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3.5 AVERAGE
3.5 AVERAGE
slow-paced
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Oxford, giorni nostri.
La storia inizia in una biblioteca di Oxford, dove Blake, quasi per caso, trova uno strano libro. Nascosto in mezzo a molti altri tomi, questo libri colpisce la curiosità del ragazzo che scopre essere completamente bianco! Non una sola parola stampata o scritta sopra. Blake rimette lo strano tomo nello scaffale, come si può leggere un libro bianco?
Magonza, 1452.
Endymion Spring è l'assistente di Gutenberg, il celeberrimo inventore della stampa. Un a fredda notte d'inverno, nella loro bottega arriva Johann Fust con un suo assistente Peter, portando con se un grande e pesante baule.
Endymion si incuriosisce fin da subito a quel baule, ma Fust gli vieta categoricamente anche solo di toccarlo.
Che mistero nasconde il baule?
Oxford, giorni nostri.
Blake è nella biblioteca, aspettando che sua madre finisca di lavorare. Per ammazzare il tempo, passeggia tra gli scaffali, osservando i libri. Tutti volumi antichi e rari, che a lui interessavano poco. A parte il gatto della biblioteca, Mefistofele, era solo.
Poi, improvvisamente, un libro cadde. Nel prenderlo in mano, Blake fu pervaso da uno strano senso di ansia.
L'unica cosa che riusciva a leggere era un nome, “Endymion Springs”. Il titolo era troppo sbiadito per esser letto.
E nell'aprirlo, si rese conto che le pagine erano completamente bianche.
Ma Blake scopre che il libro è magico! In una pagina completamente bianca, appare dal nulla una filastrocca in rima, che però ne lui ne sua sorella Papera riescono a decifrarne il significato.
Cosa nasconde il libro trovato da Blake?
Chi è Endymion Spring?
Cosa nasconde quel baule tanto prezioso per Faust?
Pareri:
Ho preso questo libro senza quasi leggere la trama o altro. Il titolo “Il libro del Drago” mi aveva davvero molto incuriosita. E sebbene non io l'abbia scritto nella trama, il titolo dell'edizione italiana non è stato scelto a caso. (probabilmente non mi avrebbe incuriosito così tanto se fosse stato mantenuto il titolo originale)
La storia passa da Oxfond a Magonza e poi di nuovo a Oxford, raccontando due storie diverse ma insolubilmente legate, raccontando la storia di Blake alle prese con lo strano libro, il suo rapporto con la famiglia. Ma anche la storia di Endymion e Peter a Magonza, che cercando di svelare i misteri che quello strano baule porta con se.
Lo stile l'ho trovato molto scorrevole e per nulla pesante, che rende la storia molto coinvolgente e interessante.
Sono arrivata alla fine del libro che ho pensato “è già finito?!”
Voto finale: 8/10
La storia inizia in una biblioteca di Oxford, dove Blake, quasi per caso, trova uno strano libro. Nascosto in mezzo a molti altri tomi, questo libri colpisce la curiosità del ragazzo che scopre essere completamente bianco! Non una sola parola stampata o scritta sopra. Blake rimette lo strano tomo nello scaffale, come si può leggere un libro bianco?
Magonza, 1452.
Endymion Spring è l'assistente di Gutenberg, il celeberrimo inventore della stampa. Un a fredda notte d'inverno, nella loro bottega arriva Johann Fust con un suo assistente Peter, portando con se un grande e pesante baule.
Endymion si incuriosisce fin da subito a quel baule, ma Fust gli vieta categoricamente anche solo di toccarlo.
Che mistero nasconde il baule?
Oxford, giorni nostri.
Blake è nella biblioteca, aspettando che sua madre finisca di lavorare. Per ammazzare il tempo, passeggia tra gli scaffali, osservando i libri. Tutti volumi antichi e rari, che a lui interessavano poco. A parte il gatto della biblioteca, Mefistofele, era solo.
Poi, improvvisamente, un libro cadde. Nel prenderlo in mano, Blake fu pervaso da uno strano senso di ansia.
L'unica cosa che riusciva a leggere era un nome, “Endymion Springs”. Il titolo era troppo sbiadito per esser letto.
E nell'aprirlo, si rese conto che le pagine erano completamente bianche.
Ma Blake scopre che il libro è magico! In una pagina completamente bianca, appare dal nulla una filastrocca in rima, che però ne lui ne sua sorella Papera riescono a decifrarne il significato.
Cosa nasconde il libro trovato da Blake?
Chi è Endymion Spring?
Cosa nasconde quel baule tanto prezioso per Faust?
