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Eleanor (1463 KP) rated Inkheart in Books

Jul 10, 2019  
Inkheart
Inkheart
Cornelia Funke | 2003 | Children
6
7.6 (38 Ratings)
Book Rating
A bit too drawn out children's fantasy.
I don’t read a lot of YA but if there's one thing that’s sure to get me to pick one up it’s…… bookclub pressure! I haven’t read a lot of fantasy recently so I did go into this looking forward to a change of pace and I certainly got that.

The premise for the book is interesting with the crossover of fictional characters into our world being enabled by those able to read them out. However the fact that this was something that was stated in the blurb but didn’t really get covered until well into the book I think speaks to the drawn out nature of this book. I really think it would of been better if it had been condensed. When a character gets captured for a second time I was all “oh no not this again” rather than feeling tension and excitement.

Perhaps a function of this being a translated work, I never really felt I got into the flow of this book. I didn’t like Meggie the 12 year old protagonist, although that may just be a dislike of stubborn annoying 12-year olds in general. I did however love the Elinor character (and not just for the solid name choice!) She’s a no nonsense full on book nerd. I did however find the books general and constant attitude of people that love books are far superior to everyone else to be a bit patronising.

I’m sure I would have enjoyed this a lot more when I was 12.
  
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Kaz (232 KP) Jul 10, 2019

I totally agree with you about the pacing of this book. It was so drawn out that it lacked any drive. I didn't mind Meggie, she came across as a typical teenager. Great review!
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Emma (519 KP) Jul 11, 2019

There's also two more sequels of the same length.
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Suswatibasu (1701 KP) rated Housekeeping: Faber Modern Classics in Books

Sep 7, 2017  
Housekeeping: Faber Modern Classics
Housekeeping: Faber Modern Classics
Marilynne Robinson | 2015 | Fiction & Poetry
9
9.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Haunting imagery, tremendous classic American literature
There was something deeply unsettling yet moving about this book exploring abandonment, solitude and loss over the span of three generations of women in a family.

Ruth, who is our main narrator, is speaking about her childhood in which her sister Lucille and her were continually abandoned by one family or another. Eventually they end up with their deeply eccentric aunt Sylvie, and she seems completely incapable in many ways of being a responsible parent, but rather a sister instead. She leads a transcient life, having deserted her husband, jumping on trains to get from place to place. She's a spirited wanderer, and sees Ruth as an ally and her own sister, Helen, who killed herself at the start of the book.

Their solitary life of never mixing, but staying in the great outdoors both seems idyllic and claustrophobic. There are images of the lake where the children's mother committed suicide, that seem to draw the women to this area. The metaphors are cold and quiet hence it feels unnerving.

It's a classic American tale about real women, which makes this different to the old books talking only about marriage and fidelity.
  
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Nicole Hadley (380 KP) rated The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street in Books

Jun 14, 2018  
TV
The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street
Karina Yan Glaser | 2017
10
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Glaser is a wonderful book that's positively overflowing with charm. The Vanderbeeker children are hilarious, and I fell instantly in love with each one of them and with the happy chaos of their household of 5 children, one dog, one cat and one bunny.

The five Vanderbeeker children range from age 4-and-three-quarters to twelve; four girls and one boy. They also have a dog, a cat and a rabbit which all adds up to one bustling household. When they find out their lease will not be renewed for the new year, the kids all come up with their own ways to convince their landlord to let them stay.

Each of the kids are endearing in their own way, as are the the various neighbors who are such a big part of life as they know it. The Vanderbeekers face troubles, misunderstandings and heartaches, but in their lives there is also beauty, music, ingenuity, teamwork, and love.

I received this ARC from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Book Group and HMH Books for Young Readers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 
  
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Eilidh G Clark (177 KP) rated The Wind in the Willows in Books

Jul 2, 2019  
The Wind in the Willows
The Wind in the Willows
Kenneth Grahame | 1908 | Children, Fiction & Poetry
7
7.3 (15 Ratings)
Book Rating
The language is beautiful (0 more)
Perhaps a little slow (0 more)
I was pleasantly surprised by this book
I was surprised by this book. I did a bit of a skim read to begin with because I intend to use some of the books content as part of an essay that I'm writing for children's literature. My skim read put me off reading it for a few days. When I did start reading it I was enthralled by Grahame's use of language and imagery. I have to say that his use of language to describe the countryside and the changing seasons is perhaps some of the most beautiful language I have ever read. He captures the scenery so perfectly that you can almost touch it.
The characters were good, toad in particular. It is clear to see that Grahame was talking about hysteria in the character of toad. Written in the early 20th century, the novel is typical of its slower pace when compared to modern literature for children. The humour and sentiment may be enough to grip even the 21st century child. As an adult though, this is a delightful little book that should never be skimmed.