. I’m pretty sure I must have terrified them because it’s a really terrifying story, vividly and expertly told.
Tolkein’s The Hobbit had been published a few years previously and while there are echoes of that magnificent tale, they are merely echoes of classic folk story memes, referenced in Joseph Campbell’s The Power of Myth. Weirdstone is based on a myth the author was very familiar with, since the setting is his home, Alderley Edge, in Cheshire. And that’s the difference between Tolkein and Garner - the latter sets his tale in a real place, includes maps even, and the protagonists are human children, aided and abetted by dwarfs and a wizard.
Wikipedia has this to say: Philip Pullman, the author of the His Dark Materials trilogy, remarked that:
"Garner is indisputably the great originator, the most important British writer of fantasy since Tolkien, and in many respects better than Tolkien, because deeper and more truthful... Any country except Britain would have long ago recognised his importance, and celebrated it with postage stamps and statues and street-names. But that's the way with us: our greatest prophets go unnoticed by the politicians and the owners of media empires. I salute him with the most heartfelt respect and admiration."[38]
Another British fantasy writer, Neil Gaiman, claimed that "Garner's fiction is something special" in that it was "smart and challenging, based in the here and the now, in which real English places emerged from the shadows of folklore, and in which people found themselves walking, living and battling their way through the dreams and patterns of myth.”
So, in the waning days of the year, I read a dark, terrifying, yet gripping fantasy tale and enjoyed every minute of it.
The copy I read is old and falling apart, its pages brittle and yellowing. It was purchased, according to the inscription on the inside cover, at Southend Market in July 1975 by the young man whom I would later meet, marry and eventually divorce. Lord knows why I still have his book.
I didn’t read The Weirdstone of Brisingamen as a child, but I’m pretty sure I read it aloud to at least one class of nine and ten year old children in the 1970s. I’m pretty sure I must have terrified them because it’s a really terrifying story, vividly and expertly told.
Tolkein’s The Hobbit had been published a few years previously and while there are echoes of that magnificent tale, they are merely echoes of classic folk story memes, referenced in Joseph Campbell’s The Power of Myth. Weirdstone is based on a myth the author was very familiar with, since the setting is his home, Alderley Edge, in Cheshire. And that’s the difference between Tolkein and Garner - the latter sets his tale in a real place, includes maps even, and the protagonists are human children, aided and abetted by dwarfs and a wizard.
Wikipedia has this to say: Philip Pullman, the author of the His Dark Materials trilogy, remarked that:
"Garner is indisputably the great originator, the most important British writer of fantasy since Tolkien, and in many respects better than Tolkien, because deeper and more truthful... Any country except Britain would have long ago recognised his importance, and celebrated it with postage stamps and statues and street-names. But that's the way with us: our greatest prophets go unnoticed by the politicians and the owners of media empires. I salute him with the most heartfelt respect and admiration."[38]
Another British fantasy writer, Neil Gaiman, claimed that "Garner's fiction is something special" in that it was "smart and challenging, based in the here and the now, in which real English places emerged from the shadows of folklore, and in which people found themselves walking, living and battling their way through the dreams and patterns of myth.”
So, in the waning days of the year, I read a dark, terrifying, yet gripping fantasy tale and enjoyed every minute of it.
stories's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
A pleasant revisit of a childhood memory. A fascinating mix of folktales and mythologies, and certainly a different rhythm to “modern” fantasy. A fun, adventurous ride.
Children’s adventure where adults DO look after them, and gripping action combined with ye olde independence. Bess & Gunther speak in dialect which adds challenge but highly appropriate for primary with strong theme of nature of courage.
Not overtly sexist or racist.
Children’s adventure where adults DO look after them, and gripping action combined with ye olde independence. Bess & Gunther speak in dialect which adds challenge but highly appropriate for primary with strong theme of nature of courage.
Not overtly sexist or racist.
Content Warnings
Ao3 Archive Warning Major Character Death
More detail: a friendly warrior character dies heroically in the final battle
aruaxe's review against another edition
adventurous
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
4.25
davidgillette's review against another edition
4.0
My life has never involved nearly enough Fimbulwinter. This book goes some small distance toward restoring the proper balance.
stagasaurus's review against another edition
3.0
I think unfortunately it is a bit like Star Wars. You have to experience it as a child to truly get it. It was very original, and the structure was totally different from loads of children’s literature. But I had to keep going back trying to work out who people like Slinkveal and Lodur were. At one point I was trying to work out who Limbhewer was only to realise it was a nickname of one of the dwarves, Durathror. At least I think he was a dwarf. At one point I thought he was an elf but then I decided he must be a dwarf after all. I really liked Susan, nice to have an adventure book where the girl is the strong one.
The place names are amazing even if they added to my confusion. It made me want to explore Cheshire, but definitely not go in any caves. I’m not claustrophobic, but I think if you were, this is not the book for you.
This well-loved copy was lent to me by a colleague. I do really wish I’d read it as a child.
The place names are amazing even if they added to my confusion. It made me want to explore Cheshire, but definitely not go in any caves. I’m not claustrophobic, but I think if you were, this is not the book for you.
This well-loved copy was lent to me by a colleague. I do really wish I’d read it as a child.
bridget_r's review against another edition
4.0
Why have I never read this before?! What a captivating adventure. The description of the voyage underground was so well written, I felt pained and claustrophobic reading it. Delicious.
lyndiane's review against another edition
5.0
I accidentally discovered this author on Goodreads recently, and was fortunate to track down several copies of this novels.
This novel, and the sequel, are lyrical masterpieces, written in the style of ancient legends, with a flavour of "Lord of the Rings" and the Narnia series. Although written for children, the stories are timeless in their appeal and I found myself unable to stop turning the pages, and completed both stories in less than 24 hours.
I honestly believe that these two books would make excellent setwork material for school reading.
This novel, and the sequel, are lyrical masterpieces, written in the style of ancient legends, with a flavour of "Lord of the Rings" and the Narnia series. Although written for children, the stories are timeless in their appeal and I found myself unable to stop turning the pages, and completed both stories in less than 24 hours.
I honestly believe that these two books would make excellent setwork material for school reading.
nobodyatall's review against another edition
4.0
Alan Garner (along with Roald Dahl) was the first author I remember being really enthusiastic about when I was a child. And I am still enthusiastic, this is a brilliant book (i'm being stingy with my 5 stars though). Alan Garner introduced me to a whole world of magic and myth. I really enjoyed reading this again, it is a bit dated, but it doesn't suffer for it.
There is a passage in this book when the group are travelling through some mines which has stayed with me as the most disturbing thing I have ever read and has fueled many nightmares. Re-reading it again, it is still as disturbing as ever (though my wife just said 'meh' and doesn't understand, so it's probably me).
Please excuse the waffle, this review is mostly for me to jog my memory in future.
There is a passage in this book when the group are travelling through some mines which has stayed with me as the most disturbing thing I have ever read and has fueled many nightmares. Re-reading it again, it is still as disturbing as ever (though my wife just said 'meh' and doesn't understand, so it's probably me).
Please excuse the waffle, this review is mostly for me to jog my memory in future.