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A review by kandicez
The Silver Arrow by Lev Grossman
5.0
I fully admit that I came to Lev Grossman late. A good friend who is a librarian had the honor of interviewing him and to support her I decided to watch. He spoke about The Magicians series and it piqued my interest, so I picked them up. Little did I know I was about to fall in love. Yes, with that series, but in a deeper way, with Grossman's writing. He is a beautifully eloquent writer.
This is aimed at middle schoolers and I will be keeping it for my (some day!) grandchildren. A young girl is given a special train on her 11th birthday instead of a letter of admission to Hogwarts. Some would find this a disappointment, but she and her brother go on to amazing adventures on said train that not only defy reality, but teach them about what it means to be at the very top of the food chain. The most evolved animals on the planet. More importantly, they learn about the responsibilities this entails.
The train travels the world picking up animals and moving them from place to place. It sounds silly, but along the way the children learn what humankind has done to the animals with which we share our home. How we've encroached and infringed upon them, to the brink of extinction in many cases. Grossman introduces a pangolin as a character in what can only be called a stroke of genius. Have you heard of this little creature? I had not, and when it was described I assumed it was a figment of his imagination.
How do you not want to protect something as dear as that? Children today have instant access to the internet and I believe Grossman uses the pangolin to make them look it up. In doing so they will be pushed toward research that will open their eyes to the plight of our planet mates. A call to action, if you will.
Just as he did in The Magicians series, Grossman writes some truly magical and emotional scenes that made me smile and at times brought actual tears to my eyes.
I can't wait until he writes something else.
This is aimed at middle schoolers and I will be keeping it for my (some day!) grandchildren. A young girl is given a special train on her 11th birthday instead of a letter of admission to Hogwarts. Some would find this a disappointment, but she and her brother go on to amazing adventures on said train that not only defy reality, but teach them about what it means to be at the very top of the food chain. The most evolved animals on the planet. More importantly, they learn about the responsibilities this entails.
The train travels the world picking up animals and moving them from place to place. It sounds silly, but along the way the children learn what humankind has done to the animals with which we share our home. How we've encroached and infringed upon them, to the brink of extinction in many cases. Grossman introduces a pangolin as a character in what can only be called a stroke of genius. Have you heard of this little creature? I had not, and when it was described I assumed it was a figment of his imagination.
How do you not want to protect something as dear as that? Children today have instant access to the internet and I believe Grossman uses the pangolin to make them look it up. In doing so they will be pushed toward research that will open their eyes to the plight of our planet mates. A call to action, if you will.
Just as he did in The Magicians series, Grossman writes some truly magical and emotional scenes that made me smile and at times brought actual tears to my eyes.
I can't wait until he writes something else.