Scan barcode
A review by kailey_luminouslibro
The Maze in the Heart of the Castle by Dorothy Gilman
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- 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
5.0
When his parents die unexpectedly, Colin goes searching for answers. He hears of a mysterious wise man who guards the entrance to a maze. Colin enters the maze, accepting the challenge to find a new country where his questions will be answered and his grief assuaged. Along an arduous journey, he meets people who have given up in despair, those who have turned to evil, and those who are willing to help him and guide him through the maze. But ultimately, Colin must answer his own heart and find the inner strength to endure.
I loved this beautiful story! It is very intense and emotional, but always full of hope. Colin goes through some terrible ordeals and suffers greatly. He sees others succumb to the darkness, but there is always some little ray of hope to light his way if he just chooses to keep moving forward.
I love how there is an element of allegory to the plot and characters (similar to Pilgrim's Progress), but it is never heavy-handed or too preachy. It feels like a gentle word of encouragement or warning, but the author doesn't beat you over the head with the moral lessons. The focus is more on Colin discovering these lessons through his journey, so the moral lessons feel natural to the story. There are a lot of nuggets of wisdom in this book.
The writing style is excellent! The writing is concise and powerful. The plot moves quickly from one phase of the journey to the next. The author manages to say a great deal with just a few meaningful words. There are so many relatable insights into the human experience.
But it's not all allegory, insight, and moral lessons. The adventure is exciting, the characters are so interesting and complex, and the setting is imaginative and wild! Don't be fooled by the dorky 1970s covers; this book is beautifully written and absolute genius from start to finish!
I had put off reading this book for years, because I had built it up in my mind, and I was worried that the reality would not match my high expectations. I shouldn't have waited so long! This book exceeded my expectations and gave me a lot to think about for many years to come.
I loved this beautiful story! It is very intense and emotional, but always full of hope. Colin goes through some terrible ordeals and suffers greatly. He sees others succumb to the darkness, but there is always some little ray of hope to light his way if he just chooses to keep moving forward.
I love how there is an element of allegory to the plot and characters (similar to Pilgrim's Progress), but it is never heavy-handed or too preachy. It feels like a gentle word of encouragement or warning, but the author doesn't beat you over the head with the moral lessons. The focus is more on Colin discovering these lessons through his journey, so the moral lessons feel natural to the story. There are a lot of nuggets of wisdom in this book.
The writing style is excellent! The writing is concise and powerful. The plot moves quickly from one phase of the journey to the next. The author manages to say a great deal with just a few meaningful words. There are so many relatable insights into the human experience.
But it's not all allegory, insight, and moral lessons. The adventure is exciting, the characters are so interesting and complex, and the setting is imaginative and wild! Don't be fooled by the dorky 1970s covers; this book is beautifully written and absolute genius from start to finish!
I had put off reading this book for years, because I had built it up in my mind, and I was worried that the reality would not match my high expectations. I shouldn't have waited so long! This book exceeded my expectations and gave me a lot to think about for many years to come.