Reviews

The Wind Singer by William Nicholson

carysaaa's review against another edition

1.0

As it seems with other reviews of this book, I read this during my time at school and seemed to remember thoroughly enjoying it. I’ve been reading (or trying to read it) for months on end and just cannot seem to get into the story line, the words used are difficult and the storyline darting around too much. I unfortunately have had to abandon ship less than half way through!

sakusha's review against another edition

adventurous funny inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

The story was dystopian fantasy, the first in a trilogy. (It reminded me of The Giver, but I liked The Giver more.) The twins’ society of Aramanth is arranged by color (gray, maroon, orange, scarlet, white), and people who perform well on the annual testing get points (25). If they do well enough, or their family does well enough, they can move up a rank. I personally didn’t mind this idea of organizing society since it was merit based, and that’s fair. But the author obviously had the opinion that even seemingly stupid people had some talent/intelligence in something (158). This sometimes is true, but not always. The author also had the opinion that this merit based society leads to a bad outcome because everyone is filled with envy and hatred. But that’s the case in every human society, because there is NEVER complete equality. Someone could just be born with good looks, and that’s enough reason for others to envy and hate them.

In the center of the city is a pipe contraption called the wind singer that used to play music that made everyone happy when the wind went through it, but an essential piece of it got removed, so the contraption is silent. The plot of the story is that the twins and their parents get fed up with their society and the testing and rebel against it. Then the emperor tells Kestrel she has to retrieve the missing piece from the wind singer in order to eliminate the testing and fix their society.  A lame reason is given for why the emperor can’t do it; he’s too busy eating chocolates. 

Kestrel, Bowman, and a classmate of low intelligence named Mumpo embark on their adventure. It’s exciting, but simplistic, easy, and unrealistic. 

Spoilers below.

First they end up in the sewers where the old children, who were formerly imprisoned in a classroom, are somehow down there too chasing them to drain their energy. The three kids get miraculously rescued by a random passerby on drugs. The people living in the sewer are all happy (even when not on drugs) and somehow are able to harvest delicious nuts for their food, instead of poop which is what it should be if the story were realistic.

Their next destination is a desert where they are again chased by the old children. The twins get miraculously saved by a passing unmanned land-ship (172). Then they’re taken in by people who want to kill them, but the kids persuade them to let them ride a ship going out to attack their enemy tribe. The kids miraculously figure out how to steer this unmanned ship despite having hardly any time to learn (216), and destroy the enemy ships, which earns them the respect and forgiveness of their captors. 

(P. 210 was an example of that machine/military talk that puts me to sleep and makes me hate mech anime: “Wind veering west two degrees! Chaka launch 31! Hit! Full kill! Closing distance 1200 yards! Second fleet gone! Corvettes stand by!”)

After that, the three kids proceed to their next destination, a crumbling bridge. The same old children are unrealistically in this spot too, despite being so drained of energy (253). The three heroes fend them off but eventually have to take a break to sleep. Unrealistically, the old children don’t try to attack them in their sleep (267).

The low intelligence protagonist, Mumpo, is put on a pedestal by the author. Mumpo has no malice or vanity. “He accepted what each moment brought him, and never troubled himself with matters that were outside his control. Despite the unhappiness of his lonely life, he seemed to have been born incurably good-hearted: or perhaps the one had somehow led to the other, and the many cruelties he had known had taught him to be grateful for even the smallest kindness” (249).

Kestrel was the protagonist who was always angry and spiteful, while her brother Bowman was gentle, kind, and intuitive. Kestrel used to be mean to Mumpo, but later in the story she all of a sudden starts being nicer to him than Bowman—so nice that she places greater importance on Mumpo’s welfare than on their quest to get the wind singer back (274, 302).

I assume this book was intended for a middle school audience, but I don’t think it’s a good influence on them to be encouraged to not try to do well on their school testing. Sure it’d be nice if people with varied talents got credit for those talents, but school is a factory model which has to educate the masses all the same and can’t cater to individual students’ particular talents. If parents want the students’ natural gifts to be nurtured and encouraged, then homeschooling is the answer. The answer is not to eliminate testing and let the school be a free-for-all where everyone graduates even if they put forth no effort and show no skill in anything being taught. 

