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rosiej's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
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? N/A
5.0
lory_enterenchanted's review against another edition
4.0
Another 2021 reread of a childhood favorite. I always loved this exciting adventure story, illogical though it may be. My favorite part was when Ellen puts the crown on in the cave lined with glittering quartz stones and feels peacefully entranced, as if by beautiful silent music. Nowadays, I still find the story powerful as an image of ego development, which can achieve mastery of lower forces and mechanistic elements -- "who wears the black crown, I rule; who wears the silver crown, rules me." Not that much character development happens in the story; Ellen just innately has this ability (as stated in the very first sentence, although we don't yet fully understand its significance: "Ellen had always known she was a queen, and now the crown proved it"). But in the end she is tested by the temptation of absolute power, and does prove herself a real ruler by giving it up.
The exposition of the Hieronymus Machine's plot to rule the world is a chilling counterpart to enterprises now underway ... the seemingly harmless devices that invade everyone's homes and make them into tools of the machine. Maybe if enough people read this book they won't be fooled.
The exposition of the Hieronymus Machine's plot to rule the world is a chilling counterpart to enterprises now underway ... the seemingly harmless devices that invade everyone's homes and make them into tools of the machine. Maybe if enough people read this book they won't be fooled.
breeducky993's review against another edition
5.0
I haven't read this book in years and it was at mums so I borrowed it to read again. I forgot the story line and its still as I remember
alexandramargi's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
4.5
lamontslament's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
a_chickletz's review against another edition
DNFed. this book was just a chore and not very interesting to me.
mousereads's review against another edition
5.0
I understand why this was my favorite book as a child, to say the very least.
emmahind's review against another edition
4.0
I read this book when I was 7 years old, almost 20 years ago. It has stayed with me all this time. I've searched for it for most of those years - I could never remember the title! I loved this book and I have very clear memories of certain parts that really stuck in my head. After reading other reviews, where people have said it is disappointing as an adult... I still think I'd love to read it again. Any book that can stay with you for 20 years after first reading it has got to be worth something!
eupomene's review against another edition
3.0
Where was this book when I was 10 years old? I would have loved it then. I liked it now. A little girl on a quest through the woods along the highway in Kentucky? Oh yes. A little girl who believes herself a queen and is one day given the opportunity to prove it? That's here too. A scary alternative "school" in which evil is taught by a machine from the past -- cool! My brother