Der silberne Mond

Snow Spider Trilogy #2

by Jenny Nimmo

Young magician Gywn and his friend Nia have been warned to stay away from Emlyn Llewelyn, the strange boy who claims his mother lives on the moon. And yet, a mysterious magic continues to draw them to him. But why? It's up to Gwyn and Nia to solve the mystery, with the help of Arianwen, the Snow Spider. Readers will race along with Gwyn in this fantastic magical adventure to rescue Emlyn and his family before it's too late!

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

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Jenny Nimmo was born in Windsor, Berkshire, England and educated at boarding schools in Kent and Surrey from the age of six until the age of sixteen, when she ran away from school to become a drama student/assistant stage manager with Theater South East. She graduated and acted in repertory theater in various towns and cities: Eastbourne, Tunbridge Wells, Brighton, Hastings, and Bexhill.

She left Britain to teach English to three Italian boys in Almafi, Italy. On her return, she joined the BBC, first as a picture researcher, then as an assistant floor manager, studio manager (news) then finally a director/adaptor with Jackanory (a BBC storytelling program for children). She left BBC to marry a Welsh artist David Wynn Millward and went to live in Wales in her husband's family home. They live in a very old converted watermill, and the river is constantly threatening to break in, as it has done several times in the past, most dramatically on her youngest child's first birthday. During the summer they run a residential school of art, and she has to move her office, put down tools (type-writer and pencil, and don an apron and cook! They have three grown-up children, Myfawny, Ianto, and Gwenwyfar.

Reviews

[Mir · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought I had only read the first book as a kid but it turns out I read this one, too. It fell into that awkward valley where as soon as I read a bit it was familiar, but I couldn't really remember the entire book (as far as what else happened) but it was familiar enough that I felt bored reading it again... I guess that's an indicator, though -- good books are good the second time, too. I don't think I loved anything I read by Nimmo. Fine, but nothing special. I may track down the 3rd and see if I also read that.

[deborah o'carroll · Rating 2 out of 5]

For my review of the overall series, see my series review on The Page Dreamer: https://thepagedreamer.wordpress.com/...

Thoughts on this one:

This was mostly from the POV of Nia, a girl minorly mentioned in the first book. I think I wasn’t expecting that. This one actually reminded me a lot of the Julia Redfern books by Eleanor Cameron (just add a little magic). About a very young, very reckless/hotheaded girl who gets into scrapes, though her continued lying got to me a little, especially since half the time I really understood it, and half the time I… didn’t. I also loved Nia’s art school project part of the plot — quite lovely (though with some misfortunes along the way. *wince*). It was also quite interesting to see the hero of the first book, Gwyn, from another perspective! And then there was Gwyn’s cousin, Emlyn. There could have been more to his story, but I enjoyed his part of it all the same. He was a great addition (I’m sorry, I can never resist the golden eyed/slightly troubled boys).

[L Y N N · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know why, but this book just didn't resonate that much for me. I believe children would enjoy this much more than I did. However, I hesitate to send this on to my grandchildren. I personally felt it might be just a bit too dark..."ice" children coming into town to kidnap a child...I don't know... Perhaps it was just my mood, but it felt a bit too immediate and scary. Character development was almost zilch, IMHO, and since I truly read for characterization that was a huge disappointment for me. I will not search out the rest of this series to read it. This was enough.

[Kailey (Luminous Libro) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is utterly enchanting! I liked that instead of being told from Gwyn's POV, as the first book was, this one is told from Nia's perspective. Nia comes from a large family, where she feels inadequate as the middle child. But when she is called upon to reunite a broken family, she has to search deep within herself for the strength and talent that she's always possessed. Nia helps Emlyn search for his lost mother, and with Gwyn's magical help, they encounter adventure and mystery beyond the world they know.

The writing is absolutely delicious! I can feel every word- dazzling and woven about the story, painting a landscape of thought, and drawing me into a magical place. Sometimes I had to stop and reread a sentence just to relish every beautiful word. There is so much genius in this book!

