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ccaterer's review against another edition
3.0
For those who think a Katherine Paterson book will be like the breathtaking [b:Bridge to Terabithia|2839|Bridge to Terabithia|Katherine Paterson|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327880087s/2839.jpg|2237401], this book will disappoint. That's not to say it isn't a great book, but The Flint Heart is just a straight-ahead, middle-grade fantasy, and a very fun one at that. John Rocco's brilliant illustrations come frequently and are pleasingly large and colorful (no black and whites here!). The story is based firmly in the land of faeries and talking animals, and surely yours truly is no one to scoff at that. The Flint Heart itself is an ancient stone heart that corrupts whoever wears it, and it's hero Charles's job to take it wherever it can do no harm. Fun characters like the Fairy King and the Jacky Toads make this a real joy to read.
jillcd's review against another edition
4.0
Deliciously adorable with fun, feisty, and delightful characters. Watch out for the flint heart, you never know where it will turn up next!
aprilbooksandwine's review against another edition
3.0
The Flint Heart by Katherine Paterson and John Paterson illustrated by John Rocco opens up on ancient times. Long ago, in the Stone Age, a young soldier named Phuttphutt once wanted what is not his, the chiefdom of his clan. He was kindhearted, too soft to seize the reigns of power. So he went to the local wise man who forged him a heart of flint which caused Phuttphutt to be brutal and cruel, but also to win the chiefdom. Phuttphutt reigned with an iron fist until he died and The Flint Heart was buried with him. Unfortunately it doesn’t stay buried forever. Mr. Jago finds it and comes home another man. It is up to his children, mainly Unity and Charles with the help of the fairies and an intrepid hot water bottle to destroy The Flint Heart.
Read the rest of my review here
Read the rest of my review here
jeremychiasson's review against another edition
2.0
What a wasted opportunity! This had all the makings of a great children's book: Katherine Paterson was adapting a classic fantasy story, and it was to be illustrated by Joe Rocco. What could go wrong?
Well first of all, this book doesn't seem to have an audience in mind. I get it, Paterson. It's cute to make adult references in a kid's book. But how the hell do you explain De Quincey's comments about the music of English prose to children? It's one thing to wink at the parents, it's quite another to push the child aside and speak exclusively to the parent. You're not Pixar, you're pretentious.
Secondly, the story feels as though there is no payoff after the umpteenth time the person who holds the Flint Heart is foiled by the Charles and company:
So this guy gets this magical stone, and normally he's nice, but the stone makes him evil. Then he loses the stone, and becomes nice again.
Now read variations on that idea 3 times, and you'll get the Flint Heart. Once the badger got the stone, I wanted to shout at the book: JUST DESTROY THE DAMN STONE! Stop leaving it lying around! All of your problems would be solved, you dumbass kids!
Aside from the futile plot, the Paterson family spends so much time describing Fairy banquets, its magical food, and all the creatures, but they really couldn't be bothered to develop their main characters. I did not give two shits about Charles and Unity. De Quincey is the most richly drawn character, and he's kind of an asshat. Even the hot water bottle in this story had more personality than the supposed protagonists.
Granted, the illustrations are beautiful, the prose is tight and comical, and there are parts of the story that would be great for reading out loud to kids. But this book got too bogged down in the authors' own self-indulgence, quickly rendering the story's whimsical charm banal. It lacks any sort of focus.
This book seemed less like the work of an established children's author, and more like the draft copy of a talented novice. Maybe her husband/coauthor deserves some of the blame. Who knows?
I would still recommend this to older kids, who are very smart and love fantasy books. As long as they don't mind having their parents read to them. I feel like the brief glimmers of brilliance, make it worth a read, even if it will never be a classic like "Bridge to Terabithia".
Well first of all, this book doesn't seem to have an audience in mind. I get it, Paterson. It's cute to make adult references in a kid's book. But how the hell do you explain De Quincey's comments about the music of English prose to children? It's one thing to wink at the parents, it's quite another to push the child aside and speak exclusively to the parent. You're not Pixar, you're pretentious.
Secondly, the story feels as though there is no payoff after the umpteenth time the person who holds the Flint Heart is foiled by the Charles and company:
So this guy gets this magical stone, and normally he's nice, but the stone makes him evil. Then he loses the stone, and becomes nice again.
Now read variations on that idea 3 times, and you'll get the Flint Heart. Once the badger got the stone, I wanted to shout at the book: JUST DESTROY THE DAMN STONE! Stop leaving it lying around! All of your problems would be solved, you dumbass kids!
Aside from the futile plot, the Paterson family spends so much time describing Fairy banquets, its magical food, and all the creatures, but they really couldn't be bothered to develop their main characters. I did not give two shits about Charles and Unity. De Quincey is the most richly drawn character, and he's kind of an asshat. Even the hot water bottle in this story had more personality than the supposed protagonists.
Granted, the illustrations are beautiful, the prose is tight and comical, and there are parts of the story that would be great for reading out loud to kids. But this book got too bogged down in the authors' own self-indulgence, quickly rendering the story's whimsical charm banal. It lacks any sort of focus.
This book seemed less like the work of an established children's author, and more like the draft copy of a talented novice. Maybe her husband/coauthor deserves some of the blame. Who knows?
I would still recommend this to older kids, who are very smart and love fantasy books. As long as they don't mind having their parents read to them. I feel like the brief glimmers of brilliance, make it worth a read, even if it will never be a classic like "Bridge to Terabithia".
mandi_m's review against another edition
3.0
Beautiful production on this book but I didn't love this as much as I have some of Paterson's other books - Bridge to Terabithia is one of my all time favourites. The story is charming and has an important moral and I think those 8-12 will enjoy it.
hezann73's review against another edition
3.0
Please consider this a 3.5 rating and very nearly a four. Overall this was an interesting and well told story. It reminded me very much of something my fourth grade teacher would have read out loud to the class a chapter at a time after recess each day. And that's a big compliment. In fact, I think this book probably needs to be read aloud. That being said, I think I was expecting something that...consumed me and totally swept me into an imaginary world and this didn't deliver that.
Recommended for 4th grade.
Recommended for 4th grade.
merer's review against another edition
3.0
I felt alright about this. It's going to be a difficult one to hand out to kids. The length and illustrations are definitely appealing to the 2nd-4th grade set, but the language is very British. The characters are often long-winded and boring to listen to, and while I liked the fairy tale style of the story, there were too many moving parts for my taste.
jenunderhill's review against another edition
3.0
Not sure why, but I had a hard time getting into this one. The story just didn't grab me. Maybe it would have gone better if I had read it aloud to the kids. Either way, it was a sweet and quirky fantasy with likable children, fairies, a cursed talisman, and a very brave hot water bottle from Germany.
hidingzeus's review against another edition
2.0
A sweet and cute story that harkens back to fairy tales of old.
samuraijenn's review against another edition
3.0
This book was alright, but it felt like a child's Lord of the Rings. It just didn't hold my interest.