Pareri:
Ho preso questo libro senza quasi leggere la trama o altro. Il titolo “Il libro del Drago” mi aveva davvero molto incuriosita. E sebbene non io l'abbia scritto nella trama, il titolo dell'edizione italiana non è stato scelto a caso. (probabilmente non mi avrebbe incuriosito così tanto se fosse stato mantenuto il titolo originale)
La storia passa da Oxfond a Magonza e poi di nuovo a Oxford, raccontando due storie diverse ma insolubilmente legate, raccontando la storia di Blake alle prese con lo strano libro, il suo rapporto con la famiglia. Ma anche la storia di Endymion e Peter a Magonza, che cercando di svelare i misteri che quello strano baule porta con se.
Lo stile l'ho trovato molto scorrevole e per nulla pesante, che rende la storia molto coinvolgente e interessante.
Sono arrivata alla fine del libro che ho pensato “è già finito?!”
Voto finale: 8/10
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I read it for the first time when I was really young. I saw it in the library and at first I put it away, thinking that I wouldn't like it. In the end, I thought I needed more books, but I couldn't find books I liked, so I took the risk. Best decision I ever made. Since then it held me in it's grasp, and I think I've read it at least ten times. I love the book, the setting, the storyline, everything.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse, Kidnapping
Endymion Spring begins with 12-year-old Blake Winters finding a mysterious book in a library in Oxford. When he picks it up, he discovers that it has a riddle waiting for him within its pages. Blake, being 12, does not understand what the separation of Summer and Winter in Autumn is supposed to mean. When his younger sister Duck comes to him, she is unable to see the writing within the pages, only being able to see the pure white paper within an old leather binding.
Wanting to know more, he and his sister go through immense lengths to discover what this book holds, their only clue being two words written on the cover: Endymion Spring.
▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄
Out of all of the books I have read from the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale so far, Endymion Spring is the one with the youngest audience in mind. It has a child-friendly premise of finding a mystery behind a mysterious book, with a clear evil trying to do everything in their power to obtain it. Although it does have themes of divorce sprinkled throughout, it is tackled with enough maturity for young readers to understand it well enough.
Blake acts and feels like your typical 12-year-old, having all the curiosity in the world, with the energy to match it. He is not an avid reader at first, but through the discovery of Endymion Spring, finds himself getting pulled in its world. From it, he is shown to find more interest in literature in general, mostly driven by the drive to find what the book means.
Duck, on the other hand, is even more energetic than Blake, has more intelligence than him at her age, and only wants the best for her and her family. She seems selfish at first, wanting to spite Blake for whatever reason she could find, but does truly care for him. Her iconic yellow raincoat, which she wears throughout the book, is a testament for her desire to keep everything in balance, no matter how fragile her world is.
-----
Although the book is a great read for children around the ages of 10 to 12, along with new words to help them develop their English, there is one flaw I can find in its story. If you have not read the story yet, I recommend you to skip the spoiler.
Our main antagonist, Diana Bentley.
Diana is the classic twist villain, desiring nothing more than the knowledge hiding within the pages of Endymion Spring. She will do anything, from nearly suffocating a young girl in a closet to throwing a young boy off the roof of a tall library, to obtain the book. Her kind demeanor is just like that of an angel, guiding Blake and Duck through kindness, but it is all an act to get Blake to open the book for her.
Diana in of herself is not a bad antagonist, but once she drops her angel act, she becomes evil twist villain number 3108, with lust for power motivator number 5009.
Not only that but also the reveal of her being the Person in Shadow is anticlimactic. Nearing the climax of the story, Blake and Duck are treated to a picture showing the original members of the elite Oxford club the Ex Libris Society. According to Endymion Spring and a man named George Psalmanazar, the man or woman after the book is a founding member of the Ex Libris Society.
Sir Giles Bentley, who is Diana's wife, Psalmanazar, the man who gave Blake pieces of Endymion Spring, and Jolyon, a professor helping Blake and Duck, are all described as being in the picture. The only one not mentioned or described with a name is a beautiful young woman.
With little to no need of deduction, it becomes painfully obvious that Diana is the Person in Shadow. Not Duck nor Blake realize this, but the reader does, making the climax just that bit less interesting.
Once you have skipped or read the spoiler, Endymion Spring is a novel that is meant for young readers to get into reading, and it does a good job of doing so. Although the ending is slightly anticlimactic, the story in of itself is interesting and enjoyable to read.
Endymion Spring gets 9 paper dragons out of 10.
▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄
"When Summer and Winter in Autumn divide
The Sun will uncover a Secret inside.
Should Winter from Summer irrevocably part
The Whole of the Book will fall apart.
Yet if the Seasons join hands together
The Order of Things will last forever.
These are the words of Endymion Spring.
Bring only the Insight that the Inside brings."
Wanting to know more, he and his sister go through immense lengths to discover what this book holds, their only clue being two words written on the cover: Endymion Spring.
▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄
Out of all of the books I have read from the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale so far, Endymion Spring is the one with the youngest audience in mind. It has a child-friendly premise of finding a mystery behind a mysterious book, with a clear evil trying to do everything in their power to obtain it. Although it does have themes of divorce sprinkled throughout, it is tackled with enough maturity for young readers to understand it well enough.
Blake acts and feels like your typical 12-year-old, having all the curiosity in the world, with the energy to match it. He is not an avid reader at first, but through the discovery of Endymion Spring, finds himself getting pulled in its world. From it, he is shown to find more interest in literature in general, mostly driven by the drive to find what the book means.
Duck, on the other hand, is even more energetic than Blake, has more intelligence than him at her age, and only wants the best for her and her family. She seems selfish at first, wanting to spite Blake for whatever reason she could find, but does truly care for him. Her iconic yellow raincoat, which she wears throughout the book, is a testament for her desire to keep everything in balance, no matter how fragile her world is.
-----
Although the book is a great read for children around the ages of 10 to 12, along with new words to help them develop their English, there is one flaw I can find in its story. If you have not read the story yet, I recommend you to skip the spoiler.
Our main antagonist, Diana Bentley.
Diana is the classic twist villain, desiring nothing more than the knowledge hiding within the pages of Endymion Spring. She will do anything, from nearly suffocating a young girl in a closet to throwing a young boy off the roof of a tall library, to obtain the book. Her kind demeanor is just like that of an angel, guiding Blake and Duck through kindness, but it is all an act to get Blake to open the book for her.
Diana in of herself is not a bad antagonist, but once she drops her angel act, she becomes evil twist villain number 3108, with lust for power motivator number 5009.
Not only that but also the reveal of her being the Person in Shadow is anticlimactic. Nearing the climax of the story, Blake and Duck are treated to a picture showing the original members of the elite Oxford club the Ex Libris Society. According to Endymion Spring and a man named George Psalmanazar, the man or woman after the book is a founding member of the Ex Libris Society.
Sir Giles Bentley, who is Diana's wife, Psalmanazar, the man who gave Blake pieces of Endymion Spring, and Jolyon, a professor helping Blake and Duck, are all described as being in the picture. The only one not mentioned or described with a name is a beautiful young woman.
With little to no need of deduction, it becomes painfully obvious that Diana is the Person in Shadow. Not Duck nor Blake realize this, but the reader does, making the climax just that bit less interesting.
Once you have skipped or read the spoiler, Endymion Spring is a novel that is meant for young readers to get into reading, and it does a good job of doing so. Although the ending is slightly anticlimactic, the story in of itself is interesting and enjoyable to read.
Endymion Spring gets 9 paper dragons out of 10.
▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄
The Sun will uncover a Secret inside.
Should Winter from Summer irrevocably part
The Whole of the Book will fall apart.
Yet if the Seasons join hands together
The Order of Things will last forever.
These are the words of Endymion Spring.
Bring only the Insight that the Inside brings."
adventurous
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Endymion Spring is a cute novel with a dual-story about two boys both connected to a magical book that contains basically all the knowledge you could ever want to know.
Throughout most of the novel, I was more intrigued by the back story than I was by the present-day story with Blake and his sister Ducky. This turned itself around near the end, but I would have liked to see some more of the black magic stuff that was presented so nicely with Endymion in the past.
The climax of Endymion Spring was brilliant. It was exciting, suspenseful, and I found myself biting my nails with worry for the characters. The resolution left a lot to be desired. Everything is magically tied up into a bow too quickly for my liking. There should have been more development of the Blake's parents and his family situation for the ending to work out.
I thought Easton's narration was very good. He captured the characters' voices and did a great job in continually making the transition from Endymion's story to Blake's story, which could have been confusing in audiobook format. I'm not exactly sure how he makes it work, but he does.
Overall, I would recommend this as a good read. It's interesting, suspenseful, and what self-respecting book lover doesn't love a good book about a secret, magical book? It's enjoyable for all ages, not just young adults.
Also posted on Purple People Readers.
Throughout most of the novel, I was more intrigued by the back story than I was by the present-day story with Blake and his sister Ducky. This turned itself around near the end, but I would have liked to see some more of the black magic stuff that was presented so nicely with Endymion in the past.
The climax of Endymion Spring was brilliant. It was exciting, suspenseful, and I found myself biting my nails with worry for the characters. The resolution left a lot to be desired. Everything is magically tied up into a bow too quickly for my liking. There should have been more development of the Blake's parents and his family situation for the ending to work out.
I thought Easton's narration was very good. He captured the characters' voices and did a great job in continually making the transition from Endymion's story to Blake's story, which could have been confusing in audiobook format. I'm not exactly sure how he makes it work, but he does.
Overall, I would recommend this as a good read. It's interesting, suspenseful, and what self-respecting book lover doesn't love a good book about a secret, magical book? It's enjoyable for all ages, not just young adults.
Also posted on Purple People Readers.