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danieltheblake's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
A fun little fantasy adventure with some extremely likeable characters, interesting lore and a witty writing style. For a children’s book, I was also impressed at how the story didn’t shy away from some of the violence in it without becoming too gruesome. A solid book, and I’m excited to see where it goes in the sequel!
SIDE NOTE: There were more spelling errors/grammatical mistakes than I expected. Normally I ignore this type of thing, but when a page completely mixed up a character’s name with one who wasn’t even in the scene, it took me out of the story. Doesn’t ruin the book overall, but was just distracting at times (It’s Gorman’s first novel though, so maybe it just needed another pass).
SIDE NOTE: There were more spelling errors/grammatical mistakes than I expected. Normally I ignore this type of thing, but when a page completely mixed up a character’s name with one who wasn’t even in the scene, it took me out of the story. Doesn’t ruin the book overall, but was just distracting at times (It’s Gorman’s first novel though, so maybe it just needed another pass).
halschrieve's review against another edition
5.0
This fast-paced, action-packed fantasy novel for ages 8-12 follows in the footsteps of many a tongue-in-cheek precedent. Set in a gruesome dungeon filled with monsters and starring a practical, mousy girl raised by goblins, Thisby Thestoop is a fresh and well-written take on the genre that comes bearing an enormous backpack, lots of notes, a sentient blob of slime, and plenty of horse meat to spare.
Thisby Thestoop takes her name from a note left with her when she is abandoned near the opening to the Black Mountain’s dungeon. Originally reading “found this by the stoop, keep for later”, the note is left by a Minotaur intending to eat the baby as a snack. The goblins who live in the black mountain interpret the note as a request to keep the baby safe, and so Thisby grows up a gamekeeper and janitor in the vast prison that contains a range of terrifying beasts.
The Black Mountain is not only a vast mountain with plenty of teeth. It is also a part of a larger kingdom. As a regular ritual, the king inspects the dungeon to affirm that it is both terrifying and also not a military threat to his power. This year, though, the king sends his twin children to do the inspection: teenage Crown Princess Iphigenia and Prince Ingo. In the course of the inspection, a poorly managed monster goes on rampage and Ingo disappears. Iphigenia requests that Thisby help her find him—but in the course of searching, both get lost in the deep caves below the dungeon.
At the same time, a wicked plot is brewing at the bottom of the mountain to unleash the worst terrors imaginable upon the kingdom and the world at large. Only Thisby, her slime friend Mingus, a giant cat named Catface, and Iphigenia can stop it.
Readers of The Graveyard Book, The Wee Free Men, Dealing With Dragons, The Princess Bride or The Dark Lord of Derkholm will appreciate this witty, self-aware book.
Thisby Thestoop takes her name from a note left with her when she is abandoned near the opening to the Black Mountain’s dungeon. Originally reading “found this by the stoop, keep for later”, the note is left by a Minotaur intending to eat the baby as a snack. The goblins who live in the black mountain interpret the note as a request to keep the baby safe, and so Thisby grows up a gamekeeper and janitor in the vast prison that contains a range of terrifying beasts.
The Black Mountain is not only a vast mountain with plenty of teeth. It is also a part of a larger kingdom. As a regular ritual, the king inspects the dungeon to affirm that it is both terrifying and also not a military threat to his power. This year, though, the king sends his twin children to do the inspection: teenage Crown Princess Iphigenia and Prince Ingo. In the course of the inspection, a poorly managed monster goes on rampage and Ingo disappears. Iphigenia requests that Thisby help her find him—but in the course of searching, both get lost in the deep caves below the dungeon.
At the same time, a wicked plot is brewing at the bottom of the mountain to unleash the worst terrors imaginable upon the kingdom and the world at large. Only Thisby, her slime friend Mingus, a giant cat named Catface, and Iphigenia can stop it.