Nia's journey of self-discovery is paralleled perfectly by the mysterious events surrounding Emlyn and his mother. I love how Nia gains confidence bit by bit through the story, and her creativity begins to blossom! She is a delightfully complex character.

I can't wait to read the next book in this trilogy!

[Nick Swarbrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clever in ways I had not expected, this second in the Snow Spider series continues to explore how children deal with family histories and loyalties. This story looks at urban living and hill farming and the interplay between them as friendships change and families confront their pasts.
But of course there is more than this: the enigmatic children from the first book haunt the hills, Gwyn exercises his power with less confidence than we might expect... A subtle little book, and if (again?) the ending feels a bit rushed there is, at least, a real sense of the child protagonists growing and struggling with their place in the world...

[Elle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review for the snow spider here

I definitely chose the right time to reread this series. the second book did not disappoint! The series as as a whole is undoubtedly flawed, yet revisiting these characters just felt so much like home to me. this time of year is horrible for me, and its nice to visit something familiar in such a setting as this one which is so different to my own life.

In this book we read from a new perspective which quite honestly I LOVED. In my previous review I mentioned how I remembered being in love with Bethan/Eirlys but now it is clear that Nia was the one I was thinking of. Nia to me is the best character, hands down. I feel like I have always felt this way, but in many ways she is very much like me. she likes to make things, takes things at face value and has such a beautiful sense and understanding of the nature around her. She is an underdog, but learns she has so much more within her than what others give her credit for. Nia is fantastic, and on the whole as a character massively improves the series.

This was just a sweet read for me. it was nice. the timing i think was important to making this so enjoyable for me: the weather is icy, i'm worrying about going to visit my parents in the countryside, i'm dabbling in religious ideas and noticing the nature around me more. all of these concerns and thoughts lately offer me answers within these pages. I just love the escapism of this series, the love for traditional wales and language and the importance of being close to nature seeps through the pages. and the duty of us to continue caring for nature! ugh I could write essays about the pastoral elements in this. but yes. in short it is an easy read, a pastoral escape with a bit of magic thrown in, and some really lovable characters. just what we all need this time of year.

[Brittney Perry · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

I think what's going on here is just that Nimmo's writing style just doesn't align with my preferences, as I have rated many of her books low at this point. I like high-action, fast-moving books, and hers simply aren't that.

It drags on for me because most of it is narration, and the rest barely anything noteworthy is happening, save for a couple scenes.

It's not that I minded it being from Nia's point of view, I just think it took away from the main story. I wouldn't call it a waste of time, but this whole book could have been side scenes while following Gwyn.

I don't really understand what's going on half the time, to be honest. Nia had no idea her dad was trying to get rid of Fly? Why couldn't the other family be reunited prior to the kids finding them again? Gwyn didn't think that Arianwen might have been taken by the only people that could have taken her? The whole matchbox was missing, so it wasn't like the first time. Easily could have deduced that, or even asked Nia. Additionally, why would she think it's okay to hand her off rather than returning her after she found out she was stolen?

The story itself isn't bad at all, just the delivery being a tad boring if you also don't like slow-paced books.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another enjoyable read. This one is based roughly 2 years later than the first book. In this one Nia the middle child of the Lloyd hoard takes the lead role. Gwyn is tied up with the storyline as are his family, including Nain. Nia gets herself in to a heap of trouble, goes places she's been told to avoid, and meddles with peoples lives. The story lost a star due to conflicting/confusing timelines. The story was meant to be based 2 years after the big storm caused by Gwyn in book 1, and after the playground fight he was in. Which happened after his 9th birthday. That and Bethan his sister went missing on Gwyn's 5th birthday, but he told Nia his sister had been gone for 4 years in this the second book. That and near the end the author mentions Gwyn is 10 years old now.. If this story is 2 years later Gwyn would be 11 years old and his sister gone for 6 years.. OK rant over, that's why I only gave 4 stars. Other than that I did enjoy the book, just the timeline bugged me.

