The Book without Words: A Fable of Medieval Magic

by Avi

IN THE DARK of winter in the town of Fulworth, an old man named Thorston has devoted his life to the illegal practice of alchemy in the quest to uncover the Great Secret: of making gold, and of immortality. Yet just as he is on the brink of a discovery, he keels over, nearly dead.

Thorton's servant, Sybil, and his talking raven, Odo, are filled with dread: will they be thrown out into the streets to fend for themselves? Their only hope is to discover the alchemist's secret and learn to make gold. And according to their master's last garbled words, the secret has something to do with a green-eyed child, the mysterious Book Without Words, and three sweet-smelling stones in the foul muck at the bottom of a cauldron...

From Avi, the 2003 Newbery Award-winning author of "Crispin: The Cross of Lead," comes the story of Thorston, an alchemist who works to concoct a potion that will enable him to live forever--and keep dying and rising from the dead as a result.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Middle Grade, Magic, Childrens

203 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Avi is a pen name for Edward Irving Wortis, but he says, "The fact is, Avi is the only name I use." Born in 1937, Avi has created many fictional favorites such as The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, Nothing but the Truth, and the Crispin series. His work is popular among readers young and old.

Reviews

[Faerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

✨ Alchemist
🐦‍⬛ Talking raven

Forever drawn in by the promise of medieval magic! RTC

[Rain Misoa · Rating 3 out of 5]

And my Avi kick is still going strong! I have been reading quite a few novels written by Avi lately and I have been enjoying the ride. This one, though I didn't like as much as his other novels, was still a very good read. I liked the story and I liked the writing style but I do have a few minor complaints.

Avi is a fantastic writer. There are no doubts about that. However, I felt as if he rush through this novel a bit too much. The pacing for this book was way too fast. Just when you were getting back-story about the characters and a better understanding of who they are, the scene changes to something completely different. I wanted to know more about the world they lived in and how else alchemy played in this world. But we don't get that. We, as the reader, are told that alchemy is an illegal art but why? Why is it illegal? Because it's dangerous? Yes, I know, but I would like a bit more development as to why this is so. I want to know what exactly happened that made this world decide to make it illegal. I also wanted to know how this world's alchemy worked. What was the "science" behind it. But, alas, we get no such explanations.

The characters were a bit of a downer for me. I liked Sybil, even though she was pretty dumb in some parts, and I really liked Alfric, the orphan who befriends Sybil. Alfric was such a sweet boy. I really enjoyed his character. Odo, the crow, I didn't like... at first! He actually showed the most development throughout the entire story and became one of my favorites. The other characters, well, they don't develop too much. Plus, the majority of them were downright annoying. I couldn't, for the life of me, come to like any of them aside from the three mentioned above. Bashcroft was annoying, repeating the same phrase over and over; Weebly was a nosy busybody who couldn't keep her mouth shut; and Damian was a snob. I wanted to punch all of them. As I said, I liked some of the charatcers, but the majority were just... bothersome.

It's a shame that I didn't like this book as much as the others I read by Avi, but I did still like it. It's a short read so you can get through it quickly... I just don't like HOW quickly you can get through it. If Avi spent a bit more time developing the world, its lore, and the characters, I would have loved this book. But as it is, it's just okay. Give it a read if you like Avi or if you are just curious. I think you will at least find it a fun read.

[Cheyenne Langevelde · Rating 2 out of 5]

I remember reading Crispin and the Cross of Lead for my English class in 8th grade and enjoying it. So I was curious about this book, especially with the beautiful interior and knotwork on the cover.

But it just wasn't for me. I appreciated the themes of life, the question of what makes life worth living, but that was the only thing I enjoyed. The story felt bland, it was improperly punctuated, and the story just didn't feel like a story? Plus there were quite a few things that made me uncomfortable with magic that were never spoken about as whether it was a good or bad thing aside from one character misusing it. The blurb is very misleading and doesn't make sense in light of the story, so I don't recommend reading it first. Or last. It just has no place.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this audiobook. It was different than I expected but an engaging story. Sybil's master, Thornston, has a magical book without words. He has used it to create magical stones that will grant him health and youth...but will cost Sybil her life. Sybil, however, is unaware of the stones' magic. The talking crow, Odo, suspects that the book contains the secret for making gold...but only a person with green eyes and great desire can read the book...so Sybil goes in search of a green eyed child to read the book as her master is very sick and dying. Soon after 2 green eyed children arrive, her master dies. But he soon is alive again, younger than he had been. Time is running out for Sybil, though she doesn't know it....

