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Under Wildwood
Ditulis oleh Colin Meloy
Narasi oleh Colin Meloy
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Ever since Prue McKeel returned home from the Impassable Wilderness after rescuing her brother from the malevolent Dowager Governess, life has been pretty dull. School holds no interest for her, and her new science teacher keeps getting on her case about her dismal test scores and daydreaming in class. Her mind is constantly returning to the verdant groves and sky-tall trees of Wildwood, where her friend Curtis still remains as a bandit-in-training.
But all is not well in that world. Dark assassins with mysterious motives conspire to settle the scores of an unknown client. A titan of industry employs inmates from his orphanage to work in his machine shop, all the while obsessing over the exploitation of the Impassable Wilderness. And, in what will be their greatest challenge yet, Prue and Curtis are thrown together again to save themselves and the lives of their friends, and to bring unity to a divided country. But in order to do that, they must go under Wildwood.
In Under Wildwood, Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis reveal new dimensions of the epic fantasy-adventure series begun with the critically acclaimed, bestselling Wildwood.
Tindakan Buku
Mulai MendengarkanInformasi Buku
Under Wildwood
Ditulis oleh Colin Meloy
Narasi oleh Colin Meloy
Deskripsi
Ever since Prue McKeel returned home from the Impassable Wilderness after rescuing her brother from the malevolent Dowager Governess, life has been pretty dull. School holds no interest for her, and her new science teacher keeps getting on her case about her dismal test scores and daydreaming in class. Her mind is constantly returning to the verdant groves and sky-tall trees of Wildwood, where her friend Curtis still remains as a bandit-in-training.
But all is not well in that world. Dark assassins with mysterious motives conspire to settle the scores of an unknown client. A titan of industry employs inmates from his orphanage to work in his machine shop, all the while obsessing over the exploitation of the Impassable Wilderness. And, in what will be their greatest challenge yet, Prue and Curtis are thrown together again to save themselves and the lives of their friends, and to bring unity to a divided country. But in order to do that, they must go under Wildwood.
In Under Wildwood, Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis reveal new dimensions of the epic fantasy-adventure series begun with the critically acclaimed, bestselling Wildwood.
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See full review @ The Indigo Quill
Are you a forest dweller at heart? Do you love adventure, unexpectedly personified animals, and The Decemberists? Wildwood is definitely your jam. If you don't know, the author is the lead singer of the indie folk rock band, The Decemberists whose lyrics are unique, whimsical, and storytell through folklore and actual historical events. They are definitely worth checking out if you haven't, and if you enjoy something in a complete league of its own, then you'll also enjoy Wildwood.
Everyone in town knows that the Impassable Wilderness is off limits. No one needs to ask questions, it's just common knowledge. And everyone respects that unspoken rule, until Prue's baby brother is taken into the forest by a murder of crows. Yes, that's right, the little black winged beasties are baby snatchers! Prue's friend Curtis joins in the search to retrieve Prue's brother and they are faced with the most unexpected things: the world as they know it is not quite what it seems. Animals can walk, talk, and even run their own government in this whimsical tale of furry high-society. There are many things to love about this book.
Colin Meloy's ability to use sophisticated language doesn't fail in this book. Not only is the cover designed in an amazing woodsy design by his partner in crime, Carson Ellis, but the entirety of the book has a folksy tone to it that will seem fresh and magical, like an impassable wilderness all of its own. The possibilities are endless.
I, personally, do not mind long books. However, I can see how this one could seem long and drawn out to a middle grader. It moves kind of slowly for someone who gravitates toward fast-paced books with a lot of action and movement. So if you're looking for a book to just get through, this may not be the book for you. If you're looking for a book where you can take your time, sit back, and enjoy the journey, then this is definitely worth checking out.
Rating: 4Are you a forest dweller at heart? Do you love adventure, unexpectedly personified animals, and The Decemberists? Wildwood is definitely your jam. If you don't know, the author is the lead singer of the indie folk rock band, The Decemberists whose lyrics are unique, whimsical, and storytell through folklore and actual historical events. They are definitely worth checking out if you haven't, and if you enjoy something in a complete league of its own, then you'll also enjoy Wildwood.
