The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! đ
yasminwooldridge's review against another edition
3.0
I really wanted to love this trilogy. There was a lot of wonderful storytelling and it was very engaging. I think the best from the three was probably the first book. But, even though I'm not the right target audience there was a lot lacking in the stories. Now that I've read all three books I couldn't understand the choices made by the adults. It's one thing when adults don't tell children the full story of events and people, because they don't think children understand. It's quite another when the adults don't try and get their daughter back or put a stop to an ill behaved adult. Why only when Gwyn is nine does Bethan/Eirlys send him the spider? Seems to me she was wanting help. It doesn't seem possible the child could be happy when she left behind her family. One would think that gave her unconditional love and yet there is no mention of love of the fairies. She's forever a child and yet there was no mention of what made her happy there. She went through a lot to say "Gwyn you're a magician". Her whole appearance changed and I can't see how that means a person is happy. To be really happy is to accept yourself as you are. Then, the whole episode of Gwyn and his cousin Emlyn doesn't seem believable or possible. Throughout it all Emlyn's father didn't seem to care about his wife or even his son. I don't quite believe the story around Evan would be sufficient for bad behaviour. Then again, Evan doesn't do anything that's evil. There was no clear connection between him and the horses. Now if he was seen near the areas or even looked angry at Glory it would have been easier to see an evil force around him or aura. All it seemed to happen was that he stayed out late and did some shouting at the children and made Nerys a bit tearful. The fact that all the other adults murmured he was in a battle, with no injuries, poor lamb he can definitely disgrace a teenager, his cousin, yes yes...Throughout the second and third books the women/girls were secondary at best. Nia having all those siblings was a problem because there were too many to develop into characters. The idea of having seven siblings seemed to be quite unnecessary and distracting. Although the one story starts out with Nia she never grows as a character. She seemed to have a crush on Emlyn and then it fell away to the adult Evans and that in itself is very problematic. But because no one seems to really develop into characters the read can relate to I couldn't understand why all the women fawned over Evan. Nothing about his personality stood him out from the fathers of these books and all the fathers seemed to be too similar to each other at times I forgot who was who. Gwyn himself seemed to almost mature and then went right back to being nine years old. Nain/Rhiannon, initially a very interesting strong character, gets pushed to one side for all the extra children, including Alun. The addition of the other children changed the excitement of the first book and it was an unfortunate choice. The way the first book ended it didn't seem necessary to have added another two books. There was also a need to have developed more of Gwyn interacting with his ancestors and why they were/are even relevant. I had rather hoped that the author could have woven in the importance of Nain/Rhiannon's mother being a witch and why Gwynedd, Gwydion and Gilfaethwy were powerful. At the end it felt like a lot was missing from these stories. All in all the three stars are for a compelling narrative even though the stories were very flawed.
mychaelann's review against another edition
3.0
The kids loved these books. I thought they were fun, I don't think I would have enjoyed reading them but listening was enjoyable. I liked the reader's Scottish accent.
megmoggs's review against another edition
3.0
Hmm, well these books are quite unusual. They're also nice to read, and the stories engage the reader. They are quirky and rather amusing, but they are sinsiter at times.
-Zanthie ;)
-Zanthie ;)
zeldaspellman's review
adventurous
hopeful
relaxing
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
4.0
bhumi_19's review
adventurous
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
2.75
jowillwrite's review against another edition
5.0
âTime to find out if you are a magician, Gwydion Gwyn.â
This book. This book.
I always wondered when I read reviews that start with âThis bookâ⊠I mean, what does that even mean?
This bookâŠ.what?
Now I understand.
Because, guys, this book.
I first read this book (I donât really need italics do I? You get it. I love this book) when I was eight. I found it in our âlibraryâ (we donât really have a library by the way, we had a book shelf that we called the library) and I was intrigued instantaneously.
OK, well no⊠thatâs a lie. I was terrified instantaneously because this is my cover.
Isnât it horrifying? And retro? And horrifyingly retro?!
Anyway, I picked it up and devoured it and it instantly became one of my favourite series.
Fast forward a few years when I was cleaning out my room when I had returned from university and I was suddenly inundated with Norton Anthologies and about three copies of [b:Heart of Darkness|4900|Heart of Darkness|Joseph Conrad|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1392799983l/4900._SX50_.jpg|2877220] (I swear they multiply) and I found my copy again. After the initial âWhat is with this cover? I fear it may be possessed by evil!â panic, I opened it with giddiness knowing that I had loved it but not really remembering why. I read the first chapter, and then the second and then about an hour later, I realised Iâd actually read the first book.
Twenty one year old Jo was no longer allowed to exist because eight year old Jo had pushed her way forward and was currently immersed in a land of magic.
And if that wasnât lovely enough, I realised/remembered that these books were set in Gwynedd where I went to university. Itâs like it was fate⊠except I wasnât a magician.
Or a farmer.
Anyway, when I decided I was going to do a Welsh Week on my blog, I knew that this series had to be featured because, to me, it is the ultimate celebration of all things Welsh.
In three books, you have Welsh culture, myths, legends, traditions, sheep (no seriously, sheep play quite a big part in the first book), other worlds, magicians, cursed toy horses, possessed strangers, mad princes, art projects, a passionate celebration of all things natural, family, community, the importance of friendships, trust, malevolent forces, sheep dogs, unicorns (I know, right?), children getting into mischief and going against their parentâs wishes, ships made of seaweed, glow in the dark flowers, cake.
And thatâs just a snippet.
I tend to read these books in one go so, to me, they are all one book but if I had to pick my favourite it would be Emlynâs Moon, the second book. Here we meet the wonderful and brilliant Nia Lloyd, the middle of seven (soon-to-be eight) children who befriends a mysterious boy named Emlyn and his father, even though she is told to stay away. Itâs all about family secrets and dark forces and the past and feuds and magic.
