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raechsreads's review against another edition
4.0
An amazing story of how the magical world of Irish lore bleeds into our world. Along with a family mystery that may have been better left unsolved.
roshk99's review against another edition
2.0
Nothing too special, Thompson gets the job done, but doesn't make it an enthralling read
woolyj's review against another edition
5.0
I liked this book. It was a little different from what I normally read. Basically its about a boy JJ liddy who lives in Galway and he ends up in Tir Na Nog and has a bit of an adventure. If you are into folk lore and fairies and things like that I think you would enjoy it.
missprint_'s review against another edition
5.0
J.J. Liddy, the main character of Kate Thompson’s novel The New Policeman, has a problem: there never seems to be enough time in the day. In fact, there seems to be decidedly less time. With barely enough hours in the day for school and his music, J.J. has no time left over to contemplate the shocking revelation that his grandfather may have been a murderer. To make matters worse, this time problem seems to affect everyone in Kinvara.
When J.J.’s mother reveals that she wants more time for her birthday, J.J. decides to go and find some. A task, at first, that seems like an impossible undertaking for a fifteen-year-old. That is until a neighbor shows J.J. an unlikely place to look for everyone’s lost time.
Even though he doesn’t believe in fairies, J.J. finds himself in Tir na n’Og, the land of eternal youth, and the home of Irish fairies. So begins J.J.’s search of Tir na n’Og to figure out where the time has gone and, more importantly, how to get it back. Along the way J.J. meets a variety of memorable characters including Aengus Og (a personal favorite after finishing the novel).
The narration shifts throughout the book alternating between J.J. in his search for the county’s lost time and the wanderings of the new policeman in Kinvara, Garda Larry O’Dwyer. Like J.J. (and most of Kinvara it seems), the new policeman has a love for music. The new policeman is also almost certain he used to have a good reason for becoming a policeman—if only he could remember what it was.
Thompson expertly entwines these two seemingly disconnected narratives throughout the novel. The common thread between them remains the music that literally runs through the novel. Chapter breaks are denoted by sheet music for traditional Irish songs whose titles relate to the story in addition to the strong affinity all of the characters have for music. By the end of the novel, Thompson ties together both stories creating a sensational end to a truly enjoyable book.
At the same time, The New Policeman is irresistibly Irish, as if you can hear an Irish accent in the narration (or hear a jig or two in the background). The book’s “Irish-ness” is enhanced by Thompson’s integration of Irish mythology and folklore; a glossary in the back explains the pronunciation and origin of especially Irish words like ceili (a dance) or craic (fun).
Thompson’s novel has already received a variety of critical acclaim on the other side of the Atlantic. In addition it is the winner of the Whitbread Children’s Book Award and the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize. Even better, though, is the fact that this book is a great choice for readers of any age. Thompson takes her time arriving at the crux of the plot, but the richness or her writing more than makes up for that. A good book is one that can transport the reader to the place within its pages: The New Policeman does that and more.
Originally published in Great Britain in 2005, this is the first year that The New Policeman was published in the United States. All this reviewer can say to that is it’s better late than never.
You can find this review and more on my blog Miss Print
When J.J.’s mother reveals that she wants more time for her birthday, J.J. decides to go and find some. A task, at first, that seems like an impossible undertaking for a fifteen-year-old. That is until a neighbor shows J.J. an unlikely place to look for everyone’s lost time.
Even though he doesn’t believe in fairies, J.J. finds himself in Tir na n’Og, the land of eternal youth, and the home of Irish fairies. So begins J.J.’s search of Tir na n’Og to figure out where the time has gone and, more importantly, how to get it back. Along the way J.J. meets a variety of memorable characters including Aengus Og (a personal favorite after finishing the novel).
The narration shifts throughout the book alternating between J.J. in his search for the county’s lost time and the wanderings of the new policeman in Kinvara, Garda Larry O’Dwyer. Like J.J. (and most of Kinvara it seems), the new policeman has a love for music. The new policeman is also almost certain he used to have a good reason for becoming a policeman—if only he could remember what it was.
