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karen_the_baroness's review
5.0
The House with a Clock in its Walls by John Bellairs has magic and a mystery woven together beautifully.
Can the Barnavelts and Mrs. Zimmermann stop the clock?
The Barnavelts
Lewis Barnavelt is an orphan and is nervous about meeting his uncle Jonathan, a man he never knew existed until after his parents died. Lewis has always had difficulty fitting in, no matter where he is, since kids his age always tease him. I felt terrible for Lewis, but seeing him gain his confidence as he is living with his uncle was nice. Lewis learning about magic definitely helped with his confidence and being able to help his uncle and next-door neighbor.
Uncle Jonathan Barnavelt bought the house and has been dealing with the constant tick-tock noise ever since. He has been trying to figure out where the clock is in the walls so that he can put a stop to it, but sadly, he still hasn’t found it—not even with the help of Mrs. Zimmermann. Jonathan is a magician. In his own words, “I’m pretty much of a parlor magician, though I have a few tricks that go beyond rabbits and playing cards.” Jonathan is a wonderful character, and I love how eccentric he is.
I believe these two needed each other much more than they knew in the beginning.
The Mystery
Our characters need to find the clock hidden in the walls that changes from how fast to how slow it ticks. Jonathan has been searching this house for the last five years and hasn’t found it. He and Mrs. Zimmermann hope that with Lewis there, they might be able to find it and actually stop it.
I have to say that once I got into the book, I couldn’t put it down, and I had to know what happened next. The mystery is a good one.
Five Stars
The House with a Clock in its Walls by John Bellairs is getting five stars and a recommendation. Lewis and Jonathan are great characters, and I love the bickering between Jonathan and Mrs. Zimmermann. I also loved the story. Some things confused me about how to say it, but I either skipped over those parts or basically translated it to the best of my abilities to make sense of the sentences around it.
Look for my review of the movie with Jack Black, which is coming in the next few weeks.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of The House with a Clock in its Walls by John Bellairs.
Until the next time,
Karen the Baroness
If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out Baroness Book Trove.
rjdenney's review against another edition
5.0
Just as fun, creepy, and magical re-reading it for the 3rd time!! Now off to re-watch the movie :D
thelittlebookie's review
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
idratherliveinbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
shawniebooks's review against another edition
4.0
Surprisingly good time spent with this audio book.
wolverinefactor's review against another edition
3.0
More like a 3.5 - I liked it a little better than the film
posies23's review against another edition
5.0
TRUE CONFESSIONS: In 1979, I watched an adaptation of this novel in an afterschool special featuring Vincent Price. It was one of those life-changing experiences that sent me in search of the weird literature and films that I've loved ever since.
TRUE CONFESSIONS PART TWO: While I want to believe that I've read this book before, considering the formative effect the special had on my psyche,after reading it as an adult, I don't think I ever did read it. Or if I did, I didn't remember much of it.
SO . . . WHAT'S YOUR POINT?: Either way, this book was even better than I expected. It's genuinely eerie, and it would make a great book for literary study. Actually, if I were still an academic, I'd write a paper on how this book set the structure for what we now consider YA literature. It's a brilliant combination of childhood fears, gothic underpinnings, and humor. Impressively, Bellairs really makes it look easy. His writing is sharp, his imagery is memorable, and his characters are quirky but endearing.
Highly recommended.
TRUE CONFESSIONS PART TWO: While I want to believe that I've read this book before, considering the formative effect the special had on my psyche,after reading it as an adult, I don't think I ever did read it. Or if I did, I didn't remember much of it.
SO . . . WHAT'S YOUR POINT?: Either way, this book was even better than I expected. It's genuinely eerie, and it would make a great book for literary study. Actually, if I were still an academic, I'd write a paper on how this book set the structure for what we now consider YA literature. It's a brilliant combination of childhood fears, gothic underpinnings, and humor. Impressively, Bellairs really makes it look easy. His writing is sharp, his imagery is memorable, and his characters are quirky but endearing.
Highly recommended.