[Littlerhymes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second in the Snow Spider trilogy, this follows Nia, the middle child of seven who doesn't know where she fits in the world. She feels especially lost when her family moves away from the ancestral farm to live in town. Then Nia befriends Emlyn, an outcast for reasons unknown; he and his artist father encourage Nia's creative side and she begins work on a piece of art. But she remains puzzled by what happened to Emlyn's mother, and why his father is in a feud with Gwyn's.

This was my favourite of the Snow Spider books as a child. Nia's unhappiness and her sense of not fitting anywhere feel so real. But then it's so joyful too, the way she finds her voice in sewing and collage, her connection with Gwyn's witchy grandmother, her delight in flowers and growing things. And it still has that eerie ancient magic feel of the first book.

As an adult, the ending feels a bit pat to me, but I also admire its briskness and efficiency. It gets SO much done in such a short space!

[Skye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now that I've finished this book I'm not certain how i feel about it. I really enjoyed it but there's a few things that didn't sit well with me.

I spent the first half of the book half convinced Emlyn's father was going to turn out to be abusive, and worried about that.
children's fantasy doesn't often deal with mental health but this didn't really do it that well, there's a lot of "mad" and comparing (presumably) post natal depression to rabbits eating their babies was...not a good move. but also the sort of thing i can see a child thinking/saying so...i dunno.

it doesn't feel as complete or as whole as the snow spider, i'm wondering if the end of the trilogy will fill me with more resolution. that said I love Nia and her flowers and her dealing with her self doubt and i love the way Nimmo describes Wales so much

[Kai Charles(Fiction State Of Mind) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coyer Winter Switch

This second story in the trilogy focuses on Nia, sister of Gwyn's best friend Nia. Life has been uprooted for young Nia, her family has moved from a home she loves to one that will fit her expanding families need.

Once moved Nia becomes drawn to a young boy named Emlyn who is a cousin to Wyn though they never talk.

Nia and Gwyn are told to stay away from Emlyn but circumstances draw Nia into his life and soon she is determined to bring the family together. This is the second book in the series and I really like how the two tie together and that this book was told through the eyes of a female character

[Isabella R · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this much better than its prequel, and it was certainly an intriguing move to have a character other than Gwyn be the main focus, especially since this series is mostly about him. I loved to see the story from Nia’s point of view, and the magic got better in this book. I love how Nimmo blends reality with magic and doesn’t try to make the magic hidden from the normal people like in many books such as Harry Potter and Percy Jackson. It’s very original and combines lots of Welsh mythology and folklore. You really start to see a lot of growth in the characters.

[Ergative Absolutive · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this a lot better than the first book. Nia was such an appealing character, and her plight of being forever the middle child was so effectively evoked. Emlyn and his father were interesting characters, and the mystery of his missing mother was very effectively evoked. The solution to the mystery, like the first book, felt . . . odd, unbelievable, and an awful lot like some sort of weird kidnapping?

[AJ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was slightly more entertaining than the first, but it had all the same problems. Details about characters and plot appeared out of nowhere with no explanation, and several points in the book left me utterly confused trying to piece together what was going on. There were also many grammatical and basic spelling errors.

[Lara Vehar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book much better than I liked the first one. The story flows better and I loved the climax much more because I was actually unsure if everyone will make it out alive or not. I also liked Nia a little bit more as a protagonist and I loved that the magic was a little bit more symplistic this time around.

[Dinah Buhr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Erstaunlich gut, vor allem für ein Kinderbuch. Ein bisschen Fantasy, ein bisschen Großfamilie auf dem Land, ein bisschen ein Mädchen das lernt auf sich selbst zu vertrauen, ein bisschen ungleiche Freundschaft

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just wouldn't have enjoyed this book as a child. The beginning was interesting and I think I connected with Nia as a member of a big, crazy family, but it got weird fast. By the end I was just skimming to get it done.

[Victoria Zigler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a beautifully written and magical story, which I considered to be an enjoyable read.

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am looking forward to learning how the trilogy comes together. I want to know if magic helps our world or if it is only present to keep worlds and time alive in coexistence.

