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A review by theladydoor
The Beasts of Clawstone Castle by Eva Ibbotson
3.0
I fell in love with Eva Ibbotson’s Which Witch years ago, but I didn’t realize just how many other books she had written. For the past few years, I’ve been going to the public library every so often to borrow one of her works, and very often polishing it off that very day.
Ibbotson’s style is so very unique. She writes about ghouls, witches, and monsters and manages to make them all lovable, deep characters. She achieves this all without resorting to hokum by creating characters who are misunderstood or strive to attain a goal that any reader might understand.
In this story, three children are sent to live with their aunts and uncle, who live in a dilapidated castle on the verge of ruin. The only thing that keeps them there is a herd of wild, beautiful white cattle. The children arrive, already unhappy, but soon become enchanted with the castle and learn to love their well-intentioned relatives. They conspire to save the castle, and actually begin to succeed. But then, danger comes in the form of a neighboring industrialist who wants no more than to buy up the castle and turn it into a theme park.
As with many of Ibbotson’s books, there is adventure, rescue, and a lot of the supernatural involved. I have given this only three stars however, because I felt it was not as engaging as some of her other works. Still, it is an enjoyable read, and I look forward to listening to the audiobook, as it is read by David Tennant.
In this story, three children are sent to live with their aunts and uncle, who live in a dilapidated castle on the verge of ruin. The only thing that keeps them there is a herd of wild, beautiful white cattle. The children arrive, already unhappy, but soon become enchanted with the castle and learn to love their well-intentioned relatives. They conspire to save the castle, and actually begin to succeed. But then, danger comes in the form of a neighboring industrialist who wants no more than to buy up the castle and turn it into a theme park.
As with many of Ibbotson’s books, there is adventure, rescue, and a lot of the supernatural involved. I have given this only three stars however, because I felt it was not as engaging as some of her other works. Still, it is an enjoyable read, and I look forward to listening to the audiobook, as it is read by David Tennant.