Everyone in town knows that the Impassable Wilderness is off limits. No one needs to ask questions, it's just common knowledge. And everyone respects that unspoken rule, until Prue's baby brother is taken into the forest by a murder of crows. Yes, that's right, the little black winged beasties are baby snatchers! Prue's friend Curtis joins in the search to retrieve Prue's brother and they are faced with the most unexpected things: the world as they know it is not quite what it seems. Animals can walk, talk, and even run their own government in this whimsical tale of furry high-society. There are many things to love about this book.
Colin Meloy's ability to use sophisticated language doesn't fail in this book. Not only is the cover designed in an amazing woodsy design by his partner in crime, Carson Ellis, but the entirety of the book has a folksy tone to it that will seem fresh and magical, like an impassable wilderness all of its own. The possibilities are endless.
I, personally, do not mind long books. However, I can see how this one could seem long and drawn out to a middle grader. It moves kind of slowly for someone who gravitates toward fast-paced books with a lot of action and movement. So if you're looking for a book to just get through, this may not be the book for you. If you're looking for a book where you can take your time, sit back, and enjoy the journey, then this is definitely worth checking out.
Originally posted on A Reader of Fictions.
I finally finished! I had been so looking forward to a nice swift read. I mean, middle grade novels go so quickly. Not this one, mostly because I don't really think it's a middle grade novel at all, despite the publishers marketing of it to ages 8 . This book has been on my radar for ages because of my Decemberists obsession. My blog's name is even a paraphrase of a line from one of their songs. For those who don't know, Colin Meloy is the lead singer. While, I did like the book, I definitely prefer his music.
First, I must address my assertion that this does not strike me as a book for the average eight year old. While I am sure that some enterprising eight year olds might appreciate Wildwood, most would be exceedingly confused. Meloy uses eloquent, occasionally old-fashioned language, and I suspect that the book would be abandoned for lack of understanding. Few kids commit to books if a dictionary is required for comprehension. Some reviewers found the language overblown and thought it read as though Meloy had closely befriended a thesaurus during the novel's construction. I felt that it had a natural flow, but do still think it will scare away many readers. I just don't think a kids' book would use the word 'apocryphal' in the first couple of chapters without any explanation. There is also quite a bit of violence and animal death that might scar younger readers.
The plotting struck me as a cross between the cult classic Labyrinth and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The book opens with the theft of a much younger sibling from the daughter who spends a lot of time babysitting. Unlike Jennifer Connelly's character, Prue loves her baby brother and was not being particularly inattentive. A murder of crows swoops down and absconds with him before she can do anything, taking him off to the evil leader in the forest.
Prue wants to head after him immediately, but in an oddly rational move decides to wait for the morning, pretending to her parents that her brother is there and asleep. She ventures out early the next morning, leaves a note saying she and Mac, her brother, have gone for another bike ride, and sets off into the creepy forest (the Impassable Wilderness). She gains a companion in Curtis, the nerdy kid in class who won't stop drawing superheroes even though, at 12, he should be beyong that now. Curtis follows her, even when she orders him not to. This was a bit awkward, as there seemed little reason for him to be so concerned with accompanying her, other than perhaps desperation for friendship with someone.
Once in Wildwood, the two kids become embroiled in the political drama of this hidden world. The borders of the forest are supposed to prevent entry, but these kids are special, of course. Curtis and Prue are separated, when Curtis is captured by coyote soldiers. Prue continues on alone, now needing to rescue both her brother and classmate. As in Narnia, an evil ruler attempts to take over via nefarious plan. Also like Narnia, there are humans and talking, clothes-wearing animals living in company. At least there's no allegory in this one!
Sadly, the characters did not enliven the story either. They do an awful lot of monologuing and info-dumping. On top of that, people and animals lack depth. I just no so little even about Curtis and Prue, who I should know best. I know what they like to draw and how they react in crises. Did they have no other interests? There's a large cast and, while I was fairly entertained, I didn't care about any creature, human or otherwise.
What really ticked me off were the parents. First off, I find it highly suspect that, even when things were normal, Prue, age 12, spent all day watching her brother, and, not babysitting at home, but pulling him along in a red wagon behind her bike. Would parents really allow there baby to be out all day? Then, later, Prue does return for a little bit, and, when she says she's going back, they don't stop her or even try to go with her. What the hell is that? This isn't like Narnia where you've hardly missed any time. Parenting job #1: Do everything you can to protect your child. I just could not handle any of this.
