Scan barcode
rosalindm1's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Although the premise of this fantasy novel was interesting - the five children involved were thoroughly tiresome, and their constant bickering was annoying and repetitive.
louloureadsbooks's review against another edition
2.0
To the bus stop book swap with this one. I just can't get into it and feel like I'm missing some key part.
cimorene1558's review against another edition
5.0
I’m awfully fond of these, it’s such an excellent series if you always kind of wished to stumble on an alternate fairytale universe.
leothil's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book! The story kept surprising me and almost never went in the direction I thought it would. The main characters are children, and they really behave like children and not like miniature grown-ups, which was a nice change of pace from many other books. If there is something to complain about, it would be how some plot points are glossed over and quickly moved on from. But overall, a very interesting book. I recommend you read it!
changeablelandscape's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
It's hard for me to review this because I loved it so much when I was a teenager -- it is very slow-paced and repetitive and Laura is terribly NLOG and the book slogs for me when she's the POV, but it also has so many things I love (Randolph, Fence, Ted growing up some) that I put up with the rest of it.
theladydoor's review against another edition
3.0
I used to think I was quite a prolific reader as a child, but now, looking back, I realize that I spent a great deal of time rereading books. Even with the wealth of my local library at my fingertips, I would often check out the same books over and over again. I think this may have had to do with the fact that my family could not afford to buy me all the books I wanted, so I had no way of revisiting my favorites. The point of this is, I do think I missed out on a quite a few treasures in favor of searching out familiarity.
I'm fairly certain I would have loved this book as a kid. The main characters are four children who have been separated by a move to Australia. They have such a strong bond though, through their game of inventing a "secret country" that they somehow bring themselves into it, and begin experiencing the stories they have been creating for their entire lives. A twist in this book that sets it apart from other "children falling into magical worlds" stories is that these kids mostly know exactly what is going to happen. But then, their presence in the secret country begins to alter and muddle events.
As an adult, I found it rather dissatisfying to read about kids who already knew everything about where they were going. I didn't feel like there was a great sense of magic or mystery. In addition, the flow of the plotline didn't really appeal to me; too little happened within the space of the pages to keep me interested. Dean does manage some interesting concepts, like nightmare grass, in a chilling sequence. But those moments are few and fleeting.
I actually only picked up this novel because of its involvement in the Cassandra Claire Plagiarism Debacle, in which it was revealed that now famous author [a:Cassandra Clare|150038|Cassandra Clare|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1270502031p2/150038.jpg] included large portions of Dean's writing in her fan fiction. Having read this book, it's easy to see why Clare might have wanted to steal Dean's words. Dean writes with a clear and eloquent voice. It is obvious that she deliberately chose each word, and chose them well. I think it's unfair and unethical that Clare has achieved fame and fortune on the back of plagiarism, but am glad that her actions have led to me discovering this author. I plan to read Dean's other works, including the highly-acclaimed [b:Tam Lin|51106|Tam Lin|Pamela Dean|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1309198667s/51106.jpg|49879].
I'm fairly certain I would have loved this book as a kid. The main characters are four children who have been separated by a move to Australia. They have such a strong bond though, through their game of inventing a "secret country" that they somehow bring themselves into it, and begin experiencing the stories they have been creating for their entire lives. A twist in this book that sets it apart from other "children falling into magical worlds" stories is that these kids mostly know exactly what is going to happen. But then, their presence in the secret country begins to alter and muddle events.
As an adult, I found it rather dissatisfying to read about kids who already knew everything about where they were going. I didn't feel like there was a great sense of magic or mystery. In addition, the flow of the plotline didn't really appeal to me; too little happened within the space of the pages to keep me interested. Dean does manage some interesting concepts, like nightmare grass, in a chilling sequence. But those moments are few and fleeting.
I actually only picked up this novel because of its involvement in the Cassandra Claire Plagiarism Debacle, in which it was revealed that now famous author [a:Cassandra Clare|150038|Cassandra Clare|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1270502031p2/150038.jpg] included large portions of Dean's writing in her fan fiction. Having read this book, it's easy to see why Clare might have wanted to steal Dean's words. Dean writes with a clear and eloquent voice. It is obvious that she deliberately chose each word, and chose them well. I think it's unfair and unethical that Clare has achieved fame and fortune on the back of plagiarism, but am glad that her actions have led to me discovering this author. I plan to read Dean's other works, including the highly-acclaimed [b:Tam Lin|51106|Tam Lin|Pamela Dean|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1309198667s/51106.jpg|49879].
judgeabook's review against another edition
Just not for me, wanted to try an older fantasy. I'm sure a lot of other people would like it
kateslowreads's review against another edition
3.0
It reminded me a lot of the Chronicles of Narnia, except less whimsical and much more detailed. There aren't any easy resolutions in this alternate world, which is more original, I guess, but also more frustrating for the reader who has to wait while the kids just figure out what's going on and how to deal with it. I always tend to read Pamela Dean's books in short little bits, not all in one go, and I don't know why that is. It's not like they're boring, or hard to get into, but it's like the gourmet chocolate that I get and eat teeny little pieces of for weeks instead of just enjoying it then and there.
I like the style she wrote the unicorns in very much though! Vain, but not silly, beautiful, but conniving.
I like the style she wrote the unicorns in very much though! Vain, but not silly, beautiful, but conniving.
lizshayne's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This was one of those books that I failed to read as a child but everyone else apparently did. So now I'm trying to catch up and it's fascinating to read the story about kids going into a fantasy world that defined so many of the books that the authors my age read and are responding to.
It's also good. It's good in the way that it responds to Narnia and good in the way that it thinks about story and fascinating to think about what's going to happen.
It's odd seeing how this book would have grabbed me if I'd read it 20 years ago and enjoying it now without being grabbed.
It reminds me, for perhaps obvious reasons, of Guy Gavriel Kay's Fionavar Tapestry in how they are stories about coming into another world and discovering the seriousness of it. But it's also very different. I suppose that means I need to track down the rest of them now.
It's also good. It's good in the way that it responds to Narnia and good in the way that it thinks about story and fascinating to think about what's going to happen.
It's odd seeing how this book would have grabbed me if I'd read it 20 years ago and enjoying it now without being grabbed.
It reminds me, for perhaps obvious reasons, of Guy Gavriel Kay's Fionavar Tapestry in how they are stories about coming into another world and discovering the seriousness of it. But it's also very different. I suppose that means I need to track down the rest of them now.