I’m a little curious how Aramanth turns out after all the testing is gone, but not sure I want to read a whole other simplistic/unrealistic book to find out.

gambitt's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful tense 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

4.0

kaiabellamy's review against another edition

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

cureclover's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

2.0

fuse8's review against another edition

5.0

Children's books about the horrors of standardized testing are increasingly popular these days. From Edward Bloor's well-intentioned, Story Time to The Report Card by the otherwise talented Andrew Clements, these books have attempted to capture the dangers of this destructive teaching tool. Both books have fallen short, leaving some people to wonder if there could ever be a book that discusses this controversial subject well. What few people know is that there's a fantastic well-written and beautifully put together fantasy series that begins with the horrific results of what happens when a society bases all decisions on testing. Regular methodical testing. In William Nicholson's, "The Wind Singer", (the first in his "Wind On Fire" trilogy), the term "distopia" takes on a whole new look and meaning. In a book that is simultaneously wise, beautifully penned, and deeply moving, "The Wind Singer", gets to the bottom of rigid test-based communities and show us a great worst-case scenario.

Aramanth is a community that loves its tests. Living by the daily pledge, "I vow to strive harder, to reach higher, and in every way to seek to make tomorrow better than today", its citizens embody the ultimate caste system. Based on strict standardized testing, people live according to how well they test. The nicest homes belong to those members of society that answer quizzes effectively and intelligently. For those people who don't like tests or don't do well on them for a variety of reasons, they live on the bottom rungs of society. There's very little rebellion in Aramanth due to its rigid control of any possible insubordination on the part of its citizens. That is, until the day little Kestrel Hath decides that she doesn't want to live in a world based on testing anymore. Suddenly she's endangered her family and herself. There seems no escape from Aramanth's rules and regulations, until the ancient Emperor, a disused ruler, tells Kestral about the Wind Singer. This gigantic and ancient construction of pipes that towers over the town was once given the ability to sing to its citizens, calming their hearts and making them happy. When the key to the Wind Singer's voice was stolen, the society became cold and hardened into its current state. With her twin brother Bowman and their initially unwanted tagalong Mumpo at her side, Kestral and company embark on a quest to save Aramanth from itself once and for all.

I nominate this book for the title, Perfect Distopian Novel. I've not fallen for a fabulous fantasy in a long time, and this book has everything you could want in it. A great (and little used) moral. Characters you care about deeply. A gripping plot. Everything. I greatly appreciated that the parents of the heroes in this book were not only both alive (not usually the case in fantasies) but also active, amusing, and subversive aids to their kids' efforts. Too often parents fret and flail in children's novels, adding nothing to the story but woe. In this book Mr. and Mrs. Hath recognize the quest their children are on and decide to raise a little hooplah in Aramanth on their own. The results are quite fabulous.

The most recommended fantasy book in schools nation-wide is undeniably Lois Lowry's, The Giver. I suggest that, as good as it is, we give, "The Giver", a break for once and encourage our kids to read "The Wind Singer" instead. Those children that suffer under the strain of repeated testing will appreciate the book's strong message. Children who like great action sequences and heightened danger will fall for the book's fast-paced escapes and battles. And those children that simply like a good story with good writing will be entranced. I say with conviction that this is probably one of the strongest British fantasy book for children written in the twenty-first century. It's simply the best.

riellareads's review against another edition

4.0

This was an interesting and thoughtful MG/YA fantasy story. It really drew me in and I felt for the characters. It has a more classic fantasy feel, with an adventure journey. I like the family relationships too. I will definitely check out the other books in the series, but this can be read as a standalone

nuwandalice's review against another edition

4.0

I think the last time I reread this series as an adult was over 10 years ago, so felt like I was due a revisit. I loved these books as a kid. I’m genuinely quite upset that they don’t seem to have left a lasting mark on YA despite being classic YA before YA was really even a thing. (Although perhaps for a slightly younger audience than a lot of YA aims for now?)

It’s very strange and the plot is both bland and bonkers at the same time, but I found it just as charming as I ever have.

(I had fully forgotten how much time Mumpo spends high as a kite on some kind of underground mud plant, which is wild)

downsdea's review against another edition

4.0

It's a quick but satisfying read. Easy to see why it's assigned reading in many middle school classrooms as it is thought-provoking. I look forward to reading the rest of the series!

kat_sanford's review against another edition

adventurous reflective 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

3.0