Nothing felt especially original to me, but Wildwood was still entertaining. Given its length, though, only the most determined will likely make it through. I will be listening to the next one on audio, as it's narrated by Colin himself, and I hope for a bit more verve and innovation.
Rating: 3I finally finished! I had been so looking forward to a nice swift read. I mean, middle grade novels go so quickly. Not this one, mostly because I don't really think it's a middle grade novel at all, despite the publishers marketing of it to ages 8 . This book has been on my radar for ages because of my Decemberists obsession. My blog's name is even a paraphrase of a line from one of their songs. For those who don't know, Colin Meloy is the lead singer. While, I did like the book, I definitely prefer his music.
First, I must address my assertion that this does not strike me as a book for the average eight year old. While I am sure that some enterprising eight year olds might appreciate Wildwood, most would be exceedingly confused. Meloy uses eloquent, occasionally old-fashioned language, and I suspect that the book would be abandoned for lack of understanding. Few kids commit to books if a dictionary is required for comprehension. Some reviewers found the language overblown and thought it read as though Meloy had closely befriended a thesaurus during the novel's construction. I felt that it had a natural flow, but do still think it will scare away many readers. I just don't think a kids' book would use the word 'apocryphal' in the first couple of chapters without any explanation. There is also quite a bit of violence and animal death that might scar younger readers.
The plotting struck me as a cross between the cult classic Labyrinth and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The book opens with the theft of a much younger sibling from the daughter who spends a lot of time babysitting. Unlike Jennifer Connelly's character, Prue loves her baby brother and was not being particularly inattentive. A murder of crows swoops down and absconds with him before she can do anything, taking him off to the evil leader in the forest.
Prue wants to head after him immediately, but in an oddly rational move decides to wait for the morning, pretending to her parents that her brother is there and asleep. She ventures out early the next morning, leaves a note saying she and Mac, her brother, have gone for another bike ride, and sets off into the creepy forest (the Impassable Wilderness). She gains a companion in Curtis, the nerdy kid in class who won't stop drawing superheroes even though, at 12, he should be beyong that now. Curtis follows her, even when she orders him not to. This was a bit awkward, as there seemed little reason for him to be so concerned with accompanying her, other than perhaps desperation for friendship with someone.
Once in Wildwood, the two kids become embroiled in the political drama of this hidden world. The borders of the forest are supposed to prevent entry, but these kids are special, of course. Curtis and Prue are separated, when Curtis is captured by coyote soldiers. Prue continues on alone, now needing to rescue both her brother and classmate. As in Narnia, an evil ruler attempts to take over via nefarious plan. Also like Narnia, there are humans and talking, clothes-wearing animals living in company. At least there's no allegory in this one!
Sadly, the characters did not enliven the story either. They do an awful lot of monologuing and info-dumping. On top of that, people and animals lack depth. I just no so little even about Curtis and Prue, who I should know best. I know what they like to draw and how they react in crises. Did they have no other interests? There's a large cast and, while I was fairly entertained, I didn't care about any creature, human or otherwise.
What really ticked me off were the parents. First off, I find it highly suspect that, even when things were normal, Prue, age 12, spent all day watching her brother, and, not babysitting at home, but pulling him along in a red wagon behind her bike. Would parents really allow there baby to be out all day? Then, later, Prue does return for a little bit, and, when she says she's going back, they don't stop her or even try to go with her. What the hell is that? This isn't like Narnia where you've hardly missed any time. Parenting job #1: Do everything you can to protect your child. I just could not handle any of this.
Nothing felt especially original to me, but Wildwood was still entertaining. Given its length, though, only the most determined will likely make it through. I will be listening to the next one on audio, as it's narrated by Colin himself, and I hope for a bit more verve and innovation.
I was excited to see a book out by Colin Meloy because I've long been a big fan of the Decemberists. A song is like a poem- it's short, so its stories and ideas are distilled. A book's ideas are stretched out, and the prose could be a bit heavy and took a while to get into. I think the tipping point where I really went at it was about half way through- that's when I started to become really eager to know how things would sort themselves out. Now I've got to get ahold of the next book in the series.
