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absentminded_reader's review against another edition
2.0
This was a difficult book to read. I stopped at 33%. The House with the Clock in Its Walls was so delightful. I enjoyed the writing, characters, and story. This book in comparison was dull and joyless. Johnny plodded through his days. He did this. He did that. Now he did this again. The narrative was perfunctory and literal, but not entertaining.
bonkstrats's review against another edition
4.0
These are "children" books, but they're pretty scary! Also very engaging, well-written, and enjoyable. Might suggest a little proof-reading before giving to kids, if they're prone to being frightened.
shubhra19's review against another edition
3.0
Well, if you read this book real quick, it would be a good decision. Don't try to savor it since it drags at a few points. It was fun though.
The best part was the Professor!
The best part was the Professor!
karmakat's review against another edition
3.0
An entertaining book. Somewhat dated, but still a good read full of suspense.
manwithanagenda's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
It's 1951 and Johnny Dixon is in seventh grade. He has recently come up from Long Island to live with his grandparents in Duston Heights, MA. His mother died less than a year ago of cancer and his father accepted a position as a jet pilot in the Korean War.
A shy kid and fond of books, Johnny hasn't made any close friends yet at his new school and has attracted the attention of the class bully. He worries about this, but when he makes a new friend in the cranky old Professor Roderick Random Childermass who shares his love of books, chess and fudge-y chocolate frosting, he's happy enough.
Then the professor tells him a ghost story about the villainous Father Baart who was supposed to have caused the death of two parisoners of Duston Heights in the 1890s before vanishing. Rumors persist of sightings of the black-cloaked priest in the pews and of an occult artifact left behind in the church....
Making a detour into the church to avoid his bully, Johnny finds himself in the church alone and decides to do some exploring. He finds a hollowed out book in the basement containing an Egyptian figure and a warning - which he of course ignores and he winds up taking the object home.
Things begin to get weird.
I remember being a little confused by this one when I first read it. Bellairs puts in a lot of period detail into the story and there are many scenes that develop the personality of the characters, but slow down the plot. There's a nice little aside explaining the fictional town is named after Hannah Duston, who was captured in 1697 after a raid on Haverhill and escaped by killing and scalping her Native American captors. Certain elements such as the origin of certain accursed objects and why Johnny ends up in the precise remote rural location where the evil is strongest are never explained. There's a bit of impatient hand-waving by the professor about those bits that didn't sit well with me then or now. Despite that, this improved my impression of the book and I look forward to re-reading more of these soon.
Johnny Dixon
Next: 'The Mummy, the Will, and the Crypt'
A shy kid and fond of books, Johnny hasn't made any close friends yet at his new school and has attracted the attention of the class bully. He worries about this, but when he makes a new friend in the cranky old Professor Roderick Random Childermass who shares his love of books, chess and fudge-y chocolate frosting, he's happy enough.
Then the professor tells him a ghost story about the villainous Father Baart who was supposed to have caused the death of two parisoners of Duston Heights in the 1890s before vanishing. Rumors persist of sightings of the black-cloaked priest in the pews and of an occult artifact left behind in the church....
Making a detour into the church to avoid his bully, Johnny finds himself in the church alone and decides to do some exploring. He finds a hollowed out book in the basement containing an Egyptian figure and a warning - which he of course ignores and he winds up taking the object home.
Things begin to get weird.
I remember being a little confused by this one when I first read it. Bellairs puts in a lot of period detail into the story and there are many scenes that develop the personality of the characters, but slow down the plot. There's a nice little aside explaining the fictional town is named after Hannah Duston, who was captured in 1697 after a raid on Haverhill and escaped by killing and scalping her Native American captors. Certain elements such as the origin of certain accursed objects and why Johnny ends up in the precise remote rural location where the evil is strongest are never explained. There's a bit of impatient hand-waving by the professor about those bits that didn't sit well with me then or now. Despite that, this improved my impression of the book and I look forward to re-reading more of these soon.
Johnny Dixon
Next: 'The Mummy, the Will, and the Crypt'
lamisosoup's review against another edition
5.0
Love this book! It's a horror, so if you're easily scared, I don't advise you read it.
haddyaddy's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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
3.5
aliibera's review against another edition
4.0
Bellairs is scary and yet comforting. But genuinely scary. I enjoyed these books when I was young and find them still exactly the same.