[Safa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super fun! It's a simple story about a girl and a raven and a book. There's alchemy and magic, an evil old man, a sweet boy, a snarky boy, and absolutely no romance! I should read children's books more often. Honestly, the people who gave this a low rating seemed to forget that this is a kids' book. Or they have an issue with the narrator of the audiobook. In any case, if you want a quick, fun read as an adult, or a simple fantasy as a kid, this is the book for you!

[Shauna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a big fan of Avi's books. This one was a little disappointing.

[Maribeth Tomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Junior Books Project

Category- Fiction (Literary Folktales)

Source- Textbook pg 151

This book is an exciting tale of three kids and a crow trying to figure out the magic of making gold. The alchemist, Thorston, has left a book without words that contains the secret to making gold and the children are trying to figure out its magic. While this is happening, Thorston has a little magic planned for himself to stay alive and young.

The cover page has a picture of what looks like a room where spells are concocted. The walls are made of stone, there are potions and jars on bookshelves. On the table, there are books with a skeleton head on top of them and a black crow on top of the skeleton head. There is a caldron with something brewing in it making green steam rise up. The left side of the book looks like the spine. It is black with the title and author in gold and tribal designs on it also in gold. It makes the book look as if it's from the medieval times.

Setting:
The year is 1046 in an ancient town called Fulworth. Most of the story takes place inside of Thorston's two-story stone house at the bottom of Clutterbuck Lane, an abandoned part of town.

Characters:
Thorston- alchemist who is using magic to keep himself young and alive
Odo- tar-black raven--the same one on the cover
Sybil-Thorston's servant girl; needs her life for the stones of life potion
Brother Wilfrid-monk who is looking for Thorston to return the Book Without Words; trying to get in touch with Sybil to help him get the book back
Mistress Weebly- silent partner of Bashcroft; town apothecary
Ambrose Bashcroft-city reeve of Fulworth in charge of the city's law
Damian Perbeck- Mistress Weebly's apprentice
Alfric- homeless boy from River Scrogg with green eyes

Plot:
Thorston wants to be young again so he attempts to make the stones of life with various ingredients and the life of a 13yr old girl. After handling the first stone, Thorston nearly dies and Sybil, his servant, and Odo, his raven, attempt to find a green-eyed child to help read the book with no words to find out Thorston's secrets. Other people believe that Thorston is secretly making gold, but that is not the case, and these people want to know the secret for their own personal gain.

I really enjoyed the book. It kept me wanting to read more and more. I liked how the children were completely confused as to what Thorston was doing and what he needed from them. It was interesting to see the children go about trying to figure out how to make gold from magic. I also liked that they had no clue of Thorston's plan and he kept coming back to life younger and younger. It was funny to see the children's reaction to it. I did not like the ending. I thought it ended so suddenly. I guess I was hoping for another twist in the story, perhaps, Brother Wilfrid not being who he said he was and end up being a bad guy.

This would be a good read to teach about fiction books. The different elements of fiction you find in a book. You could also teach about loyalty, the importance of being able to read, materialism, and magic.

[Hollowspine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this, with a wonderful narrator giving voice to all the characters very effectively. I especially enjoyed the voice of Bashcroft the city reeve.

This book seems to be a hit or miss with many readers either finding the historical fiction engaging or lackluster. A main complaint of those who didn't like the book was that the characters were one dimensional and they didn't change or grow in the course of the book. I did not find that at all.

The main characters, Odo, a Raven with clipped wings and Sybil an orphan, started out both at the mercy of Thorston, their master who is an alchemist. (On a side note I've found many reviews cannot spell alchemist. Probably due to a popular teen series which also misspells the word in a title.)

Thorston is not only selfish, but cruel. He takes life from his two servants, from Odo one of his black feathers, and from Sybil a stolen handful of her own breath. From these ingredients and many other stranger things he creates the stones of life, four green rocks, that when consumed will give Thorston the renewed life he desires. However, once he consumes all four stones, Odo and Sybil will die.

