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amselbb's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
ldeva495's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
cornmaven's review against another edition
5.0
Definitely in the vein of Harry Potter, and a good choice for younger kids who don't think they want to tackle Potter yet. Also has a touch of Roald Dahl with the evil aunts and even the grandmother being pretty wicked. I liked the different 'powers' that each 'endowed' person has - interesting choices and they might bring about a good discussion about whether having a 'power' is a blessing or a curse.
aqsa_ayman's review against another edition
5.0
Must admit that nostalgia is a major factor in this rating, but I really do think this is a great series. Comparing it to Harry Potter doesn’t make sense to me. I enjoy the magic of that world and I enjoy superhero stories, but I also find this story refreshing in the sense that the magic is subtle. The endowed children make up a small percentage of Bloor’s academy, the gifts they have are unique, and often it’s alluded to and not just part of action sequences, which sets up future books in this series pretty well!
I only wish I enjoyed the audiobook as much as the paperback. The narration is great but the character voices are a little bizarre. Grandma Bone sounds like a perpetually angry pantomime villain and 17 year old Manfred sounds more like a 43 year old chain smoker.
I only wish I enjoyed the audiobook as much as the paperback. The narration is great but the character voices are a little bizarre. Grandma Bone sounds like a perpetually angry pantomime villain and 17 year old Manfred sounds more like a 43 year old chain smoker.
lmwrites's review against another edition
5.0
Re-read. I'm on a kick of going back to my favorite books from when I was younger, and what better place to take that then the Children of the Red King? I've loved the Charlie Bone series since I was 8 years old and this first book kicks off with style. Powers, a boarding school, mystery -- and taking place in the U.K.? Plus it still managed to keep my attention despite being an adult.
asweettoothedvampire's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This book was definitely a whirlwind of emotions.
Overall I think it was really a very good book, and I do plan to read/listen to the rest of the series as the premise of the book and world is very interesting.
For writing, and story, I would give this a 5 stars for the enjoyment. However, there were bits that I did not understand. Some of these things might have been, however, that I am not British and their customs (especially in regard to school aged children) are quite abnormal to me. These things also tend to pop up in other British books about children of a similar age, so I must assume that most of the confusion comes from a cultural non-understanding and not the writing. Still, this did dull my enjoyment of it, as some of the events in the book also seemed rather drastic for children who were around the age of 10.
I am also hoping that I will gain more insight as I go further into the story, as the book seemed to end in a cliffhanger that was closer to the middle of a chapter than the hook to a following book.
If you have access, as I did via my library, to not only the first one but the second one, I would recommend this book. I would however, if I were a parent, perhaps read this book before simply giving it to your child. Some of the more sensitive children might find the content warnings I noted difficult to get past.
Overall I think it was really a very good book, and I do plan to read/listen to the rest of the series as the premise of the book and world is very interesting.
For writing, and story, I would give this a 5 stars for the enjoyment. However, there were bits that I did not understand. Some of these things might have been, however, that I am not British and their customs (especially in regard to school aged children) are quite abnormal to me. These things also tend to pop up in other British books about children of a similar age, so I must assume that most of the confusion comes from a cultural non-understanding and not the writing. Still, this did dull my enjoyment of it, as some of the events in the book also seemed rather drastic for children who were around the age of 10.
I am also hoping that I will gain more insight as I go further into the story, as the book seemed to end in a cliffhanger that was closer to the middle of a chapter than the hook to a following book.
If you have access, as I did via my library, to not only the first one but the second one, I would recommend this book. I would however, if I were a parent, perhaps read this book before simply giving it to your child. Some of the more sensitive children might find the content warnings I noted difficult to get past.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Bullying
Minor: Violence and Stalking
evasbuecher's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
pandora_opens's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0