kathykekmrs's review against another edition
2.0
Once upon a time a book of this nature would have had a dream sequence. I do not know if it is a good or bad thing that dreams have been taken away from Children's Fantasy novels, but it does make some of the action illogical. There is no logic to a dream and therefore it works as a good device to introduce an illogical series of events. It could be that it has been a long time since I have read children's books and they do not seem complete to me. I am always looking for details that are not in the story to make it be more detailed and logical to the order of the universe.
This is a coming of age novel about two recently turned twelve-year-old boys. In the town that they live in a boy must jump a train before he turns thirteen. William's legs are not strong enough for this rite of passage. Williamm is given a token on his birthday by his nanny who moved across the ocean. This token allows him to shrink to fit inside a castle also given by this woman. In this castle it is six hundred years earlier and William finds a different way to prove he is a man than by jumping over a freight train.
I do not mind coming of age novels. This one feels weak because the author shows disdain for the initiation of train jumping. Yes, it is dangerous and not something I would have tried. Then again, I live in New Jersey with electrified third rails so playing around train tracks was never recommended anyway because of the danger of electrocution. I understand that there is always a child who is unable to perform the prescribed rite of passage and feels as if he were always going to be a little boy. There are many passages that explain to William that it is okay not to jump. The book just does not do a great job of explaining how two boys went to a castle and discovered that they were on the brink of growing up.
This is a coming of age novel about two recently turned twelve-year-old boys. In the town that they live in a boy must jump a train before he turns thirteen. William's legs are not strong enough for this rite of passage. Williamm is given a token on his birthday by his nanny who moved across the ocean. This token allows him to shrink to fit inside a castle also given by this woman. In this castle it is six hundred years earlier and William finds a different way to prove he is a man than by jumping over a freight train.
I do not mind coming of age novels. This one feels weak because the author shows disdain for the initiation of train jumping. Yes, it is dangerous and not something I would have tried. Then again, I live in New Jersey with electrified third rails so playing around train tracks was never recommended anyway because of the danger of electrocution. I understand that there is always a child who is unable to perform the prescribed rite of passage and feels as if he were always going to be a little boy. There are many passages that explain to William that it is okay not to jump. The book just does not do a great job of explaining how two boys went to a castle and discovered that they were on the brink of growing up.
emslovestoread's review against another edition
3.0
I didn’t like this one quite as much as the first, but it was still exciting. It’ll be fun to discuss with my student!
duchessofreadin's review against another edition
5.0
William thinks that he is to old for the castle that Mrs. Phillips gave him. Granted he has had it for a few years, and he is now twelve. Her birthday present is a mystery to everyone but William - he knows exactly what it is, and he is itching to get back to the castle and use it.
Telling Jason the story, the boys make plans to go back to the castle, and see what adventure is awaiting them. They are in for the journey of a lifetime, but they do not know it yet!
But now, they must defend the castle against a force of rats, who are unlike any rats anyone has ever seen. Whether or not they are going to succeed depends on the strength of those inside the castle and whether or not they can find a way to survive until help comes...
Great book! I am going to read this one outloud to the boys, and see what they think of these characters.
Telling Jason the story, the boys make plans to go back to the castle, and see what adventure is awaiting them. They are in for the journey of a lifetime, but they do not know it yet!
But now, they must defend the castle against a force of rats, who are unlike any rats anyone has ever seen. Whether or not they are going to succeed depends on the strength of those inside the castle and whether or not they can find a way to survive until help comes...
Great book! I am going to read this one outloud to the boys, and see what they think of these characters.
purplemerchant's review against another edition
2.0
I almost ALWAYS finish books. It might take me a while, but unless there is something I absolutely can't stand, I'll finish it. Unfortunately, this book had the "something I can't stand." I liked the first book in this series, so I was excited to read this. I enjoyed it, but then I came to the rats. Ugggghhhh. This was a few years ago, and it completely freaked me out to have an onslaught of zombie rats to defeat. I never ended up finishing it, but I might go ack to it and see if the rats are less creepy.
just_fighting_censorship's review against another edition
3.0
This time William's annoying friend joins him and they meet a girl at the castle their age. The new girl character starts our strong but ends up playing nurse and cook when the real action starts up. The villain in this book is just a nameless rat of darkness which sounds really interesting but is never really explained or fleshed out in any meaningful way.
A charming book, but to my dismay, the shrinking factor is minimized in this sequel (pun intended).
A charming book, but to my dismay, the shrinking factor is minimized in this sequel (pun intended).
anidorik's review against another edition
3.0
The parts with the rats freaked me out so much as a kid!