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taneilcasey's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this book. The children learn to get along and work with one another, which is something that I need to learn to do, they use big words, which I love, and it has pirates, and mermaids, and adventure!
amyinthewind's review against another edition
5.0
This was a fun, fascinating time-travel story! There was just enough danger to make it interesting, not too much to make it scary or upsetting for the young reader.
The three Oakenfeld children visit their uncle at Drift House in Canada after their life in New York is disrupted by the destruction of the World Trade Center towers. Not long after their arrival, they are swept out on the Sea of Time with their uncle, where they are in peril of being pulled into the Great Drain. Through a series of adventures with the mermaids, the Time Pirates, the Island of the Past, and an older version of one of the children, they save "Time" before returning home.
The three Oakenfeld children visit their uncle at Drift House in Canada after their life in New York is disrupted by the destruction of the World Trade Center towers. Not long after their arrival, they are swept out on the Sea of Time with their uncle, where they are in peril of being pulled into the Great Drain. Through a series of adventures with the mermaids, the Time Pirates, the Island of the Past, and an older version of one of the children, they save "Time" before returning home.
ineffablebooks's review against another edition
3.0
not the way i expected it to end - which is a good thing - not really a YA book, although i dont think some younger kids would understand particular words/references.
cute book - an easy read that takes you away from reality
cute book - an easy read that takes you away from reality
mcipher's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this - it started off feeling slightly derivitave of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and did continue to use elements of other fantasy novels, but the characters were interesting (I wish there was more Murray, though, he was my favorite of the children) and the whole theme of time was fascinating. There were a couple places where I felt it could've been a little less heavy-handed with the "life lesson" stuff (lectures from adults about x, y, and z) but all in all I think it was a really great read.
I listened to it on tape, because I'm a children's book loving dork, but I plan to read it to my son sometime soon, as well.
I listened to it on tape, because I'm a children's book loving dork, but I plan to read it to my son sometime soon, as well.
kashvm's review against another edition
2.0
I've been meaning to read this for the longest time because the cover and the concept reminded me a lot of Fablehaven by Brandon Mull - a couple of children are sent to live with an eccentric family member whom they don't know, but whose property (house / boat) ends up being related to magic / magical creatures.
Unfortunately, while I'm still glad I read this, I didn't love it as much as I hoped I would. My main issue with the novel came from the fact that the children's Uncle didn't play any role, really, in the adventure. He supposedly knows little-to-nothing about the boat he inherited, and while I understand that this fascilitates a way for the children to be thr driving force in the narrative, it made his character feel almost unnecessary. I would have much rather preferred if he'd actively been teaching the children about the boat and it's history, and then he gets put in danger and it's up to them to rescue him and fix things with their newfound knowledge and training.
Instead, most of the elderly wisdom and guidance that Susan and Charles get provided come from their youngest brother Murray, who gets himself into a reincarnation time paradox and uses his "travelling back to the past to stop horrible things from ending" powers where convenient to keep the plot moving. The trouble with having such a young character become the source of wisdom and experience due to time-travel is that as a result, we never get a sense of who Murray actually is as a person. Of course, he's like, 5, so he still has time to develop a stronger personality, but while we know things about Susan and Charles from the way they bicker over language and interests, we know virtually nothing about Murray, which meant that I found it hard to connect to anything he did or told us.
There were other aspects of the book that I enjoyed:
1) President Wilson the sarcastic, intelligent parrot
2) The depicition of mermaids as evil and kinda gross
3) The reapperance of Pierre Moran
but there were also a number of things I found problematic:
1) the repeated slave jokes (none of which were funny)
2) Mario / Murrary's future self appearing on a flying carpet in a turban - I get the flying carpet, fine, it's magic, but was the turban really necessary? it felt a bit culturally inappropriate.
and some things I just found annoying:
1) The other characters constantly referenced how unique and special Susan and Charles were, but they seemed like pretty ordinary children
2) The children's uncle not being able to remember the name of the dumbwaiter ultimately being a red herring and not relevant to the story?
3) I was listening to the audiobook, and the amount of times these children say one another's names - if I have to listen to Charles and Murray call out to each other one more time... ("Charles! Charles! / Murray! Murray! / Charles!")
Overall, I'm still glad I read it but I think it just wasn't for me.
Unfortunately, while I'm still glad I read this, I didn't love it as much as I hoped I would. My main issue with the novel came from the fact that the children's Uncle didn't play any role, really, in the adventure. He supposedly knows little-to-nothing about the boat he inherited, and while I understand that this fascilitates a way for the children to be thr driving force in the narrative, it made his character feel almost unnecessary. I would have much rather preferred if he'd actively been teaching the children about the boat and it's history, and then he gets put in danger and it's up to them to rescue him and fix things with their newfound knowledge and training.
