Reviews

The Sky Beneath the Stone by Alex Mullarky

neethunair's review

adventurous emotional hopeful fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

yossy_cookie's review

adventurous lighthearted mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

I feel like I missed something, because this book has very high reviews! I haven't read a huge amount of middle grade and did keep reminding myself as I read this that it is a middle grade aimed at 8-12 year olds (I don't know how many 8 year olds would know what "tup" means though).  

I thought it was an OK low fantasy story. Personally, I didn't really feel hugely invested in the characters. I think that this would probably be a nice introduction into the fantasy genre.

pekalla's review

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I loved this book so much - would recommend for adults and children alike. A gripping and original plot, and I found it a moving and uplifting read. I really enjoyed the way the main character's experience of anxiety was explored, as well as the incidental lgbtq+ representation. 

lifeinthebooklane's review

4.0

This is the first time I've read a "middle grade" (or upper primary) book for my pleasure as an adult. That leaves me somewhat at sea in terms of rating the story as I can't help but compare it to books written for adults, with adult protagonists.


I really did enjoy this, particularly the rich cast of characters, the weaving of folk tales into the narrative and how the setting was used to enrich the story. It's a beautiful tale of overcoming fear, set in a lush and finely crafted parallel Cumbria. Populated by fairies, Underfell's residents are much more akin to the Fae than they are to Tinkerbell.


There are obstacles, challenges, riddles and more to be completed, a kestrel and a long-lost brother needing to be found. The journey Ivy takes to solve these problems also becomes her journey back to herself. This has left me wanting to read more books aimed at this age group.

zoe_d_marriott's review

5.0

The Sky Beneath the Stone is a beautifully written, fast-paced (but substantial!) fantasy adventure for children aged 8-12. Confidently and playfully written - especially for a debut - and touching commendably sensitively on themes of children's mental illness, as well as offering nuanced portrayals of diverse characters, the book is alive with lush descriptions of the natural world, well-realised relationships between characters, and intricately woven folkloric elements. But this novel's beating heart is a deep love for family and longing for home, manifested in the protagonist, Ivy, who both longs for and fears adventure under the wide blue sky. Will be perfect for readers who've enjoyed classics like The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper, but will also appeal to readers of more recent children's maintstays like The House with Chicken Legs by Sophie Anderson or The Land of Roar by Jenny McLachlan.

psycho90's review

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

4.5

10lewis2011's review

emotional mysterious medium-paced

4.0

literizzie's review

adventurous emotional funny inspiring mysterious medium-paced

5.0

charlottesomewhere's review

adventurous emotional mysterious

I loved this! The best kind of middle grade, packed with magic, great characters and a brilliant adventure. I really loved the Cumbrian setting and seeing so many places I recognised in there. 

w88mul's review

adventurous emotional funny informative inspiring mysterious medium-paced

5.0

This is a beautifully written novel perfect for 8 to 12 year olds but also very enjoyable for adults too.
It has a gripping story line but has other layers to it. Based on the landscape of Cumbria you can track lvys progress on a real map and explore the actual countryside. It's full of folklore and legends. A great read.