[Misty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another cute book about Welsh folklore and magic. I do think I prefer Nimmo's Charlie Bone series but the books in this series are very cute and short. I enjoyed it.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

And now to track down The Chestnut Soldier!

[Anne Hamilton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gwyn's cousin, Emlyn Llewellyn, hasn't any friends. His mother, it's said, has left him to live in the moon.

[Mary Mackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable read

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nia and her own kind of magic. ❤️

[Theo Thomason · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok, it got very complicated very fast. So It kind of ruins the whole book.👌

[Glenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I didn't love this as much as The Snow Spider, it was nice to be back in 1980's Wales.

[Hattie · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS IS DEFINITELY IT, I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO REMEMBER THIS BOOK FOR YEARS.

Not even sure whether I read the first one.

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

[Paulina · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Pam Baddeley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second in the trilogy which began with 'The Snow Spider', and is set 2 years after the first book, although there's a continuity error towards the end where Gwyn, the protagonist of the first volume, is described as 10 years old - as the first book began with his 9th birthday I expected him to be 11 years old.

Gwyn, the magician in training, takes more of a subsidiary role this time, as the centre stage is occupied by Nia, only a walk-on part in book 1. She is the middle child of the large Lloyds family, Gwyn's neighbours in 'The Snow Spider'. The story begins as the Lloyds move out of their farmhouse back to town, with Mr Lloyd taking over the butcher's shop. Butchery was his first trade and he only took on the farm to please his ailing father in law, 15 years before. It isn't stated but we have to assume the FIL has now died. The Lloyds have an 8th child on the way and Mr Lloyd wants the steady trade, as he was never much good as a farmer, so he has sold the land to Gwyn's father.

Nia is the only one of the family sad to leave her home, with the flowers she loved to grow. As soon as they reach the new home, she goes out, dressing up in her mother's best clothes, and taking Fly their sheepdog. She encounters the brightly painted ex-chapel, home of Emlyn and his father Idris, and goes inside. Idris is married to Gwyn's mother's sister, Elinor, who went missing shortly after having another baby. The two families are estranged, as Nia eventually discovers, because Idris blames Gwyn's father for his wife's departure. Emlyn wants Nia to sell Fly to them as they have a field attached to the chapel, and Nia agrees, but when she gets home she discovers that her father has already sold the dog to Gwyn and she is forbidden to visit Emlyn and his father again.

Nia is an odd one out in her family, the butt of jokes about being Nia who can do nothing, and this negative attitude also seem to have extended to her school with the teachers expecting her to be useless. So when every child is expected to produce a project of some kind for judging, Nia views this as a disaster, as she has no confidence in her own abilities. Idris gives her a large sheet of canvas and suggests she create a collage because she mentions she can sew, but throughout the book she has losses of confidence and thinks that her work is poor or will never be finished. She also gets into trouble because of the odd methods she sometimes employs to get hold of material scraps.

For a while, she and Emlyn are estranged as he blames her rather unfairly for 'letting' her father sell the dog. She makes friends with his cousin Gwyn and we learn that she always believed he was a magician when the rest of her family ostracised him. Gradually, Nia begins to try to bring the two sides of Gwyn's family back together.

The theme of book 1 - the loss of Gwyn's sister who was abducted to another world where she was changed to fit in with its strange white haired children - is worked into this book as well, and we learn more about the nature of the children. They failed to drag Gwyn off with them in book 1 but are still after others and gradually Elwyn begins to be menaced. Meanwhile, the only adult who believes him and Nia about the danger is Gwyn's grandmother, Nain.

One aspect of this story concerns mental illness among adults. I did think that was dealt with in a rather too facile a manner. I also imagine that parents wouldn't like an aspect of Nia's character - she quite often tells lies to avoid having to admit to unpleasant things, such as when she at first makes excuses for why she doesn't bring Fly to Emlyn.

A foreshadowing I imagine is that Gwyn is finding the use of his powers quite a burden, and is exhausted by the end of the story. I'm sure this will lead to something in book 3.