The two servants of this harsh master have no idea what is in store for them, but once Thorston's cycle of death and rebirth begins they have to figure out his secrets in order to survive. The two start out looking out for themselves alone, but slowly develop trust for the other over the course of the book. Odo especially, shows much change from beginning to end, at first greedy and as cruel as Thorston.

Like others I did occassionally wonder why Sybil was so slow on the realization that the stones were renewing Thorston and that her own life was in danger, but then I realized that she is but an orphan, born on a farm with no education, and not given to disobey the orders of the man who gives her bread and a warm place to sleep, but with enough knowledge of the street to know not to trust anyone. Despite her humble beginnings I thought she often behaved cleverly and always showed a compassion for others.

A short well-written book, certainly one children would enjoy, with some good medieval learning opportunities. It also has some fun twists to the story that I didn't expect at the end (but yet they were foreshadowed and made complete sense).

[Michelle Isenhoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here's the other Avi book I read over sping break. I just adore him and freely admit he has had a very strong influence on my writing. Once a Newbery winner and twice a Newbery honor winner, his works include some of my favorite titles ever. Though I’ve liked some better than others, I’ve yet to be disappointed by any.

I have to confess, this one is different, and at first I wasn’t sure I would like it. (It does actually have words though.) It starts out with the same rich, powerful sense of setting that Avi is known for, but this one is a very dismal setting. Granted, the Middle Ages were a very dismal time. Avi goes to great lengths to describe the stinking, filth-strewn city and the horrid, depraved old man named Thorston. Nearing death, Thorston brews a potion that will renew his life. However, it will steal the life of his young servant girl, Sybil.

I was hooked. And I wasn’t disappointed.

I loved watching Sybil’s growth. Weak, frightened, and helpless, at first she and a talking raven named Odo believe Thorston is making gold. And so does the rest of the town. Despite the threat of a crooked magistrate who wants the gold for himself, Sybil begins to use her wit and intelligence to find the gold and survive when she fears Thorston has died. It is Sybil’s transformation drives the story.

Billed as a fable, with its peculiar style and talking bird, The Book Without Words also has a moral at the end. It isn’t said as much as it’s shown, but it comes through loudly. The old alchemist, Thorston, is pursuing life simply to go on living. The young girl, Sybil, fights because she wishes to experience life. But Odo the bird sums up the story well when he replies to Thorston’s claim that he has outwitted death:

“Ah, Master,” said the bird with a shake of his head, “what good was that life, if, by avoiding death, you didn’t live?”

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by Carrie Spellman for TeensReadToo.com

What defines a life? How can you know that you've really lived your life? These are questions that Sybil has never thought about, until now. Now her master, Thorston, has died, and she and Odo, his talking bird, are likely to end up on the street. Unless they can figure out Thorston's secret for making gold.

Thorston was a magician. Not just an ordinary magician, but an alchemist, concerned with finding eternal life above all else. Now he's dead, and the few people who knew of his existence are left to define their own.

Odo thinks Sybil is dumb and useless, but he needs her to perform human functions like opening things and talking to people. Sybil thinks Odo is cruel and evil, but she needs him to help with the magic since he was with Thorston much longer than she was. A shaky alliance is born. The two acquire questionable aid from Alfric, a young beggar, and Damian, an herbal apprentice. Alfric has been sent by two different people who both want the same thing, though he doesn't now why or how. All he knows is that Sybil is the first person that has been kind to him since his parents died. Damian is out for his own share of the gold, and nothing else. They are all stuck inside Thorston's house, under constant watch of Bashcroft, the man in charge of law and order, who wants the secret of never-ending life. No one knows who to trust, or who holds the most knowledge. The only true key is Thorston, and he's not planning on sharing.

They are left to figure out who they all truly are, and find the true value of a life.

[Darth Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

To say I needed, desperately, to read a book like this is an understatement.

These kinds of children's books are extremely few and far between nowadays. It's not often you find a book filled with vivid imagery and deep ideas in children's anymore. I feel like Harry Potter was the last of this kind.

The author classifies this story as a fable and I'm going to agree. It was pedantic and included a talking animal. But moreover, the ideas in it struck me and I'm a grown ass woman.

