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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
I read this several times around the age of 10, and never managed to finish it, perhaps because as a child I didn't appreciate literature in the same way I do today. However, I still loved books as a child, especially those akin to a fairytale, and therefore my numerous attempts to finish it must have meant it wasn't the book for me, as I always grew bored. however, I would be open to trying to read it again now I am older, and more appreciative of what makes a good novel.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
relaxing
When I was last at my parents I once again had a look through the books that I had left there to try and pick some more to bring back with me. This is one of the ones I picked - I remembered it being a quick sweet read which is very much what I wanted (as I am still slowly working my way through a very heavy going book on the Zulu nation!).
This must have been the fourth or fifth time I read this book and although it was a sweet story it doesn't quite have that same magic when I first read it. Granted I am no longer the target audience for this, but it is a story I would want children to read.
Maria is a likeable heroine, she has her faults but they feel like real faults rather than things that are just 'lumped' into the book to make her realistic. Their are some morals here for younger people - not to be vain and not to be too curious. Not sure I like the way the second one is portrayed - "excessive female curiosity" - I know this book was first written in the 40s but... I just don't like that tiny section.
The secondary characters aren't particularly well rounded in my opinion, they seem to be written to fill the necessary voids and that is it - no real depth there though there are hints they could be made 'bigger'. Granted that might not have served the story so well so... eh.
The story is a very simple one, as a younger reader I did find myself wondering how it would work out, but I think for older children they would quickly recognise it as a good always triumphs story. Still, I enjoyed reading this for many years and I am sure others would as well. There are very very mild fantasy type elements here but it isn't what I would class as being a fantasy story.
This must have been the fourth or fifth time I read this book and although it was a sweet story it doesn't quite have that same magic when I first read it. Granted I am no longer the target audience for this, but it is a story I would want children to read.
Maria is a likeable heroine, she has her faults but they feel like real faults rather than things that are just 'lumped' into the book to make her realistic. Their are some morals here for younger people - not to be vain and not to be too curious. Not sure I like the way the second one is portrayed - "excessive female curiosity" - I know this book was first written in the 40s but... I just don't like that tiny section.
The secondary characters aren't particularly well rounded in my opinion, they seem to be written to fill the necessary voids and that is it - no real depth there though there are hints they could be made 'bigger'. Granted that might not have served the story so well so... eh.
The story is a very simple one, as a younger reader I did find myself wondering how it would work out, but I think for older children they would quickly recognise it as a good always triumphs story. Still, I enjoyed reading this for many years and I am sure others would as well. There are very very mild fantasy type elements here but it isn't what I would class as being a fantasy story.
The reading by Miriam Margoles the best thing about this book.
{Bear in mind, I listened to an abridged audiobook because that's the only version available}
I think I need to accept that I don't vibe with 1940s/1950s children's fantasy. The writing style is just not engaging to me and, similar to Narnia, this book seems like half of it was just religious propoganda. I'm religious myself so I have no problem with religion, but I didn't appreciate having religion shoved down my throat several times. On top of that, women weren't treated brilliantly in this book. Maria and Loveday were punished for speaking their minds and part of Maria's destiny was to marry beneath her, because apparently that would humble her, which just seemed unnecessary. Like you're telling me that marriage is the only way to humble someone, especially as she seemed pretty humble to start with. Then there's the relationships. Robin and Maria were boring. I preferred the movie relationship, where Robin was a deNoir and he had his own character arc that resulted in him being friends with Maria, to the book relationship which had Robin just be great from the beginning and they're in love from the beginning. There was no development and then they got married at like 14. Also I think they were related because Loveday and Benjamin were cousins and Robin is Loveday's son. At least Robin and Maria are more distantly related than Loveday and Benjamin. Speaking of those two, they broke up because Loveday liked flowers Benjamin's mother didn't and he got annoyed at her because of that and chucked a plant pot at her but apparently it's her fault their relationship ended because she argued back?? That's sexism at its finest. Then there's the fact that, correct me if I'm wrong, all the deNoirs are POCs, because the guy they're all descended from was described as dark skinned? So there's some casual racism too, even though at least they're not perceived as evil at the end. Yes, all of these complaints are about things that can be considered as signs of the times this book was written in. But I raise you Anne of Green gables, written before this book, which had great treatment of women and relationships (I'm not sure about the racism though, I'd have to reread it). I think I'm going to stop reading children's fantasy from this time after I finish the Voyage of the Dawn treader.
I think I need to accept that I don't vibe with 1940s/1950s children's fantasy. The writing style is just not engaging to me and, similar to Narnia, this book seems like half of it was just religious propoganda. I'm religious myself so I have no problem with religion, but I didn't appreciate having religion shoved down my throat several times. On top of that, women weren't treated brilliantly in this book. Maria and Loveday were punished for speaking their minds and part of Maria's destiny was to marry beneath her, because apparently that would humble her, which just seemed unnecessary. Like you're telling me that marriage is the only way to humble someone, especially as she seemed pretty humble to start with. Then there's the relationships. Robin and Maria were boring. I preferred the movie relationship, where Robin was a deNoir and he had his own character arc that resulted in him being friends with Maria, to the book relationship which had Robin just be great from the beginning and they're in love from the beginning. There was no development and then they got married at like 14. Also I think they were related because Loveday and Benjamin were cousins and Robin is Loveday's son. At least Robin and Maria are more distantly related than Loveday and Benjamin. Speaking of those two, they broke up because Loveday liked flowers Benjamin's mother didn't and he got annoyed at her because of that and chucked a plant pot at her but apparently it's her fault their relationship ended because she argued back?? That's sexism at its finest. Then there's the fact that, correct me if I'm wrong, all the deNoirs are POCs, because the guy they're all descended from was described as dark skinned? So there's some casual racism too, even though at least they're not perceived as evil at the end. Yes, all of these complaints are about things that can be considered as signs of the times this book was written in. But I raise you Anne of Green gables, written before this book, which had great treatment of women and relationships (I'm not sure about the racism though, I'd have to reread it). I think I'm going to stop reading children's fantasy from this time after I finish the Voyage of the Dawn treader.
Pastoral and fairy tale-like! Glad I finally got to it.
For the first, I actually like the film more than the book who base off.
I think it's cause for it was too slow and the dialogue between the character was not too realistic. It was all the same
Maria saw Robin (her imaginary friend) and she also sees him in front of her face. He's real. Yeah I get it.
Maria come to Moonacre
She discovers she is the lost moon princess and it really shows in so many waves she is the princess. How the animals always are calm when she arrived at the wood and how the housekeeps treat her.
It was not the best book I read in 2020, but I like the atmosphere, and it the only wave I gove it 2 stars.
I think it's cause for it was too slow and the dialogue between the character was not too realistic. It was all the same
Maria saw Robin (her imaginary friend) and she also sees him in front of her face. He's real. Yeah I get it.
Maria come to Moonacre
She discovers she is the lost moon princess and it really shows in so many waves she is the princess. How the animals always are calm when she arrived at the wood and how the housekeeps treat her.
It was not the best book I read in 2020, but I like the atmosphere, and it the only wave I gove it 2 stars.
There is some rather unfortunate misogyny one must overlook to enjoy this otherwise enchanting story.
The book is still a children's book ofcourse, but I liked it anyhow though the language is pretty simple. But my native language isn't English so this wasn't all that much of a problem for me.