Rating: 4I really liked this! Many of the reviews seem to be downers so I'm glad I hadn't seen them before this impulse buy. Sweet fantasy, delightful illustrations, and I particularly liked Prue.
Rating: 4Wildwood by Colin Meloy with illustrations by Carson Ellis starts off the Wildwood Chronicles series which as far as I can tell consists of 3 books (although some websites confusingly say there are only 2). The first book follows Prue McKeel, an average 12 year old living in Portland...until one day her baby brother is kidnapped by a murder of crows. She and a semi-friend from school, Curtis Mehlberg, venture into the Impassable Wilderness in search of the baby and stumble across an entirely different world. It turns out that inside the I.W. there exists a magical place full of talking coyotes, magical sorceresses, mystics that commune with trees, and a gang of roving bandits. There is also a postman, a corrupt government, and territory wars. Maybe things aren't so different from what she's used to after all? No, it's completely different and Prue finds out that she's not as normal as she once thought...
Rating: 5This book ended up being slower going for me than I would have liked. Toward the middle I started getting bored, and I feel like it dragged on for 100 pages too long.
Wildwood is the story of Prue McKeel, a 12-year-old girl living in Portland with her parents and brother. In Prue's version of Portland, there is a forested area known as the Impassible Wilderness, and Prue was told to never go there, and for the most part she obliged.
That is, until the day her brother is taken by crows and led into the Impassible Wilderness, causing Prue to have to follow them. What results is Prue discovering the Impassible Wilderness is its own country known as Wildwood, and she will have to make friends with a menagerie of people and talking animals to save her brother.
Along the way, her friend Curtis follows her in and gets caught up in his own adventure, almost becoming the enemy.
Hoo boy. I figured since this was a middle grade level novel, I would breeze right through it since it's lower fare than I'm used to (Last time I read a middle grade novel was about 20 years ago). As it turns out, the pacing ended up being so slow for me that I had to put is down at times and read something else. I get that it's fantasy and fantasy books need world building, but there were parts later in the book (party scenes, downtime scenes, etc.) that needed to be cut short. It also took far too long to get to the final fight scenes, and I felt like the entire last chapter needed to go.
It you like fantasy, especially books like A Series of Unfortunate Events and Chronicles of Narnia, give this book a shot. I think the exposition of these kinds of books just makes them drag for me.
Rating: 3Wildwood is the story of Prue McKeel, a 12-year-old girl living in Portland with her parents and brother. In Prue's version of Portland, there is a forested area known as the Impassible Wilderness, and Prue was told to never go there, and for the most part she obliged.
That is, until the day her brother is taken by crows and led into the Impassible Wilderness, causing Prue to have to follow them. What results is Prue discovering the Impassible Wilderness is its own country known as Wildwood, and she will have to make friends with a menagerie of people and talking animals to save her brother.
Along the way, her friend Curtis follows her in and gets caught up in his own adventure, almost becoming the enemy.
Hoo boy. I figured since this was a middle grade level novel, I would breeze right through it since it's lower fare than I'm used to (Last time I read a middle grade novel was about 20 years ago). As it turns out, the pacing ended up being so slow for me that I had to put is down at times and read something else. I get that it's fantasy and fantasy books need world building, but there were parts later in the book (party scenes, downtime scenes, etc.) that needed to be cut short. It also took far too long to get to the final fight scenes, and I felt like the entire last chapter needed to go.
It you like fantasy, especially books like A Series of Unfortunate Events and Chronicles of Narnia, give this book a shot. I think the exposition of these kinds of books just makes them drag for me.
A bit of a slow start gave way to a beautifully imagined, deliciously described world of wonders living parallel to our own. It was fanciful and interesting, keeping close to the middle grade perspective of the two main characters. I will be glad to read the next installment and see what is in store for Prue and Curtis.
Rating: 3
What a great series so far. I love reading it out loud to my son. He is hooked too.