Readers of The Graveyard Book, The Wee Free Men, Dealing With Dragons, The Princess Bride or The Dark Lord of Derkholm will appreciate this witty, self-aware book.
sc104906's review against another edition
3.0
I received this through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Thisby Thestoop is the lowly game keeper of Black Mountain. Even though she knows the most about this dungeon and the creatures in it, she still works for a jerky boss and an absent supervisor. Thisby has lived and worked in Black Mountain ever since she can remember. Her only friend is an animated slime creature. The monsters in the dungeon become threatened by more terrible monsters below it when the prince and princess from the neighboring kingdom visit Black Mountain. Thisby will need to use everything she has learned about her home to save it and maybe along the way she will make a few new friends.
It is a quirky funny story. I liked the slime creature that didn't like to leave his jar, he was a fun addition. I never truly warmed up to any of the characters beyond Thisby and the slime creature. This does have some violence and some pretty scary scenes for the younger readers...people are killed during this quest. Ultimately though, I can see myself giving this to readers.
Thisby Thestoop is the lowly game keeper of Black Mountain. Even though she knows the most about this dungeon and the creatures in it, she still works for a jerky boss and an absent supervisor. Thisby has lived and worked in Black Mountain ever since she can remember. Her only friend is an animated slime creature. The monsters in the dungeon become threatened by more terrible monsters below it when the prince and princess from the neighboring kingdom visit Black Mountain. Thisby will need to use everything she has learned about her home to save it and maybe along the way she will make a few new friends.
It is a quirky funny story. I liked the slime creature that didn't like to leave his jar, he was a fun addition. I never truly warmed up to any of the characters beyond Thisby and the slime creature. This does have some violence and some pretty scary scenes for the younger readers...people are killed during this quest. Ultimately though, I can see myself giving this to readers.
womanon's review against another edition
4.0
I loved Thisby's adventures throughout this book! The writing style was really good, and the only reason I'm giving it 4 stars is because there were times when my mind wandered while reading. I'll definitely pick up the second book and do a reread then :)
jenny_d's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
taroteacup's review against another edition
5.0
Adorable, charming and ABSOLUTELY Chock full of dungeon monsters ! If you want a fun read about being true to yourself and becoming the best you can be, this book is for you! I adored Thisby and found a lot of things I could relate to with this character - and their adventures through the dungeon. It was humorous and many times the book made fun of itself (being set in a dungeon and all). Seriously, this is the cutest kids book I've read since Furthermore that had me absolutely hooked.
ajworkman77's review against another edition
4.0
The best part of Thisby is that she didn’t change. She didn’t get a makeover or leave the dungeon. Instead, she admitted she loved her life as an overworked gamekeeper of the monsters in the Black Mountain. She saved the day because she read, observed and took notes. She was brave and true and a heroine that I want more of!!
This book is scary. There is murder and darkness and horrible deaths. Yet there was a sweetness in the story telling and a friendship between a slime ball and a gamekeeper that is nothing but endearing. Might be a cool scary, edge of your seat read aloud for 5th grade. Good read for 5-7th.
This book is scary. There is murder and darkness and horrible deaths. Yet there was a sweetness in the story telling and a friendship between a slime ball and a gamekeeper that is nothing but endearing. Might be a cool scary, edge of your seat read aloud for 5th grade. Good read for 5-7th.
teacher2library's review against another edition
5.0
Have you ever had to babysit before? Try looking after a mountain full of monsters! Thanks to a minotaur's messy handwriting, Thisby Thestoop gets raised by goblins to become The Black Mountain's gamekeeper (instead of dinner). Looking after a dangerous dungeon and managing wayward adventurers is no easy task, especially when a royal Inspection goes dangerously wrong...
Super fun and fast! Loved the wry humorous tone. Can't wait for the next installment!
Super fun and fast! Loved the wry humorous tone. Can't wait for the next installment!
abbykat's review against another edition
5.0
I can’t remember the last time a book made me laugh out loud like this