Anything that involves alchemy, magic, myth, or medieval times is a win for me. For literal decades, I have loved these things.

I can tell you the entire history of alchemy in one sitting. But I won't. Not here.

What I will say is that this book was exactly what I needed. Proof that I can do what I do: write fictional mythoi grounded in human archetypes.

Fun fact: AVI lives in Denver (or did).

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was drawn to the author Avi by his book Crispin: Cross of Lead. This book, The Book Without Words, is good, but not nearly as engaging or colorful as Crispin. It does a passable job of conveying the world of 11th century England, and bringing in some elements of the magic of the alchemists, but in the end the story just seems to fizzle out - there's not really anything of a "climax" to the plot. And, in fact, the last 30 pages or so, I found myself wondering "How much longer is this going to go on?" The plot seemed to have lost its momentum, and never really picked it back up. An enjoyable story ... but not a great one.

[Lauren Stoolfire · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this fable by Avi, even though some of the characters are unlikeable and do dumb things. My favorite character by far was Alfric and I was surprised to see that Odo actually developed the most as a character. I believe I would have liked this more if Avi had really developed the magic, setting, characters, etc, etc., more because there is so much potential here.

I listened to the story on playaway and although the narrator does a great job bringing the characters to life the sound quality was tinny which added to my decision to only rate this book three stars.

[Erin]

As a school library volunteer, I get to handle many books. I admit, I was taken by the jacket design and the title. Unfortunately, the interior disappointed. Even for a YA book, the characters were more stock than striking. The premise was bog-standard. Still sticking with The Edge Chronicles as my current pick in YA fantasy. I've seen good reviews of Avi's Crispin novel, so I'll probably give it a try. This one is meh.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this on a car trip this summer when I had finished my book and I hijacked one of the ones my sister wasn't using. I was pleasantly surprised to see that Avi was still awesome because I remembered reading and loving a few good Avi novels when I was younger.

[Kathie H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Avi creates authentically medieval moods with his writing. I love books with magic, especially during this time in history. And it doesn't hurt that one of the characters is a talking raven. This is a great book to read out loud with the family on rainy, bleak fall & winter nights around the fire.

[Jill Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

It sat on my shelf for years. I had gotten it at a Borders for half off. I finally decided to read it about two years ago and I fell in love. It seems childish and is short, but there are so many wise learnings. I found myself linking quotes.

[William]

One chapter and I was hooked.

[drew petersen]

DNF. This didn’t catch my attention in the slightest. Not necessarily bad, but really bland.

[Kelli · Rating 2 out of 5]

“What good was that life, if by avoiding death, you didn’t live”

[katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

In the ancient 11th Century fictional town of Fulworth, Northumbria, Thorston an unknown and secretive man has devoted his life to the illegal practice of alchemy, in the hopes of uncovering the secrets of gold-making and immortality.

But just as he is on the brink of a discovery, he keels over, nearly dead.

His servant, Sybil and his minion, the talking raven Odo, face a great problem; Will they be thrown out into the streets to fend for themselves? Their only hope is to figure out their master's gold-making secret, and according to his garbled last words; the secret has something to do with a green-eyed child, the peculiar Book Without Words, the mysterious "him", and three stones at the bottom of a cauldron.

From that moment on, Sybil and Odo are determined to uncover Thorston's alchemy abilities and to make gold. Little do they know of the people they meet and befriend, the many secrets they unlock and the danger they get into.

I thought that the author, Avi, had excellent descriptions, using many craftily chosen words, it built a very gothic atmosphere.

I enjoyed watching Sybil’s growth. Weak, frightened, and helpless, at first, but eventually, Sybil begins to use her wit and intelligence to find the gold and survive when she fears Thorston has died. It is Sybil’s transformation which truly drives the story.

I thought the plot was interesting, however, it was rushed quite a bit. It became too fast-paced after the first chapter and near the end, it seemed as though Avi sped through the final writing process. In comparison to the previous chapters, the final one did not have the same feel to it, nor writing style.

The setting seemed so realistic until I did some research...

The historical reality of the book was completely incorrect, the setting was so inaccurate, that even a small detail, in relation to the setting such as a window, was false (Windows were not made until the 14th century, and only the extremely rich could afford them, at the time) One huge mistake the author made with the setting was that Northumbria lasted from c. 450-866 CE, note this novel is set in 1046 AD.

