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roseleaf24's review
4.0
This was a unique time period for historical fiction for me. It is set in 1170, so King Arthur is already long ago history, but the legends of the Holy Grail factor heavily in this story. I enjoyed the adventure and the character development. I'm not 100% convinced that the supernatural elements of the story were internally consistent and not just a deus ex machina, but I can let it go.
divinebruyere's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
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? No
4.5
teaandbooklover's review
5.0
We are studying the middle ages this year and this is one of the books of required reading in the program.
Never boring and intensely exciting, the book itself is a treasure!
Full of adventure and mystery this book will keep you hooked. It's an easy read because you don't want to put it down.
Wonderful!
Never boring and intensely exciting, the book itself is a treasure!
Full of adventure and mystery this book will keep you hooked. It's an easy read because you don't want to put it down.
Wonderful!
abigators's review
4.0
This was read aloud to me when I was young. I remember being enthralled by the mystery and excitement of the book. While it may seem very old fashioned to some readers, I found that only to add to the book's charm. Read this with an open mind, and allow it to transport you back in time to Medieval times.
tealmango's review
3.0
Read the full review here: http://newberyandbeyond.com/mini-newbery-reviews/
I found this book interesting once I got into it, but it was pretty slow paced at the beginning. In the year 1171, Hugh is left at a monastery when his father has to flee England. Hugh and his new friend Dickon discover some forgotten treasures and think they might be on the path to one of the greatest treasures of all time–the Holy Grail.
Good story, but only for those kids who have the patience to work through the slower-paced writing of many years ago.
I found this book interesting once I got into it, but it was pretty slow paced at the beginning. In the year 1171, Hugh is left at a monastery when his father has to flee England. Hugh and his new friend Dickon discover some forgotten treasures and think they might be on the path to one of the greatest treasures of all time–the Holy Grail.
Good story, but only for those kids who have the patience to work through the slower-paced writing of many years ago.
elevetha's review
2.0
2 1\2 stars. I read it for school and was pretty dang bored. Characters were bland. It never held my interest. Historical fiction.
triscuit807's review against another edition
3.0
3 stars. I was going to give it 2 stars but my problem was with pacing; it just didn't move quickly enough and that kind of pacing was common with books of the era, so it gets 3. The story was good: Hugh, 'crippled' son of one of the knights involved in the murder of Thomas a Beckett, is left at the monastery of Glaston when his father flees England. He meets another boy (ages probably early teens), Dickon, and together they find the treasures of King Arthur - but don't tell the monks (this drove me nuts)! There's also a 'crazy' hermit, mysterious passages, and various mystical adventures. I'm a huge fan of the Brother Cadfael mysteries which are set about 25 years earlier in the 12th c. and had high hopes of this. I read this for my 2019 Reading Challenge and my Newbery Challenge (Honor Book 1947)
rlangemann's review against another edition
3.0
Set in Glastonbury, England in 1171. A story of life in a monastery complex in the middle ages--we follow Hugh, the book-loving boy left at the monastery by his father, and Dickon, an oblate, as they sort out mysteries in the natural and spiritual worlds. I'm guessing it's fully period, but there's a lot of Catholic superstition--visions, miracles and such are very important to the people, and do seem to happen. Interesting picture of an interesting time period.
scaifea's review against another edition
3.0
Hugh is taken by his father (who is fleeing England on charges of treason) to live with the monks at the Abbey at Glastonbury. He finds a happy home there among the scribes and scholars, and makes friends with another young resident and an old, crazy hermit. Between the three of them, they stumble into a search for the Holy Grail, which they believe to be hidden on the monastery grounds.
A solid entry in the Newbery Honor Book ranks, with interesting characters and a fair mystery.
A solid entry in the Newbery Honor Book ranks, with interesting characters and a fair mystery.
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