Rating: 5Mythic to a large degree this is an interesting read. Prue goes after her brother who has been kidnapped by crows into the Wildwood where no-one goes in Portland, but she finds that she can go, and her friend Curtis comes with her, they both find that everything is not as they assumed and that things will never be as they were before.The illustrations added to the enjoyment. And while I enjoyed it I'm not sure where it's supposed to go, it's a bit long for a kid's book and a little childish for an adult. Still I'm looking forward to the next one
Rating: 4My husband and I are currently listening to the audio of this novel. We are close to finishing. The story is about a young girl named Prue who looses her baby brother to a flock of birds. She sets out on an adventure with her friend Curtis to find him. They enter a world just on the outskirts of the city called Wildwood. They come to find out Wildwood is a completely different world, filled with various creatures and awful government.
Rating: 4Ugh, I HATED this book. But at least it was really long. Now, there are two possible things coloring my reaction - 1. It's set in Portland, so I REALLY wanted this book to be awesome and 2. I listened to the audio version of this book and the reader, Amanda Plumber, has THE WORST voice, interpretation of phrasing, sound effects, she should seriously be banned from reading books aloud. Even for free. This book was convoluted, violent, and long. The girl's parents were useless - when they find out their baby is gone, they're like, "Oh well, that's too bad." And when the girl insists on going back into the forest they're like, "No don't. You're going anyway? OK." I do not think this is a very accurate or believable portrayal of parents. I have no interest in pursuing the other books in the series. Maybe the author develops his skill, but he had 9 million pages to do that in this book, so he used up all his chances in my mind.
Rating: 1This was an enjoyable children's book, but more than that, I thought this would be a wonderful gift book: it is lovingly put-together, with deckled pages, sturdy binding, and Carson Ellis' delightful illustrations throughout. It's the kind of book to hang onto if the recipient wants to keep a boxful of childhood possessions to pass on to their kids and the story, though fanciful, has a bit more "hey, bad things happen" than a lot of stories geared toward this age. Also, Wildwood is steeped in Portland's character and its protagonists, a boy and a girl, are both independently resourceful and make mistakes (and learn from them).
Rating: 3A grand book that takes place in our lovely NW Portland. I live by the wildwood trail and often when hiking I get to imagine the great divide, southwood, northwood, etc. This book has many similarities to Narnia but is very different too. The talking animals, the magical land, the split between good and evil are all very much comparable to Narnia. However, the characters in this book are very different. I did like this book, but I wan't totally engaged with it at all times like I have been with other novels like it. I can compare it with a novel similar in length and reading level, "The Mysterious Benedict Society," which I found to be a more gripping read. USE: entertainment; storytime
Rating: 4Bought this for my niece and then I started reading it myself, go figure.
Enjoyable. Loved the illustrations, and the storyline moved along. But this read more like a very familiar mashup of some of my favorite childhood stories rather than its own standout. As I was reading, I was thinking of Witch and the Wardrobe (without the symbolism), Robin Hood, Brer Rabbit and so on.
Reasons this book is easily spotted as a hipster-magnet, or at least a book born of two hipsters:
1) It's set in Portland.
2) The main character, Prue, is a preteen, but she knows how to change her own bicycle wheel. Psssshhh.
3) The language is often too large for the subject
4) The adjective I'd use to describe the book = whimsical
I feel bad writing it, but when I think of this book, "cute" comes to mind. Probably not the best compliment. I don't think this would have made it without the illustrations by Meloy's wife, Carson Ellis. Well done, Ellis. If I was OK with defacing books (which sadly, I'm not), I would tear out a few of the plates and frame them.
PS. Did anyone else notice all of the typos? I could definately tell where the publisher was skimping on costs. Yikes.
Rating: 3Enjoyable. Loved the illustrations, and the storyline moved along. But this read more like a very familiar mashup of some of my favorite childhood stories rather than its own standout. As I was reading, I was thinking of Witch and the Wardrobe (without the symbolism), Robin Hood, Brer Rabbit and so on.
Reasons this book is easily spotted as a hipster-magnet, or at least a book born of two hipsters:
1) It's set in Portland.
2) The main character, Prue, is a preteen, but she knows how to change her own bicycle wheel. Psssshhh.
3) The language is often too large for the subject
4) The adjective I'd use to describe the book = whimsical
I feel bad writing it, but when I think of this book, "cute" comes to mind. Probably not the best compliment. I don't think this would have made it without the illustrations by Meloy's wife, Carson Ellis. Well done, Ellis. If I was OK with defacing books (which sadly, I'm not), I would tear out a few of the plates and frame them.