Thompson expertly entwines these two seemingly disconnected narratives throughout the novel. The common thread between them remains the music that literally runs through the novel. Chapter breaks are denoted by sheet music for traditional Irish songs whose titles relate to the story in addition to the strong affinity all of the characters have for music. By the end of the novel, Thompson ties together both stories creating a sensational end to a truly enjoyable book.
At the same time, The New Policeman is irresistibly Irish, as if you can hear an Irish accent in the narration (or hear a jig or two in the background). The book’s “Irish-ness” is enhanced by Thompson’s integration of Irish mythology and folklore; a glossary in the back explains the pronunciation and origin of especially Irish words like ceili (a dance) or craic (fun).
Thompson’s novel has already received a variety of critical acclaim on the other side of the Atlantic. In addition it is the winner of the Whitbread Children’s Book Award and the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize. Even better, though, is the fact that this book is a great choice for readers of any age. Thompson takes her time arriving at the crux of the plot, but the richness or her writing more than makes up for that. A good book is one that can transport the reader to the place within its pages: The New Policeman does that and more.
Originally published in Great Britain in 2005, this is the first year that The New Policeman was published in the United States. All this reviewer can say to that is it’s better late than never.
You can find this review and more on my blog Miss Print
emilyrose72's review against another edition
3.0
I think the title is crappy but I liked the book. This story blends Irish folktales and culture in a fantasy novel that's not too out there and complex to understand so that most young adults would probably enjoy reading this book. It's about J.J., a young teenager talented at playing the violin, who discovers his family secrets and finds a new world in his quest to stop time from speeding up. I think this is a great book for middle grade students, the main character is younger and relatable to that age group.
arnold397's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
mysterious
slow-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
1.0
neff__'s review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
bonitalalax217's review against another edition
3.0
i don't know why but i think about this book randomly throughout the years it's never left my memory since reading it in 2014/15 it was very confusing probably given my comprehension skills at that age but some of it was a little odd I might re-read
amandabock's review against another edition
4.0
When will publishers learn to put a CD in a book??? I am going to find a fiddle player, record the reels and jigs, and put copies in all the books I can find. So there.
I liked this book a lot more after I finished it. The sum of the parts is much greater than the parts themselves. It's a little slow, but good.
It also captures the joy of playing music as well as any other book. My other favorite for that is [book: The Maestro] by [author: Tim Wynne-Jones].
I liked this book a lot more after I finished it. The sum of the parts is much greater than the parts themselves. It's a little slow, but good.
It also captures the joy of playing music as well as any other book. My other favorite for that is [book: The Maestro] by [author: Tim Wynne-Jones].
jenlikesbigbooks_'s review against another edition
4.0
REQUIRED READING
This novel is about two worlds taking place at the same time. J.J. Liddy and everyone in their town felt like there was less and less time everyday. When his mother asks him for more time for her birthday, he sets off on an adventure, following old folk tales, to find her some more time. He stumbles into another world where time stands still, but now the time is moving very slowly, which is hurting the people. J.J. finds out that there is a time leak between the two worlds and he needs to find a way to stop it. But the longer he stays there, the harder it is for him to remember why he was there. After some help from people in that world, he is able to find the leak and stop it, returning back to his own world finally.
This novel was very interesting and kept me hooked most of the time. It was very interesting how the author connected these two worlds by the Folk Tales and reality, mixing the two worlds to create a great story. Between the pages were music notes, which I wish I knew how to read music because I'm sure they were important to the novel.
This novel is about two worlds taking place at the same time. J.J. Liddy and everyone in their town felt like there was less and less time everyday. When his mother asks him for more time for her birthday, he sets off on an adventure, following old folk tales, to find her some more time. He stumbles into another world where time stands still, but now the time is moving very slowly, which is hurting the people. J.J. finds out that there is a time leak between the two worlds and he needs to find a way to stop it. But the longer he stays there, the harder it is for him to remember why he was there. After some help from people in that world, he is able to find the leak and stop it, returning back to his own world finally.
This novel was very interesting and kept me hooked most of the time. It was very interesting how the author connected these two worlds by the Folk Tales and reality, mixing the two worlds to create a great story. Between the pages were music notes, which I wish I knew how to read music because I'm sure they were important to the novel.