deepfreezebatman's review against another edition
4.0
I know I would've loved this book as a kid (hell, I loved reading it now as an adult!). Creepy old house, a mysterious riddle, a hidden will, AND a mummy? I was sold from the first chapter!
I have a few more of John Bellairs' books to enjoy (picked up a few over the years at HPB), and I hope they don't disappoint!
I have a few more of John Bellairs' books to enjoy (picked up a few over the years at HPB), and I hope they don't disappoint!
calistareads's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoy these books. This is about Johnny Dixon and he needs money to help his grandparents so they can pay their doctor bills. A widow is looking for a lost Will and she will pay 10,000 who can solve the puzzle of where it is. Surprise - Johnny finds the Will.
Written in the 80s, it has a gothic feel to them and they are set in the 50s. It is a safe and cozy creepy factor. These are great for pre-teens and teens. Heck, I still enjoy them. They aren't groundbreaking or all that surprising. They are a great read a night in front of the fire, or snuggled in bed to just relax too.
Many of these books are being forgotten and I hope they have a resurgence. They are fun books and need to stick around for the next generation.
Written in the 80s, it has a gothic feel to them and they are set in the 50s. It is a safe and cozy creepy factor. These are great for pre-teens and teens. Heck, I still enjoy them. They aren't groundbreaking or all that surprising. They are a great read a night in front of the fire, or snuggled in bed to just relax too.
Many of these books are being forgotten and I hope they have a resurgence. They are fun books and need to stick around for the next generation.
calistareads's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoy these books. This is about Johnny Dixon and he needs money to help his grandparents so they can pay their doctor bills. A widow is looking for a lost Will and she will pay 10,000 who can solve the puzzle of where it is. Surprise - Johnny finds the Will.
Written in the 80s, it has a gothic feel to them and they are set in the 50s. It is a safe and cozy creepy factor. These are great for pre-teens and teens. Heck, I still enjoy them. They aren't groundbreaking or all that surprising. They are a great read a night in front of the fire, or snuggled in bed to just relax too.
Many of these books are being forgotten and I hope they have a resurgence. They are fun books and need to stick around for the next generation.
Written in the 80s, it has a gothic feel to them and they are set in the 50s. It is a safe and cozy creepy factor. These are great for pre-teens and teens. Heck, I still enjoy them. They aren't groundbreaking or all that surprising. They are a great read a night in front of the fire, or snuggled in bed to just relax too.
Many of these books are being forgotten and I hope they have a resurgence. They are fun books and need to stick around for the next generation.
molliekay's review
3.0
I remember being absolutely terrified for days when I read this book. Twenty-five years later? Not so much. But it's still a fun book, especially if you like treasure hunts.
manwithanagenda's review
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? Yes
4.0
I never became too attached to Johnny Dixon growing up, I read all the Bellairs I could get my hands on, but despite the gorier aspects of Dixon titles im my memory he was someone just along for the ride in the books, not the main focus. The Professor was much more interesting.
Reading 'The Mummy, the Will, and the Crypt' as an adult, however, I can finally understand where Johnny is coming from. The main plot involves the solution to a rich eccentric's puzzle-will and an evil presence at that man's country estate. The real story is Johnny processing the loneliness that made him friends with Professor Roderick Childermass in the first place. Johnny's father has gone missing while fighting in Korea and his grandparents had been raising him in the meantime, but now it might become a permanent situation. To get his mind off of the news, Johnny is forced to go to Boy Scout camp where he meets a friend his own age, the irritating Fergie, and together they find a few hints about the missing will - and the horror guarding its location. When his grandmother becomes ill and is in need of an expensive operation, Johnny is desperate to help - and is willing to face that horror again. By the way, when Johnny comes home and finds his grandmother ill, that was more horrifying than anything else that I can think of in Bellairs' canon.
Bellairs books were best when the mystery came secondary to the emotional plight of the characters, such as in 'The Letter, the Witch, and the Ring', and Johnny's wild adventures through time and space and zombies never connected with me personally. It looks like at least these first Dixon books were aware of a need for that connection.
Johnny Dixon
Next: 'Spell of the Sorcerer's Skull'
Previous: 'The Curse of the Blue Figurine'
Reading 'The Mummy, the Will, and the Crypt' as an adult, however, I can finally understand where Johnny is coming from. The main plot involves the solution to a rich eccentric's puzzle-will and an evil presence at that man's country estate. The real story is Johnny processing the loneliness that made him friends with Professor Roderick Childermass in the first place. Johnny's father has gone missing while fighting in Korea and his grandparents had been raising him in the meantime, but now it might become a permanent situation. To get his mind off of the news, Johnny is forced to go to Boy Scout camp where he meets a friend his own age, the irritating Fergie, and together they find a few hints about the missing will - and the horror guarding its location. When his grandmother becomes ill and is in need of an expensive operation, Johnny is desperate to help - and is willing to face that horror again. By the way, when Johnny comes home and finds his grandmother ill, that was more horrifying than anything else that I can think of in Bellairs' canon.
Bellairs books were best when the mystery came secondary to the emotional plight of the characters, such as in 'The Letter, the Witch, and the Ring', and Johnny's wild adventures through time and space and zombies never connected with me personally. It looks like at least these first Dixon books were aware of a need for that connection.
Johnny Dixon
Next: 'Spell of the Sorcerer's Skull'
Previous: 'The Curse of the Blue Figurine'
library_brandy's review
3.0
I wanted to love this, never having read John Bellairs before, but... eh. It didn't light my world on fire. The ending didn't address many of the questions I had... I dunno. I'll probably read more, but this sadly didn't wow me.
haddyaddy's review
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
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
3.75
threerings's review
3.0
I loved all John Bellairs books as a kid. I'm working on rereading them. I don't love the Johnny Dixon books as much as the Lewis Barnavelt books because the characters aren't nearly as awesome. But this second book was better than the Curse of the Blue Figurine. The mystery was pretty good and even page-turning in parts. It's disappointing to discover that these books aren't as good as I remember them being. I also miss the Edward Gorey covers.
aliibera's review
4.0
Like all of Bellairs gothic children's books, this is simultaneously cozy and truly creepy.
texasolsen's review
4.0
I read this book as a kid and then again with Ted after we were married. Yes it's a kids book, but it's a fun, fast moving story and it's well written.
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