PS. Did anyone else notice all of the typos? I could definately tell where the publisher was skimping on costs. Yikes.
A cautious four stars, maybe four and a half, until I read it again. I rather enjoyed it but, well, that was only once through. I hope to get back to it.
Rating: 4Beautiful design and illustrations but the story itself didn't grip me at all.
Rating: 2While charming and very Narnia-esque, nothing in this book really stood out for me. (Colin Meloy's strength as a songwriter is writing songs that could very well be traditional folk songs; it works better in music than in fiction.) I admit to zoning out a lot during the battle scenes. But I'm not really the target audience - as Baby's First Fat Fantasy Novel, this would have blown my mind as a ten-year-old. I'll definitely be foisting it on kids who've run out of Narnia.
Rating: 4Terrific fantasy set mostly in Widlwood, a fantastical world outside Portland, OR, across the Impassable Wilderness, starring Prue and Curtis, and an assortment of talking animals, heroic bandits, etc etc. Delightful
Rating: 5I really couldn't get into this one. I only read about 50 pages of it and then put it down because it was so predictable and nothing about it was interesting enough to keep me going. Another lesson to writers: you may have a unique and fabulous ending, but if the beginning is weak then your readers won't stick with you that long.
Rating: 3This is an interesting book given that the author is also the lead singer of the Decemberists. I think fans would have definitely bought this book. In the story, Pru and her friend Curtis set off to find Pru’s missing baby brother. They are two 7th graders on an adventure through a magical, fantasy world. This world parallels Portland, OR and the adventure takes place in the Impassable Wilderness the locals call Wildwood. Pru and Mac were “gifted” to their parents by some black magic. As a result, Mac is supposed to be the sacrifice. Pru is a precocious 12 year old who vows to bring back her brother. Alliances have to be forged and battles need to be won. Readers will look forward to the pivotal moment when the sacrifice is about to occur.This book is 541 pages long, which is quite lengthy for a middle school book. Some of the vocabulary is better suited to high school students. Pru is very stereotypically Portland. I think that most middle school readers would not see the connection. I think those details are for YA and adult readers. There are definitely many elements of traditional folk tales in this story. The setting is Portland, OR in an alternate world. The illustrations are fun and whimsical and will appeal to readers of all ages. This story is geared to readers who like fantasy. The plot drags a little bit and the motifs are a little overplayed. I think that middle school readers may give up if this is not their favorite genre. I think it might do better in a high school/YA library based on reading level. There is nothing controversial in the story that would need a specific maturity. There are not really any curriculum tie-ins besides suggesting it to individual readers. This book has been compared to Tolkien and Narnia and I think that is accurate. This is the first book of a planned trilogy.
Rating: 3When Prue’s little brother, Mac, gets stolen by crows, she follows them in an attempt to get them back and finds herself at the border of the Impassable Wilderness. After returning home to get supplies, she and Curtis, a boy from school who runs into her along the way and decides to go with her, find themselves in a parallel world filled with talking animals, an exiled Dowager Governess, and a world torn apart by war. Shortly after arriving, Curtis is captured by Coyotes and Prue is forced to find help and fend for herself. When she meets the current Governor-Regent, he reluctantly agrees to help her find her brother. His attaché’s actions, however, don’t seem to match that of someone trying to help her. Told through alternating points of view of Curtis and Prue, the lines of right and wrong appear blurred and trust seems impossible. Will Prue and Curtis be able to save Mac and make it back home? WILDWOOD is a fun-filled adventure for fantasy fans. The characters are well-developed. The plot is a little confusing, but fast-paced, complex, and engrossing. Readers who like animals, war, action, and parallel worlds will enjoy reading this book.
