A review by wafflesplat
Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper

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.