Pale Phoenix

Time Travel Mystery #3

by Kathryn Reiss

In a sequel to Time Windows, Miranda and her family learn that the pale runaway girl they have taken in has been wandering for more than four hundred years and is doomed to be thirteen years old forever. Reprint.

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Mystery, Time Travel, Fiction, Paranormal, Ghosts

326 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Kathryn Reiss was born in Massachusetts, grew up in Ohio, and received B.A. degrees in English and German from Duke University, and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from the University of Michigan. After college, she lived in Bonn, Germany as a Fulbright Scholar, and during this time wrote the first draft of her first novel, Time Windows.

Ms. Reiss is an award -winning author of 20 novels for kids and teens. She has been a Writer in Residence for the Princeton Arts Council, a recipient of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts Grant for Writers, and has been a featured speaker with (among others) Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, The Northern California Library Association, The International Reading Association, Fresno County Office of Education, California Reading Association, The American Library Association, and the National Council of Teachers of English. She lives in Northern California with her husband and the last of her seven children still in the nest. She is a Full Professor of English at Mills College at Northeastern University, and also teaches in the low -residency MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Reviews

[Andrea]

I don't remember too much about this book since it's been so long since I've read it. I was in middle school I think, so the details are fuzzy. I do a remember a scene where she's lying on her stomach on her bed and she isn't wearing a bra under her shirt, and the boy in here rubs her back. That was a hot moment for a young teenager. I wish I remembered more, but I know it was interesting and the ties to the past were cool and I really like stories like this.

[Rose]

4 stars in reality but 5 in my heart for the nostalgia

[Dhani]

Judul buku : Kutukan Gadis Phoenix
Pengarang : Kathryn Reiss
Genre buku : Misteri
Alih bahasa : Utti Setiawati

Buku ini adalah buku yang saya beli murah dari seorang teman. Sama sekali blank dengan nama pengarang, juga jenis genre dan jalan ceritanya. Tapi setelah membacanya, suka banget.

Bercerita tentang Miranda Browne, seorang remaja, putri tunggal dari ibu yang dokter dan ayah yang seorang dosen pada mulanya, lalu memutuskan menjadi seorang direktur di sebuah museum.Pada suatu perjalanan ke sekolahnya, mobil yang dikendarai mamanya nyaris menabrak seorang gadis yang kemudian dikenal sebagai Abby.Seorang gadis berumur 13 an, yang sejak kejadian itu menarik perhatian Miranda. Bagaimana tidak, Abby yang ternyata satu sekolah dengannya, kelihatan aneh. Membawa tas manik- manik yang aneh, suka mencuri makanan di kantin sekolah dan bahkan di toko makanan di lingkungan mereka tinggal, senang menghilang tiba- tiba dan berlaku ketus.

Miranda yang penasaran berusaha mencari alamat yang diakui Abby sebagai alamatnya, tapi ternyata itu tempat tinggal orang lain. Sampai suatu kejadian mengantarkan Abby tinggal di rumahnya. Dan itu dikarenakan, Abby memecahkan kaca jendela mobil ayah Miranda untuk mengambil makanan di dalamnya.Kedua orang tua Miranda akhirnya " memaksa" Abby untuk tinggal bersama mereka, sementara mereka berusaha melacak jejak keluarganya.

Dan mulailah hari- hari yang aneh terjadi di keluarga Miranda. Mulai Miranda yang seringkali mendengar suara tangisan pelan Abby, tapi ketika ditengok, Abby tak ada di kamarnya, lalu tiba- tiba sudah ada di tempat tidurnya lagi dalam hitungan detik. Oh ya, Miranda bisa mendengarnya setelah dia menyimpan sebuah patung berbentuk peluit Phoenix di kamarnya.Belum lagi lagu- lagu yang dimainkan Abby dengan piano adalah lagu- lagu lama, tidak sesuai dengan umurnya.Dan puncaknya adalah saat nenek dari Susanah, sahabat Miranda yang bilang bahwa foto Abby mirip dengan foto muridnya puluhan tahun yang lalu.Lalu semuanya digenapkan dengan foto- foto rapuh dan kuno yang disimpan di tas manik- maniknya.

Akhirnya, Abby mengaku bahwa dia sebenarnya hidup di tiga ratus tahunan yang lalu. Tapi karena pertolongan seorang Indian, Abby tidak meninggal saat sebuah kebakaran menewaskan kedua orangtuanya, adik- adiknya juga calon suaminya. Setelah kejadian itu, Abby seperti terlempar ke masa depan.Hidup pada kurun waktu setelah itu, tapi tak bisa tumbuh atau menjadi tua. Dan untuk menghilangkan kecurigaan orang- orang, dia harus berpindah-pindah tempat.Bukannya Abby tidak berusaha untuk kembali ku masa lalunya, tapi dia selalu gagal dan menjadi" hantu"

Keterusterangan itu berujung pada permohonan Abby, agar Amanda dan Daniel sahabatnya, mau diajaknya ke masa lalu. Dan itu bisa dilakukan dengan bantuan peluit Phoenixnya.Lantas, apakah yang terjadi setelahnya? Apakah keinginan ketiga remaja ini berhasil? Apakah Abby bisa berkomunikasi kembali dengan keluarganya yang tidak meninggal di kejadian itu? Apakah Miranda dan Daniel bisa kembali ke dunianya sekarang, dengan atau tanpa Abby?