Rating: 4When eleven year-old Prue takes her baby brother Mac to run some errands in their hometown of Portland, OR, crows sweep in and kidnap Mac, taking him to the “Impassable Wood” at the edge of the Willamette River. Drawing on many classic normal-girl-ventures-into-extraordinary-world stories like The Wizard of Oz and Jim Henson’s Labyrinth, The Decemberists singer and songwriter Colin Meloy (with help from his wife, illustrator Carson Ellis), creates a enjoyable, if not terribly original world within Wildwood. Brave Prue decides to rescue her brother and is subsequently followed by classmate, Curtis, who offers his help in saving baby Mac. Not soon after they enter the Wood, Curtis is captured by talking coyotes in military uniform, and taken to the mysterious, beautiful and potentially dangerous Dowager Governess, Alexandra. Prue continues on her adventure with a ride from postman Richard and is taken to South Wood to get help finding her brother. She encounters many roadblocks in her search for Mac, meets Bandits, mystics and a bird prince named Owl Rex. Her parents prove to be basically useless, which isn’t surprising for this sort of tale of fantasy, but it’s disappointing nonetheless. How can two dopes create such an empowered kid? Hopefully one day, Meloy will explain this phenomenon.Colin Meloy’s whimsical work in The Decemberists make his move to writing children’s book a natural one, although one might hope that he’ll create a novelisation about a young man battling his mortal enemy in the belly of a whale.
Rating: 4I’m not sure I’m qualified to write a review for a juvenile/young adult book. This is probably the only one I’ve read in the last decade. Regardless, I am going to have a go at it. This book is a peculiar one, I was drawn to it as a fan of the author’s band, The Decemberists and was interested to see how the verbose Meloy would ply his writing for “the kiddies.” Overall, it seems that Meloy did not adjust his language much for a younger audience. There are still many instances of words that most freshmen in college would not understand. He did however wrap those words around a plot that could be easily grasped by most everyone.
There is a lot of exposition in this book as it weighs in at a meaty 560 pages, which is no doubt to set the stage for further volumes in this series. Sometimes this makes the story drag a little bit. This was no problem for me to overcome (as an adult reader), but I can’t help to wonder how easy that would be to a young reader. Would they lose interest? At the end of the novel, things accelerate quickly and the resolutions happen a little too neatly which was a bit of an annoyance.
In the end this book was entertaining, and certainly different from my usual reading. My rating is a strong three stars. I intend to continue on to the next volume once it’s released to see where Meloy takes us.
Rating: 3There is a lot of exposition in this book as it weighs in at a meaty 560 pages, which is no doubt to set the stage for further volumes in this series. Sometimes this makes the story drag a little bit. This was no problem for me to overcome (as an adult reader), but I can’t help to wonder how easy that would be to a young reader. Would they lose interest? At the end of the novel, things accelerate quickly and the resolutions happen a little too neatly which was a bit of an annoyance.
In the end this book was entertaining, and certainly different from my usual reading. My rating is a strong three stars. I intend to continue on to the next volume once it’s released to see where Meloy takes us.
A charming tale of two children's adventures in the Impassable Wilderness that lies across the river from their otherwise recognisably modern home. When Prue's baby brother is kidnapped by crows, she journeys into the Wilderness to get him back, followed by her classmate Curtis. The two are separated almost immediately, treating us to two separate explorations of different parts of the Wildwood (as its residents call it) and providing a slow reveal of the bloody politics and black magic that are rapidly tearing apart the apparently serene / idyllic society.Impossible to avoid comparisons with Narnia - high jinks with talking animals (there is a moment early on where Curtis was clearly paying the price for not having read The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe), although there are darker moments as personal costs and moral dilemma come to the fore, and the emphasis is on personal responsibility rather than religion. A well-paced (if rather long) read, and beautifully illustrated in both monochrome and colour (although I was annoyed to find the colour plates in my edition are not placed relative to the part of the story they show - so almost every one is a plot spoiler!). I won't hasten to read the sequel, but I'd happily recommend it for children - they may struggle to finish it unless they are avid readers, but the writing is great and would benefit from being read aloud.
Rating: 4Actually a 2.5 if half-stars existed. Rounding up to a three because the book got off to SUCH a strong start, and Meloy's eloquent language has to count for something. The book reminded me of a velvet dress that could have been gorgeous if it had been more simply cut, but that kept getting added to and added to beyond the point of beauty, and then got caught in a downpour and became watterlogged. It just kept going on and on and ON. This Decemberist-turned-author has obvious talent, but hopefully his editor will discourage him from going off on quite so many tangents in future books.
