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sherrahb's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
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
lostinfrance's review against another edition
3.0
A series I missed as a teen- Arthurian stuff and YA...recommended by a friend (Austin). I finally took the time to grab the first one of the series (Do I really need more series to climb through?).
This is the story of 3 siblings that go to spend there summer with their parents in Cornwall with a mysterious uncle....they magically find a map in the house when exploring the attic- and there are weird bad guys that break into the house to search for it- with the map they go on a quest to search for....they aren't sure. The uncle appears when most needed, a dog that seems to protect them, tides and coves and a yacht in the harbor. I will grab the second in the series- though it doesn't really stand up to YA of today.
Read if you enjoy all things Merlin.
M&L Reading Challenge 2024: a book you would have loved as a kid
This is the story of 3 siblings that go to spend there summer with their parents in Cornwall with a mysterious uncle....they magically find a map in the house when exploring the attic- and there are weird bad guys that break into the house to search for it- with the map they go on a quest to search for....they aren't sure. The uncle appears when most needed, a dog that seems to protect them, tides and coves and a yacht in the harbor. I will grab the second in the series- though it doesn't really stand up to YA of today.
Read if you enjoy all things Merlin.
M&L Reading Challenge 2024: a book you would have loved as a kid
ememh_'s review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-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
3.5
sheiksleopardthong's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-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
2.25
Casually racist, sexist and xenophobic. Not uncommon for a white British author from the 60's but still disappointing.
tovetott's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
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
4.0
Jag fick denna rekommenderad till mig av min pappa som läste den när han var barn och ärligt talat, inte så pjåkig!
Vi följer en klassisk syskonskara som letar efter äventyr i en liten alla-känner-alla stad som är fylld med hemligheter och mystiska personer. Och till min stora glädje så är mysteriet/äventyret kopplat till Kung Arthur och hans riddare och deras Heliga Graal, vilket fick mig som Legendborn-besatt att nästan tappa det helt när jag insåg att så var fallet lol 💀💀💀
Både i språket och en del väldigt underliga YIKES-tillfällen i jämförelse med hur saker hanteras idag (t.ex. en vit man som tar på sig brun makeup för att "klä ut sig till arab" av under en karnival av oklar anledning), är det väldigt tydligt att senna bok publicerades i 1965 lol. Men allt som allt, en väldigt chill enkel läsning.
Men uh också helt personliga negativa poäng för grottutforskningsdelen och otaliga orostankar om att "fastna". Usch usch USCH lol
Vi följer en klassisk syskonskara som letar efter äventyr i en liten alla-känner-alla stad som är fylld med hemligheter och mystiska personer. Och till min stora glädje så är mysteriet/äventyret kopplat till Kung Arthur och hans riddare och deras Heliga Graal, vilket fick mig som Legendborn-besatt att nästan tappa det helt när jag insåg att så var fallet lol 💀💀💀
Både i språket och en del väldigt underliga YIKES-tillfällen i jämförelse med hur saker hanteras idag (t.ex. en vit man som tar på sig brun makeup för att "klä ut sig till arab" av under en karnival av oklar anledning), är det väldigt tydligt att senna bok publicerades i 1965 lol. Men allt som allt, en väldigt chill enkel läsning.
Men uh också helt personliga negativa poäng för grottutforskningsdelen och otaliga orostankar om att "fastna". Usch usch USCH lol
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping and Cultural appropriation
darthemed's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
cgreaderbee's review against another edition
Another one I just wasn’t vibing with. I’m about 23% of the way through, I’ve read four chapters, I’ve tried both ebook and audiobook, and I just…meh. There’s mild interest, in the general mystery of what these kids could find and knowing it’s going to build into quite the adventure over a series of five books. And it seems like there’s a general consensus in people who read it in their younger days that it’s a nostalgic classic. So maybe we missed our time together. These kids feel generic, and a little annoying (which I think is mostly the writing and fact it was written a while ago, so certain cliches feel less tolerable). So it’s time to shelf. Feels like a weight’s been lifted.
geohawk's review against another edition
4.0
Much more entertaining than I expected, despite AlexLit shouting at me to read The Dark is Rising for the entirety of the website's existence. Cooper provides descriptive action that is superior to most children's lit of the era, and it feels very cinematic in quality at points.
wafflesplat's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
This is a fun little adventure, very similar in tone to Treasure Island, with parts that reminded me a little of the beginning of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. It has some wonderfully tense parts, and a very nice climax. Despite being part of a series, this story works as a standalone novel. Also, the book is so well written I pictured the tiny sea port where the book is set (Trewissick) nearly exactly as the town it is based on looks (Mevagissey).
As a middle-schooler, I’d have given this 5 stars. As someone over 50, a few parts knocked it back a little for me, mainly that the astronomical “clues” they are following would be incredibly rare and thus it is a huge coincidence for things to happen to be lined up for them.
But in the end, it was a really enjoyable adventure story, and I plan to read the next book in the series.
As a middle-schooler, I’d have given this 5 stars. As someone over 50, a few parts knocked it back a little for me, mainly that the astronomical “clues” they are following would be incredibly rare and thus it is a huge coincidence for things to happen to be lined up for them.
But in the end, it was a really enjoyable adventure story, and I plan to read the next book in the series.