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bluestarfish's review against another edition
5.0
Big, ambitious, crammed full of ideas, fun... I liked this book a lot. This story deals with time and power and doesn't shy away from the ugly things people will do for power, particle physics and wave theory, belief, responsibility, and love. And mammoths. This is an action-packed novel about Silver and Gabriel and had the usual lovely use of language to be expected from a Winterson book.
colltheresa's review against another edition
4.0
I'm not a fast reader, but I'm a persistent reader, and I finished this entire book on a 7 1/2 hour bus ride from NY to VA. I don't normally read children's books, but literally every other book I wanted to read was either checked out, or not available on my library app, plus Jeanette Winterson is my all time favorite author, so it wasn't exactly a hard sell.
We start out with an 11 year old Silver and find out she's living in a fantastically old house, full of history with her Aunt Rockabye after her parents and older sister went missing four years earlier. If you've read any of Winterson's other works and you're anything like me, you've come to anticipate her magical realism, and this book did not disappoint! She has this nearly tangible relationship with the house, named Tanglewreck, as if it's alive, and the two of them take care of each other. The second Aunt Rockabye is introduced, you will love to hate her!
Taking place in modern day London, strange things have been happening to time; sometimes it stands still, other times the past catches up to the present, but most worrying of all are the time tornadoes. A time tornado is essentially a vortex between two different time realities or dimensions, and anyone/thing who gets caught in its path is picked up and inexplicably goes missing, never to be seen again. One day a mysterious man shows up at Tanglewreck asking about a very particular clock called the Timekeeper, offering an enormous sum of money for it. This clock has been in Silver's family for hundreds of years, and was thought to have vanished along with her father all those years ago. Silver doesn't know where the Timekeeper is, or why it's so important, but she knows she can't let this man find it first. Silver embarks on a journey to save time itself, with the help of some some peculiar friends, and finds some answers along the way.
It was obvious that it was a children's book in the sense that there were clear cut good guys and bad guys. I won't say there was no dimension there, but not much which is to be expected. Being only 11 years old, Silver is an incredibly brave and determined young girl, she makes for quite the heroine! She radiates purity, and that extends into everything she touches, especially her relationship with the boy she had a crush on!
This was a very sweet book, and if you're looking for something just light and fanciful enough to make you wonder about the world again, I highly recommend this book!
We start out with an 11 year old Silver and find out she's living in a fantastically old house, full of history with her Aunt Rockabye after her parents and older sister went missing four years earlier. If you've read any of Winterson's other works and you're anything like me, you've come to anticipate her magical realism, and this book did not disappoint! She has this nearly tangible relationship with the house, named Tanglewreck, as if it's alive, and the two of them take care of each other. The second Aunt Rockabye is introduced, you will love to hate her!
Taking place in modern day London, strange things have been happening to time; sometimes it stands still, other times the past catches up to the present, but most worrying of all are the time tornadoes. A time tornado is essentially a vortex between two different time realities or dimensions, and anyone/thing who gets caught in its path is picked up and inexplicably goes missing, never to be seen again. One day a mysterious man shows up at Tanglewreck asking about a very particular clock called the Timekeeper, offering an enormous sum of money for it. This clock has been in Silver's family for hundreds of years, and was thought to have vanished along with her father all those years ago. Silver doesn't know where the Timekeeper is, or why it's so important, but she knows she can't let this man find it first. Silver embarks on a journey to save time itself, with the help of some some peculiar friends, and finds some answers along the way.
It was obvious that it was a children's book in the sense that there were clear cut good guys and bad guys. I won't say there was no dimension there, but not much which is to be expected. Being only 11 years old, Silver is an incredibly brave and determined young girl, she makes for quite the heroine! She radiates purity, and that extends into everything she touches, especially her relationship with the boy she had a crush on!
This was a very sweet book, and if you're looking for something just light and fanciful enough to make you wonder about the world again, I highly recommend this book!
emromc's review against another edition
1.0
I don't know if I've ever read a book more bizarre. I probably have, but none come to mind right now.
I wanted this to be good, unique, fun bizarre, but it wasn't.
Just plain weird.
I wanted this to be good, unique, fun bizarre, but it wasn't.
Just plain weird.
mrswythe89's review against another edition
3.0
I heard somewhere that this was worth reading, and it is. I didn't fall in love with this book, but I was quite impressed. It's a good, solid children's book with exactly the right amounts of creepy, numinous, and moralisin'. The plot was great, exciting and intelligent. A consummate piece of work is what I'd call it.
I wasn't enchanted with the ending -- Silver did the right thing, but I felt it sort of, I dunno, flapped in the wind a bit? It could've ended with more of a bang. Abel Darkwater could have been slimier or scarier -- they kept telling us he wasn't to be trusted, but I wasn't feeling it. But Regalia Mason is great, totally deserving of standing with Mrs. Coulter in the pantheon of coldly beautiful female villains. And I love the names.
I wasn't enchanted with the ending -- Silver did the right thing, but I felt it sort of, I dunno, flapped in the wind a bit? It could've ended with more of a bang. Abel Darkwater could have been slimier or scarier -- they kept telling us he wasn't to be trusted, but I wasn't feeling it. But Regalia Mason is great, totally deserving of standing with Mrs. Coulter in the pantheon of coldly beautiful female villains. And I love the names.
daffz's review against another edition
4.0
Tanglewreck is definitely more of a children's book than a young adult book, but that doesn't mean it isn't good.
It presented time and time travel in a very unique way which made the story very interesting and fun to read. The main character was nice but the characters I loved most were the villains, especially Regalia Mason. Her character alone was enough for me to give this book 4 stars.
It was a fun, light read that I would recommend mostly to young teens, but anyone who likes time travel could definitely enjoy this novel.
It presented time and time travel in a very unique way which made the story very interesting and fun to read. The main character was nice but the characters I loved most were the villains, especially Regalia Mason. Her character alone was enough for me to give this book 4 stars.
It was a fun, light read that I would recommend mostly to young teens, but anyone who likes time travel could definitely enjoy this novel.
asteinke19's review against another edition
5.0
I can't believe that no one has read this book on here?!? It's such a great book, a little romance, adventure, mystery... I don't understand what else is there? READ IT!
rachelsb's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
suspendedinair's review against another edition
4.0
If you were younger and cuter and I read you a story, that story would be this. Winterson is Mother Goose on the rocks.
chirson's review against another edition
3.0
Weirdly enough, it felt longer than her adult books. Not so much YA as children's. I enjoyed the storytelling but I am not sure I felt the charm after the first 1/3. The ominous rabbit was the best part.
thereadingsparrow's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement and Murder
Minor: Animal death and Abandonment