Rating: 3Much more substantive than The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland.... I was surprised to read that people---human and animal---died in battles, but this is a serious book, albeit a most enjoyable read. It is not light reading; the book is, in fact, bulky and it might be nice if the three parts could be physically split with the entire work in a slipcase!Two children, Prue and Curtis, each about twelve-years-old, try to rescue Prue's year-old brother, who has been carried off by crows, and do much better than the adults around them. I was especially disappointed in the behavior of Prue's parents. This is yet another young adult book in which the children do better than the adults.The writing is intelligent and even the descriptive bits (usually my least favorite part of stories) are interesting. The children are smart and knowledgeable. Curtis, for example, likes Kurasawa. There are different government structures and social organizations---this is a detailed world. Except for a baby being carried off by crows, the book starts out very realistically. Not all questions are answered by the end of the book, but the primary story is resolved.A favorite quote:"My dear Prue, we are the inheritors of a wonderful world, a beautiful world, full of life and mystery, goodness and pain. But likewise are we children of an indifferent universe. We break our own hearts imposing our moral order on what is, by nature, a wide web of chaos. it is a hopeless task." [p. 380]
Rating: 5great adventure in this fantastical new fantasy
Rating: 4I picked this book up on the author's name alone. I'm a big Decemberists fan so there was no way I couldn't grab it. I have to say though that I was a bit disappointed.
Firstly I don't know who this book was truly made for. At 560 pages it's not a small book. Much too long for young children as well as quite dark and violent in places. For older children I don't think it is quite realistic in terms of characters or fantastical enough in setting. The lead character listens to vinyl and does yoga and is pretty much a hipster child. It just doesn't work. And for adults it's too cliche. This book reads like so many others before it. It's compared a lot to the Narnia books and I can see that and it's not a good comparison. The Narnia books were fine when I was young but this is not a homage it's a rip-off. Aslan has been replaced by Mother Nature.
This book really dragged for me. It would have been much better at half the size. If all the volumes in this trilogy are the same size I can't see many sticking it all the way through.
I think Colin Meloy does far better as a songwriter. He tells marvelous stories in them whilst keeping them short and sharp. I wouldn't say don't read it but don't do it just for the Decemberists.
Rating: 3Firstly I don't know who this book was truly made for. At 560 pages it's not a small book. Much too long for young children as well as quite dark and violent in places. For older children I don't think it is quite realistic in terms of characters or fantastical enough in setting. The lead character listens to vinyl and does yoga and is pretty much a hipster child. It just doesn't work. And for adults it's too cliche. This book reads like so many others before it. It's compared a lot to the Narnia books and I can see that and it's not a good comparison. The Narnia books were fine when I was young but this is not a homage it's a rip-off. Aslan has been replaced by Mother Nature.
This book really dragged for me. It would have been much better at half the size. If all the volumes in this trilogy are the same size I can't see many sticking it all the way through.
I think Colin Meloy does far better as a songwriter. He tells marvelous stories in them whilst keeping them short and sharp. I wouldn't say don't read it but don't do it just for the Decemberists.
I found this book a bit of a slog, to be honest. I guess I found it to be a rip-off of "The Chronicles of Narnia" in many places. I think my favorite part about it was using my Justin Bieber bookmark (this book is written by the lead singer of the Decemberists.)
Rating: 2Could have been a minor classic but for one fatal flaw. The Parents. Basically they leave their 12 year old daughter, Prue, to care for and raise their baby son. And when the baby is kidnapped? And Prue goes to rescue him? The parents' reaction? Well, they have Prue, let it be. They were lucky to have her. Don't risk herself. They don't want to lose two kids. WHAT? I understand the author wanting to give his heroine every chance to prove herself heroic but writing in parents who aren't gung ho & willing to risk all to rescue their baby? Who don't want their daughter to do so either? What kind of message is that for kids to read? This is kidlit! And then they are all happily re-united at the end. Totally unreal and jarring. I'm 100% onboard with artistic license but that is totally incongruent in any reality. Either the parents are admirable people who act admirably and so one desires to come home. Or they are weak, irresponsible, uncaring people about whom one must have reservations about from that point on. I can only assume that the author has no children. Or that he forgets how much children need parents they can rely on.
Rating: 3