Instead, most of the elderly wisdom and guidance that Susan and Charles get provided come from their youngest brother Murray, who gets himself into a reincarnation time paradox and uses his "travelling back to the past to stop horrible things from ending" powers where convenient to keep the plot moving. The trouble with having such a young character become the source of wisdom and experience due to time-travel is that as a result, we never get a sense of who Murray actually is as a person. Of course, he's like, 5, so he still has time to develop a stronger personality, but while we know things about Susan and Charles from the way they bicker over language and interests, we know virtually nothing about Murray, which meant that I found it hard to connect to anything he did or told us.
There were other aspects of the book that I enjoyed:
1) President Wilson the sarcastic, intelligent parrot
2) The depicition of mermaids as evil and kinda gross
3) The reapperance of Pierre Moran
but there were also a number of things I found problematic:
1) the repeated slave jokes (none of which were funny)
2) Mario / Murrary's future self appearing on a flying carpet in a turban - I get the flying carpet, fine, it's magic, but was the turban really necessary? it felt a bit culturally inappropriate.
and some things I just found annoying:
1) The other characters constantly referenced how unique and special Susan and Charles were, but they seemed like pretty ordinary children
2) The children's uncle not being able to remember the name of the dumbwaiter ultimately being a red herring and not relevant to the story?
3) I was listening to the audiobook, and the amount of times these children say one another's names - if I have to listen to Charles and Murray call out to each other one more time... ("Charles! Charles! / Murray! Murray! / Charles!")
Overall, I'm still glad I read it but I think it just wasn't for me.
measishouldbebooks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This is a book I read when I was in my early teens. I loved it so much that first time and spent years trying to find it again. I’m so glad I was able to read it again. There was so much adventure and a couple of twists. I will definitely be reading the sequel (which I didn’t know about until recently). It is middle-grade, so it’s got quite a simple plot and an easy to understand writing style. I think it stands the test of time. I really enjoyed it.
CW: This book does start off by mentioning the 9/11 disaster.
CW: This book does start off by mentioning the 9/11 disaster.
pussreboots's review against another edition
4.0
The reviews I've read of Drift House by Dale Peck either ignore the World Trade Center destruction or gloss it over. Regardless, it is the grim starting point of the book and the loss of life is one of the dominant themes of the book. It is also a pirate tale full of derring-do and time travel.
The book begins with Susan and her brothers, Charles and Murray, being driven to Canada from their home in Manhattan. Their mother wants them out of the city until she feels it is safe again for them to return. Although they never speak of the attacks in a direct manner, Susan, as the oldest, is well aware of what has happened. Their flight north, much like the evacuation of the children in WWII at the start of The Magic Bed Knob by Mary Norton, leaves the oldest children with a good sense of how much danger the remaining parents may very well be in.
Susan reminds me a lot of Wendy Darling in that she both wants adventure but also wants to protect her younger brothers. Where Wendy is brought on board to be the mother of Captain Hook's pirates, Susan, briefly gets to captain her own ship. She also has to save her brothers and uncle from some treacherous mermaids.
Susan is the brave sibling. Charles is the clever one. But Murray is extraordinary. He starts as just another annoying youngest sibbling but goes on to have the most amazing and sometimes heartbreaking growth as a character.
I listened to the audio version of the book, performed by Richard Poe. He brings the characters to life and there were times I had to pause the book when I was getting too emotionally caught up in the story.
The book begins with Susan and her brothers, Charles and Murray, being driven to Canada from their home in Manhattan. Their mother wants them out of the city until she feels it is safe again for them to return. Although they never speak of the attacks in a direct manner, Susan, as the oldest, is well aware of what has happened. Their flight north, much like the evacuation of the children in WWII at the start of The Magic Bed Knob by Mary Norton, leaves the oldest children with a good sense of how much danger the remaining parents may very well be in.
Susan reminds me a lot of Wendy Darling in that she both wants adventure but also wants to protect her younger brothers. Where Wendy is brought on board to be the mother of Captain Hook's pirates, Susan, briefly gets to captain her own ship. She also has to save her brothers and uncle from some treacherous mermaids.
Susan is the brave sibling. Charles is the clever one. But Murray is extraordinary. He starts as just another annoying youngest sibbling but goes on to have the most amazing and sometimes heartbreaking growth as a character.
I listened to the audio version of the book, performed by Richard Poe. He brings the characters to life and there were times I had to pause the book when I was getting too emotionally caught up in the story.
mcipher's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this - it started off feeling slightly derivitave of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and did continue to use elements of other fantasy novels, but the characters were interesting (I wish there was more Murray, though, he was my favorite of the children) and the whole theme of time was fascinating. There were a couple places where I felt it could've been a little less heavy-handed with the "life lesson" stuff (lectures from adults about x, y, and z) but all in all I think it was a really great read.
I listened to it on tape, because I'm a children's book loving dork, but I plan to read it to my son sometime soon, as well.
I listened to it on tape, because I'm a children's book loving dork, but I plan to read it to my son sometime soon, as well.