Scan barcode
infinnable's review against another edition
Will and the Drew's come together in another fine adventure bringing together the mystery and magic of Book 2 and the Blytonesque adventure of Book 1
daja57's review against another edition
3.0
The third in the 'Dark Is Rising' series of five books aimed at children.
We return to Cornwall, scene of the first book (Over Sea Under Stone). The grail that Simon, Barney and Jane discovered has been stolen from the museum and they have a week of Easter holiday with Great Uncle Merry to search for it. Tagging along is Will, the hero of the second book (The Dark is Rising); unknown to the other three kids, Will is one of the Old Ones, magicians who fight for the Light against the Dark.
I was a little disappointed that the opportunities for jealousy and resentment are not really exploited but this is, after all, a children's book. The mood of the book has returned to the light, carefree atmosphere of the first book - these are Cornish holidays - and I missed the dark, threatening mood of the start of the second book, set in a wintry Thames valley. But the arousal of Wild Magic, independent of either Light or Dark, partly made up for this.
One of its strengths is that it did have some excellent descriptions which I have included among the selected quotes below. The best chapters were those featuring Jane: making the Greenwitch and the night of chaos.
It's a very short and simple book which would probably appeal to well-behaved middle-class kids aged about ten.
We return to Cornwall, scene of the first book (Over Sea Under Stone). The grail that Simon, Barney and Jane discovered has been stolen from the museum and they have a week of Easter holiday with Great Uncle Merry to search for it. Tagging along is Will, the hero of the second book (The Dark is Rising); unknown to the other three kids, Will is one of the Old Ones, magicians who fight for the Light against the Dark.
I was a little disappointed that the opportunities for jealousy and resentment are not really exploited but this is, after all, a children's book. The mood of the book has returned to the light, carefree atmosphere of the first book - these are Cornish holidays - and I missed the dark, threatening mood of the start of the second book, set in a wintry Thames valley. But the arousal of Wild Magic, independent of either Light or Dark, partly made up for this.
One of its strengths is that it did have some excellent descriptions which I have included among the selected quotes below. The best chapters were those featuring Jane: making the Greenwitch and the night of chaos.
It's a very short and simple book which would probably appeal to well-behaved middle-class kids aged about ten.
trin's review against another edition
2.0
This is the last of the [book: Dark Is Rising] books that I own(ed); I made myself read it before I could allow myself to give them away. There was exciting crossover potential!!!1! in the Drews meeting Will, but they actually didn't interact very much; I'm not even really sure why Will was there. Or what Merriman needs the Drews for, really—they're kept out of the loop a lot and made to forget stuff, which I find creepy, even though I don't think we're meant to view it as such. Oddly, at the same time Cooper seems sincere when she has Merriman promise that nothing physically bad can happen to them. So where's the sense of danger? The Pevensies faced death, you know. *grumble*
I was pretty bored. I'm glad all three books are now on their way to people who, hopefully, will get more enjoyment out of them.
I was pretty bored. I'm glad all three books are now on their way to people who, hopefully, will get more enjoyment out of them.
jrgryphon's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
onewheeloneil's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I really enjoyed this book. I realized reading it as an adult that I didn't retain hardly any of the story from reading it as a kid.
I loved that Jane's selflessness was their saving grace.
I loved that Jane's selflessness was their saving grace.
rebeccabadger's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
protoman21's review against another edition
3.0
I was a bit lost in this one. I guess the story did move forward a little, and I'm glad the kids got together, but overall it felt like not a whole lot happened.
rebecka2023's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0