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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
Similar to a Harry Potter read. Good for the younger fans of Potter.
Intriguing but not as heartfelt as Harry Potter. Definitely quirkier bit not as interesting.
I honestly can only remember bits and pieces of these books but I'm so excited to be rereading these books again.
I have been encouraging my 10 year old to read this book since someone told me it was like Harry Potter, and she loves Harry Potter. She was dragging her feet, so I decided to read it first.
It's similar to Harry Potter in that there is a boy and he has a magical ability and end up at a boarding school. That's really about it, though. The magic is different and so is the school. The book is also written at a lower reading level than Harry Potter. I think a kid who has read all of HP might find this a little childish, but it is about the right level for 8-10 maybe?
The story itself was interesting and I was able to move past the younger level writing in order to find out what happened next. Things are a bit obvious and just laid out there for the reader, as they usually are in this level of reading, but the plot was solid enough. I'm not sure I'll read the second book unless my kid finally decides to give this one a go.
It's similar to Harry Potter in that there is a boy and he has a magical ability and end up at a boarding school. That's really about it, though. The magic is different and so is the school. The book is also written at a lower reading level than Harry Potter. I think a kid who has read all of HP might find this a little childish, but it is about the right level for 8-10 maybe?
The story itself was interesting and I was able to move past the younger level writing in order to find out what happened next. Things are a bit obvious and just laid out there for the reader, as they usually are in this level of reading, but the plot was solid enough. I'm not sure I'll read the second book unless my kid finally decides to give this one a go.
A cute in between when I was waiting for harry Potter books but I wouldn't really go back to reread them.
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I don't usually review the books that I read because I usually like whatever I read. However, I thought I would make some comments about this book. I did enjoy this book, but, if you go into reading this book thinking that it is the next Harry Potter, you are going to be disappointed. A good book, yes, but not Harry Potter. First of all, it is written for a younger audience than Harry Potter. The book starts out pretty slow, but once Charlie gets to school at Bloor's Academy, it really picks up. There are many things in this book similar to the story line of Harry Potter, but this is it's own book. As I said before, written for younger kids so the details and characters are not as rich as Potter books. One chapter, The Battle of the Endowed, stands out in my head as it could have been much better written. But on the whole, I enjoyed this book and think that the target audience (Mid-upper elementary school?) will like it too. I will read the other books in this series and my kids will too!
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A good quick, fun read.
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent
I loved this book! The characters were interesting and the plot kept moving. I also loved the audiobook because the narrator made different voices for the characters to distinguish who was speaking. The only thing I’d change is that sometimes the narrator spoke so low I could barely hear him even with the volume turned up. I’m excited to see if Charlie finds his dad and if I’m right about Mr. Pilgrim being his dad. I haven’t read this series in years and am glad I decided to re-read it.