I can only assume that these little details were used for some creative purpose.

Overall I would say that this was not the greatest book I have ever read, but, I still enjoyed it and recommend it to anyone who enjoys medieval tales or fables.

[Marisa Philippi · Rating 4 out of 5]

During the year 1046 in the town of Fulworth, an ancient master named Thorston devoted his life to alchemy, an illegal practice used to uncover an old hidden secret: making gold and finding immortality. As he finds himself closer and closer to uncovering the secret he also finds himself severely ill and close to death and is placed under strict conditions in order to nurse him back to health.
Thorston’s servant Sybil, and his talking Raven, Odo, are left alone after their master is bed ridden from his sickness. Worried they will be thrown out to fend for themselves the two go on a hunt to find the secret of making gold and the secret of immortality. Using their master's last words before falling ill, the great secret is connected to a “green-eyed child”, an old mysterious book without words, and three stones of a sweet smell found at the bottom of a cauldron.
Personally I find this book to be very intriguing with the conflict of finding the secret. The characters are also very well thought out, as they connect to their age and descriptions based on how they are acting or what purpose they hold. Throughout the book however I got confused as to where it was taking place it often jumped from “scene to scene” so to say, making it confusing to keep track of where the events were occurring. Although, I felt the words used in each chapter or section related significantly to the time period it had taken place in, as well as the genre, which was a fable taking place in medieval times. The descriptions of each building or forrest made me feel connected to the time period and the book. My only concerns were the consistency with the arrangements of settings and word choice involving that as stated above. But I highly would recommend this book to anyone interested in old tales or medieval mysteries and castle like fairytales.

[Rebecca Fisch · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just realized that I prefer "read along aloud" books. It's hard to listen to audiobooks, especially when it's performed by one person, although he performed a pretty good show. However, for this challenge, I was searching for audiobooks that weren't so long, and I couldn't find anything that I remotely liked until I saw this audiobook alone was 4.5 hrs, and it had to do with the medieval times. For me, I need to feel the actual book, and read the words on the page to create a picture. It's as if I actually needed the performer in the room with me, like what Charles Dickens would do for his reading tours, in order to hear and grasp every word, and paint a mental illustration. One almost has to revert back to being a child hearing a story aloud from a parent or other storyteller.

I often got lost as to what was actually happening to the character Thursdon, who seemed to drop dead at every turn and resurrect himself. Luckily, it built up to an interesting climax, but I wouldn't recommend anyone listening to at a time when it's past 1am. I checked out this audiobook from the Hesperia library 2 weeks ago, and I couldn't find the right time to listen to it. However, I've read a few of Avi's books, like The Cross of Lead, and A Beginning, a Muddle, and an End: The Right Way to Write Writing which are really good books. So, I'll have to read this one from the actual print to really grasp what the story was about.

[Happymw · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book of tragedy, fright, and joy, The Book Without Words is an excellent read for those who need a breather, or even a break. The story highlights Sybil, a thirteen-year-old girl during Anglo Saxon England in Fulworth, living under her master, an old and crippled man named Thorston. Sybil must face the many challenges thrown at her along with Odo, a talking crow, while keeping her master’s existence a secret. From the dialogue to characters, the book almost never gets boring as its short number of pages allow for the story to progress smoothly, at a pace where the reader must continue to piece together hidden clues and understand the growing tension between characters. Although the book may have a few historical inaccuracies, its progressive plot and many secrets allow the reader to neglect errors as you always want to know what is next. I personally enjoyed the characters the best, as author Avi emphasized character behavior and action to account for the lack of characters, making the story easier to track. Although the in-depth characters and secretive narrative is exceptional, at times, the story overly describes the setting where it may overwhelm and place the reader off track. Overall, this book is an amazing read, as it is open to anyone and easily trackable, the story effectively portrays the environment and emotion occurring exactly like what may have occurred during the Medieval Era.

