The Magic Stone

by Penelope Farmer

Caroline and Alice don't have much in common, but when they find a stone in a field they discover a magic that makes them change in unexpected ways.

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1964

About the author

Penelope Jane Farmer is an English fiction writer well known for children's fantasy novels. Her best-known novel is Charlotte Sometimes (1969), a boarding-school story that features a multiple time slip.

Reviews

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

four stars for literary merit, but only three for my enjoyment--it is not a comfort read. It tells of a friendship between girls from very different backgrounds, who are forced together by the magic of a stone that requires both of them. Caroline is from a well-off family, about to start boarding school; Alice is an urban girl transplanted from London into a housing estate plopped down in the middle the countryside, who is about to leave school to start work. There is considerable tension in their relationship, that even the shared magic of the stone can't paper over. It is told from Caroline's point of view, and the anxieties of a naive and uncertain 13 year old girl are realistically portrayed, which is not soothing reading. The looming threat of a violent clash between the little brothers of both girls likewise adds no comfort. But the magic is rather lovely....

[Shane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Penelope Farmer is a fantastic writer, and book is one that should be a 5 star one except that ... nothing much really happens in it. It's very nice in that drifting-along-way, but it lacks really strong points that make it shine out as 'amazing'.

[Sherry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story made me think of the fable - Town Mouse and Country Mouse. Alice is the girl from the city and Caroline is the country girl. Alice's family has moved to a new development in the oustkirts of the city and her home borders Caroline's country home. The two girls are very different. Alice is a couple of years older with a number of siblings, Caroline only has one younger brother, Stephen and he has a number of school friends that he hangs out with. The initial meeting of the girls was not positive and neither was the meeting of Alice's brothers with Stephen and his friends. Throughout the story, in the background, we see a gang-type mentality developing between Stephen and his friends and Alice's brothers. The friction is largely ignored by the girls, however, until nearer to the end of the story.

It is Stephen and his friends that introduce the Magic Stone to the girls, the magic part unbeknownst to the boys. The stone was found by the boys in some dirt at the edge of the grassline. It was a strange stone because it had a piece of metal sticking out of it that couldn't be removed. Losing interest in the stone the boys toss it but the girls recover it and discover the stone's magic.

Their fascination with the rock brings the two girls closer and one might almost say they were becoming friends but you actually wonder if they are really friends all throughout the story. The girls discover more of the stone's magic - somehow it can affect their perceptions of their immediate surroundings, it seems to pull them into a surreal experience with the earth. During these events, the author does a magnificent job of describing these experiences providing lovely evocotive images. The girls are completely captivated and Alice receives a unique view of country life through the magic of the rock. The girls also learn that the rock can take them to scary places if they fail to control its power.

Of course, the girls are consumed with curiosity and they research King Arthur's Sword in the Stone Legend and other magical stories. Alice suggests that they go visit her grandmother in the city because she knows things about magic. Before the girls head to the city we continue to get glimpses of the conflict developing between the boys and we learn a bit more about each girl's family. The differences between the girls continue to be highlighted as Caroline looks forward to going to her new school and we see Alice contemplating quitting school. It is inevitable that the girls will follow their own paths which causes some sadness between them at this realization.

There is not much more to the storyline other than the visit to the city to see Alice's grandmother. During their travel in the city, it is now Caroline that receives the surreal experience of the city, as she carries the magic stone with her during the visit. The grandmother character is a bit of a surprise - she comes across as a grumpy bully. She doesn't coddle the girls or give any hype to their magical experiences, she offers little but she does give the girls a warning.

When the girls return to the country they learn that their brothers have been in a scuffle and one of the boys had been hurt. The girls decide that they will use the magic stone one last time to help their brothers.

Overall, though the plotline was lacking, the author created some memorable characters and a vivid magical experience for the reader.