Membaca novel ini, kita diajak menyusuri banyak waktu. Yah, pembaca seperti berkelana ke masa- masa bahkan saat kemerdekaan Amerika belum terjadi. Mengamati kebiasaan dan perilaku penduduknya, juga tata kota di saat itu.Karena ini novel terjemahan, maka peran pengalih bahasanya sangatlah penting. Dan saya rasa, di sebagian besar halamannya, peran itu telah dilakukan dengan baik. Sungguh menyenangkan rasanya, beralih dari satu genre ke genre lain, dalam membaca. Dan saya menikmatinya sungguh...

[Emily]

Dang it! No resolution with a neat bow and it's killing me!

[Ameen Saif]

I read the book back when I was losing the initial spark of reading. It's best suited for children or young teens.

A simple story made so engaging by the visual descriptions. I might not remember every single detail from the book but I remember feeling like I was experiencing all of the time travel. Also a great book to introduce children to female leads.

[Zara]

I think this book is interesting

[Kristina Beaton]

I read this when I was a little girl- maybe in grade 4 or 6. I remember loving it then. I can't say if I'd like it now but I'll rate it based on my reaction then :)

[Irdiena Ell Milla]

Aah I love it. I even still have the novel and occasionally read this one. I love how the story is simple yet the interaction between characters are super enganging

[sayitwithasmile]

Childhood fave that I was just reminded of. My 10 year old self liked this one slightly less than Reiss' others

[Kati Polodna]

Way back in my memory, I remember reading this book when I must have been a teen. It held up well.

[Melissa]

Genre: Fantasy

This book is a story of a young girl, Abby, who has lived for 300 years and is trying desperately to get back in time to be with her family. Abby never ages and so she has to travel frequently so that people do not become suspicious of her. Abby arrives in Garnet, where Miranda's family lives. Miranda immediately has bad vibes when Abby is around and is very curious about her. When Abby is caught trying to break into Miranda's parents car they bring her home to question her. Because they feel sorry for this girl with no home, they invite her to stay with them for awhile. Abby eventually tells Miranda the story of how she came about living for so long. When Abby was 13 her family was killed in a house fire, and only she lived because she had a stone phoenix statue in her pocket. Since then she can wish herself back to the time right after the fire, but she is a ghost and cannot do anything. Miranda is the only one who can hear Abby's cries when she travels back to the past. So now it is up to Miranda to see if she can help Abby be with her family in the past, or grow older in the present time.

Activities:
1. Roundtable- have students either in small groups or as a class discuss the activities that have happened in the book. They should discuss topics such as things they liked, didn't like, and anything that might have confused or intrigued them.

2. Timeline- as the book is being read create a timeline as a class. There may be a large timeline on a wall in the classroom, and events and years could be written on post-its and added to the timeline throughout the reading. Have students keep track of events on their own personal timelines as well. By looking at the timeline the students will be able to keep track of Abby's travels.

[Raquel Romero]

I LOVED this book when I was younger. I always remembered the name then for some reason forgot it for a few years. Just remembered again and I'm glad I did. I can't believe I read it and I had no idea it was a series. Definitely broke one of my reading rules but of course I didn't know it back then lol.

Great book. It's probably been 10 years since I read it. I'm going to buy as soon as possible so I can read again and give a better review :)

[Amanda]

This was a good books but I like Time Windows better. (this is the 2nd to Time Windows.)

This book was kinda boring to begin with but it got a little better. This was the companion to Time Windows so of course I had to read it. I like who Miranda and her "boyfriends" relation ship developed more. All in all it was a good book and it is worth the read.

[Claudia]

My mom bought this book for me through one of the school scholastic book orders in elementary school. I have read it an re-read it to the point where the binding is cracked and faded from so many readings. More than ten years later I still re-read it every year or so. An absolutely sensational book that you never get tired of!

[Catherine]

This is a pretty good ghost story, but I found it hard to believe that Mandy's parents didn't listen to her more carefully after the whole Time Windows story. I did like seeing the character development though.

[Natsu]

not as fun as the 2nd book, but much better that the 1st.
pretty interesting story and unpredictable ending, at least for me..
but I think it's more like a drama story rather than a mystery.. well, just my 2 cent tho..

[Judy]

A sequel to "Time WIndows," but not as good. There are some plot holes - for example, why doesn't it mention what the protagonist learned in the first book? Still, an interesting story.

[Lindsay]

This was incredibly well written. It was so compelling to read, I couldn't put it down. It was a great sequel to Time Windows.

[Kricket]

as a youngster, i loved "time windows" but didn't realize it had a sequel until i was 22. and i think 22 was just too late to discover this one.

[Tianna]

This was very fun to read

[Katelyn]

want to re-read. It was really good i thought. Didn't know there was a book before it, now i'm gonna go get it ..Lol..

[Veni]

i love this book

[Zouk]

It was marvellous and evoked a feeling of sadness and happiness at the same time for me.

[Melody [not just some girl you can sway]]

This book had some potential, but it was not well written. She waited until 100+ pages in for anything slightly interesting to happen, and then it felt like she rushed it.

[Alice]

Was a favorite of mine when I was younger. Time traveling.

[Kat]

I loved this book as a kid I think I was 11 when I read it. I found this in the "library" of my English classroom it was one of my teachers books. I will always love this one

[Amanda]

A great sequel to "Time Windows". Spooky and well done.

[Mary Bronson]

I really enjoyed reading this book. I love Kathryn Reiss Time Travel Mysteries. Once I got into the middle of the book I couldn't put it down. It really was a page turner.

[Rachel]

suprising

[Daydreemer5696]

Easy book. I read it in one day. Short and easy but pretty good. Not my kind of book.