[Salman Hyder · Rating 2 out of 5]

The books is quite interesting for its plot is set in a perfectly imagined mediaeval town of Fulworth, a fictional town headed by its 'reeve',a greedy half-witted Bashcroft whose catchphrase 'Dura lex, sedex' - the law is hard, but it is the law- causes him to be hard against the townsmen because he believes he is the ultimate law. Then there is an apothecary, its proprietor Mrs. Weebly, and his apprentice Damian. The story is set in a house at the Clutterbuck Lane ; a stone heart selfish alchemist Thorston is brewing illegal recipe for three green glowing stones dictated from a book without words (stolen from an Abbey when he was small kid) with words visible to none other than green eyed people, which Thornston his, who wishes not to die, become immortal. Sybil our heroine, Odo the speaking raven, and orphan Alfric, all come at the front row of the tale.

I agree with the author that it is not as much a novel as it is a play, a perfect children's movie script. Feeling bad about that Damian boy who is turned into a coin and not reverted back. Saint Elfeda could have intervened. Odo was really funny, a wise talking bird who was a goat before his transformation.

I will give it 2.5/5. The story kept on dragging. There was a climax before the actual climax. The book contains wise words of wisdom with deep implications I doubt a 5 years old would perceive the meaning behind.

[BaGPipes · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book without words centers around Sybil, a young servant girl trying to figure out what to do next with her life after her master, Thorston dies. Sybil follows clues from her master, Thorston, who was an alchemist, to try and track down the secret to gold making. She works with Odo, a talking raven her master kept, and Damian and Alfric, two boys she asked for due to their green eyes, which her master said to find. They try to figure everything out when suddenly, her master awakes. I liked the writing style, I've read others by Avi and they're usually quite good. This book, however, feels a little bland. I didn't like the characters, more specifically the main character. Sybil feels very boring, and is less interesting than other characters, my favourite being Odo.
From what I learned from high school social studies, their is very little authenticity to the time period. Avi clearly states it is 1046, and really they should all be farming in that case.
All in all, I liked this book, and though it was lacking in some aspects, I still found it an enjoyable quick read.

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve never heard of this author before, and from what I read he seems to be pretty famous and has some excellent books, but maybe not this one. It was fine, it’s good for something light or if you don’t have a lot of time to read since it’s small, but it’s not exactly a really compelling story. Sometimes it felt slow, and towards the end way too fast, there was never time for our characters to develop so most of them become annoying after a while since they keep repeating the same dialogues and having the same attitudes over and over.
Odo the raven was the only one that actually had some growth. He started off selfish and only interested in gold for his own benefit, and turned out a completely different bird towards the end. The others though… Alfric, while cute, never really changes. And Sybil, while more aware of what she might lose if she doesn’t do something, doesn’t actually do much.
It was mostly an ok read, had a little bit of magic, rather repetitive plot so maybe younger audiences could find it an easy read, but not really memorable.

[KingSolomon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This brought back some nice memories. One of the first books to get me into reading fantasy and literature in general. I remember never actually finishing the book, but just getting completely immersed in the evocative prose, tone, and setting. Avi has a gift of all three, throw in a nice life lesson, some interesting characters, and an engaging and constantly moving plot, and there’s not much to be added.

My sole critiques: A bit too much on the adages. A good deal of spelling mistakes (though I did not let that affect my review, it was most likely a messed up edition), and perhaps just a tad of under-explaining and logical fall-through.

That being said i think this is a children’s book, and for what it sets out to be, it is great.

Don’t have much to complain about. Worth a quick read.

Four stars.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have never been a huge fan of Avi, like some of my other middle-grade teacher friends are/were. Something about his writing seems too involved, and also too formulaic, and it's always been that way for me. However, I do try to test my theories when I have the inclination, so I picked up this book, which has been on my TBR for over ten years. It had a slow start, and I really didn't get into the story and connect with the character until about the middle of chapter 3 (of 5). After that, I was more interested in how everything ended up - if the bad characters were served justice and the good characters lived happily ever after - than any true enjoyment in the journey. I'm sorry to say that I'm still not a huge fan of Avi.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellently creepy book for readers 9 and up about a magical book that promises renewed youth - but its spells can only be read by those with green eyes, and a successfully cast spell will lead to certain death for the child whose breath was captured as an ingredient.

Lots of suspense and well-drawn characters make this a particular winner. The Book without Words is a totally clean read, although there is a saint who figures in the plot. As the story is entirely magical, it didn't bother me (as a non-Christian) but I can see some other non-Christians might object.