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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
My mum picked this book up for my 13 year old sister and wound up reading it herself. And she liked it so much that she insisted I read it too. I'm glad she did.
I'll admit, I expected the book to be mediocre. The writing style is simple, the characters slip too easily into stereotypes, but the plot, instead of being cliché and predictable like I expected, was in fact delicious. And as I read on, though the children's personalities were a little cliché, they were quite well written, especially the dialogue between Michael and Emma. This is a very good book for a youngster looking for something light-hearted but reminiscent of Harry Potter or Narnia, as well as his or her mum or big sister ;) Four stars for the very nice plot (and the Countess, a character you'll love to hate).
I'll admit, I expected the book to be mediocre. The writing style is simple, the characters slip too easily into stereotypes, but the plot, instead of being cliché and predictable like I expected, was in fact delicious. And as I read on, though the children's personalities were a little cliché, they were quite well written, especially the dialogue between Michael and Emma. This is a very good book for a youngster looking for something light-hearted but reminiscent of Harry Potter or Narnia, as well as his or her mum or big sister ;) Four stars for the very nice plot (and the Countess, a character you'll love to hate).
I really enjoyed this book because it took me away completely. At times I felt like I was really in the book myself, and I constantly wanted to find out the next thing that would happen.
I am excited for the two books to follow in this trilogy
I am excited for the two books to follow in this trilogy
Although this book started off slowly for me, I was pulled into the intriguing mystery and fully realized fantasy world. I loved the way time travel became a part of the book.
I see many people comparing it to [b:Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone|3|Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Harry Potter, #1)|J.K. Rowling|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1343118752s/3.jpg|4640799] or [b:The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe|100915|The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Chronicles of Narnia, #1)|C.S. Lewis|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1336139107s/100915.jpg|4790821], but for me this felt very similar to [b:The Golden Compass|119322|The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials, #1)|Philip Pullman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1333617993s/119322.jpg|1536771], and I'd recommend that anyone who enjoyed that series read this book.
I see many people comparing it to [b:Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone|3|Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Harry Potter, #1)|J.K. Rowling|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1343118752s/3.jpg|4640799] or [b:The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe|100915|The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Chronicles of Narnia, #1)|C.S. Lewis|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1336139107s/100915.jpg|4790821], but for me this felt very similar to [b:The Golden Compass|119322|The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials, #1)|Philip Pullman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1333617993s/119322.jpg|1536771], and I'd recommend that anyone who enjoyed that series read this book.
Very exciting adventure story for anyone who enjoyed Harry Potter and Narnia type fantasy books. Gripping tale and hard to put down - great for 8-12 year old fantasy & adventure lovers
Why is this book so over-looked? It's at least as good as some other popular books I can name in this category? It's funny, the plot is full and there are just the right amount of twists in it.
This book was really everything that I hoped it would be. It was a fun romp through a new and very original world. Very engaging characters and a new evil that kept me on the edge of my seat!
Kate, Emma, and Micheal are orphans and they have been carted off to one place or another their whole lives, but when they get shipped to Cambridge Falls they will discover things that they only thought esisted in fairy tales. The first being a enchanted atlas that will transport you back in time when you place a picture between its pages. And that's exactly what Kate, Micheal, and Emma do, thus starting all their trouble.
I really do love middle grade books and this one was no exception. I was glued to the pages the entire time. Sometimes the pacing was just the tiniest bit slow, but this was no major issue. I had to keep turning pages to see what was going to happen next.
I really loved the characters! The book is told in third person, but I still connected to Kate, Micheal, and Emma really well. Their bond and loyalty to each other really jumped off the page. And I couldn't help giggling at Micheal and Emma bickering and fighting throughout the book.
The world that John Stephens has created in this book is a fascinating one. The bad guys (or girl, I should say!) were very well done. I really disliked the Countess and all her minions. The minions, a.k.a. Screechers were actually kind of creepy, which was a fun surprise in a MG book. I also loved that time travel plays such a major role in the book.
Overall, this was a very fun MG and a great start to a series. I definitely recommend it!
Kate, Emma, and Micheal are orphans and they have been carted off to one place or another their whole lives, but when they get shipped to Cambridge Falls they will discover things that they only thought esisted in fairy tales. The first being a enchanted atlas that will transport you back in time when you place a picture between its pages. And that's exactly what Kate, Micheal, and Emma do, thus starting all their trouble.
I really do love middle grade books and this one was no exception. I was glued to the pages the entire time. Sometimes the pacing was just the tiniest bit slow, but this was no major issue. I had to keep turning pages to see what was going to happen next.
I really loved the characters! The book is told in third person, but I still connected to Kate, Micheal, and Emma really well. Their bond and loyalty to each other really jumped off the page. And I couldn't help giggling at Micheal and Emma bickering and fighting throughout the book.
The world that John Stephens has created in this book is a fascinating one. The bad guys (or girl, I should say!) were very well done. I really disliked the Countess and all her minions. The minions, a.k.a. Screechers were actually kind of creepy, which was a fun surprise in a MG book. I also loved that time travel plays such a major role in the book.
Overall, this was a very fun MG and a great start to a series. I definitely recommend it!
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I read this when I was younger and decided to pick it back up