Also, arts and crafts projects, which I feel is an extremely underrated subject in childrenâs fiction.
I know a few people might be a bit âUmâŠ?â about the lack of world building in this series and, even though this book and I are for keeps, I am not completely blinkered.
I understand that the magic and the shenanigans that happen within this book arenât feasible, even in Wales where dragons roam free and where spoons are classed as magical instruments of love. And I know that there are plot holes and there are unanswered questions but even in the bestest of books you get them.
And, whatever, I just donât care. Maybe I am a little blinkered, I think thatâs allowed with your favourite childrenâs books though.
Magic happens in this book and you have to just go with it.
This is a series for people who can believe in magic unconditionally.
I am one of those people and I hope to be one of those people forever and ever.
This book. This book.
I always wondered when I read reviews that start with âThis bookâ⊠I mean, what does that even mean?
This bookâŠ.what?
Now I understand.
Because, guys, this book.
I first read this book (I donât really need italics do I? You get it. I love this book) when I was eight. I found it in our âlibraryâ (we donât really have a library by the way, we had a book shelf that we called the library) and I was intrigued instantaneously.
OK, well no⊠thatâs a lie. I was terrified instantaneously because this is my cover.
Isnât it horrifying? And retro? And horrifyingly retro?!
Anyway, I picked it up and devoured it and it instantly became one of my favourite series.
Fast forward a few years when I was cleaning out my room when I had returned from university and I was suddenly inundated with Norton Anthologies and about three copies of [b:Heart of Darkness|4900|Heart of Darkness|Joseph Conrad|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1392799983l/4900._SX50_.jpg|2877220] (I swear they multiply) and I found my copy again. After the initial âWhat is with this cover? I fear it may be possessed by evil!â panic, I opened it with giddiness knowing that I had loved it but not really remembering why. I read the first chapter, and then the second and then about an hour later, I realised Iâd actually read the first book.
Twenty one year old Jo was no longer allowed to exist because eight year old Jo had pushed her way forward and was currently immersed in a land of magic.
And if that wasnât lovely enough, I realised/remembered that these books were set in Gwynedd where I went to university. Itâs like it was fate⊠except I wasnât a magician.
Or a farmer.
Anyway, when I decided I was going to do a Welsh Week on my blog, I knew that this series had to be featured because, to me, it is the ultimate celebration of all things Welsh.
In three books, you have Welsh culture, myths, legends, traditions, sheep (no seriously, sheep play quite a big part in the first book), other worlds, magicians, cursed toy horses, possessed strangers, mad princes, art projects, a passionate celebration of all things natural, family, community, the importance of friendships, trust, malevolent forces, sheep dogs, unicorns (I know, right?), children getting into mischief and going against their parentâs wishes, ships made of seaweed, glow in the dark flowers, cake.
And thatâs just a snippet.
I tend to read these books in one go so, to me, they are all one book but if I had to pick my favourite it would be Emlynâs Moon, the second book. Here we meet the wonderful and brilliant Nia Lloyd, the middle of seven (soon-to-be eight) children who befriends a mysterious boy named Emlyn and his father, even though she is told to stay away. Itâs all about family secrets and dark forces and the past and feuds and magic.
Also, arts and crafts projects, which I feel is an extremely underrated subject in childrenâs fiction.
I know a few people might be a bit âUmâŠ?â about the lack of world building in this series and, even though this book and I are for keeps, I am not completely blinkered.
I understand that the magic and the shenanigans that happen within this book arenât feasible, even in Wales where dragons roam free and where spoons are classed as magical instruments of love. And I know that there are plot holes and there are unanswered questions but even in the bestest of books you get them.
And, whatever, I just donât care. Maybe I am a little blinkered, I think thatâs allowed with your favourite childrenâs books though.
Magic happens in this book and you have to just go with it.
This is a series for people who can believe in magic unconditionally.
I am one of those people and I hope to be one of those people forever and ever.
vanessalovesbooks's review
Gwyn ist ein Nachfahre mĂ€chtiger Zauberer. Er lebt mit seiner Familie in Wales, inmitten der Natur. Zusammen mit seinen Freunden erlebt er zahlreiche Abenteuer, findet seine verlorene Schwester wieder und bekĂ€mpft einen rachsĂŒchtigen Prinzen.
Wieder einmal hat Nimmo es geschafft mich voll und ganz in ihren Bann zu ziehen. Was Gwyn und seine Freunde im wunderschönen Wales erleben ist spannend und fesselte mich von der ersten bis zur letzten Seite auf meinem Stuhl.
Jenny Nimmo hat fĂŒr den ersten Band dieser Trilogie âDie silberne Spinneâ verschiedenste Auszeichnungen erhalten, bekannt wurde sie aber mit der Reihe âDie Kinder des roten Königsâ rund um den jungen Zauberer Charlie Bone und seine Freunde.
Wieder einmal hat Nimmo es geschafft mich voll und ganz in ihren Bann zu ziehen. Was Gwyn und seine Freunde im wunderschönen Wales erleben ist spannend und fesselte mich von der ersten bis zur letzten Seite auf meinem Stuhl.
Jenny Nimmo hat fĂŒr den ersten Band dieser Trilogie âDie silberne Spinneâ verschiedenste Auszeichnungen erhalten, bekannt wurde sie aber mit der Reihe âDie Kinder des roten Königsâ rund um den jungen Zauberer Charlie Bone und seine Freunde.
jakinabook's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
watermelleon's review
did anyone else read these books as a child?? I can barely remember what happens it has been so long, but I remember this series being incredible. Been thinking about it a lot lately so I have just got a hold of a copy to reread (again). I used to get this out at the library all of the time.