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Worldquake Sequence #1
Dragons Green
Effie Truelove believes in magic, as does her grandfather Griffin (although he refuses to do any magic, let alone teach Effie how to use it). After a mysterious incident leaves Griffin close to death, Effie is given an unusual silver ring and told she must look after her grandfather’s library of rare and powerful books. But then the books fall into the hands of shady scholar Leonard Levar, and Effie is propelled into the most dangerous adventure of her life.
Now, Effie and her friends—nerdy Maximilian, rugby-mad Wolf, helpful Lexy, and eccentric Raven—must discover their true powers if they are to get the books back. And Effie alone will have to travel to the Otherworld, where she will uncover the true meaning of the strange old book called Dragon’s Green…
Now, Effie and her friends—nerdy Maximilian, rugby-mad Wolf, helpful Lexy, and eccentric Raven—must discover their true powers if they are to get the books back. And Effie alone will have to travel to the Otherworld, where she will uncover the true meaning of the strange old book called Dragon’s Green…
352 pages, Paperback
First published April 6, 2017
133 people are currently reading
4010 people want to read
About the author
Scarlett Thomas
32 books1,837 followersScarlett Thomas was born in London in 1972. Her widely-acclaimed novels include PopCo, The End of Mr Y and The Seed Collectors. As well as writing literary fiction for adults, she has also written a literary fantasy series for children and a book about writing called Monkeys with Typewriters. Her work has been translated into more than 25 languages.
She has been longlisted for the Orange Prize, shortlisted for the South African Boeke Prize and was once the proud recipient of an Elle Style Award. She is currently Professor of Creative Writing & Contemporary Fiction at the University of Kent in the UK. She lives in a Victorian house near the sea and spends a lot of time reading Chekhov and Katherine Mansfield.
She is currently working on a new novel and various projects for TV.
She has been longlisted for the Orange Prize, shortlisted for the South African Boeke Prize and was once the proud recipient of an Elle Style Award. She is currently Professor of Creative Writing & Contemporary Fiction at the University of Kent in the UK. She lives in a Victorian house near the sea and spends a lot of time reading Chekhov and Katherine Mansfield.
She is currently working on a new novel and various projects for TV.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 454 reviews
March 25, 2017
Scarlett Thomas makes her first foray into children's fantasy fiction with panache. In the first book of what is intended to be a series, she does a marvellous job in world building with portals such as a bakery into the Otherworld. A young girl. Euphemia 'Effie' Truelove, is a charming and engaging heroine, aided in her quest by her newly acquired rag tag bunch of schoolfriends. Effie's mother disappeared in the bizarre worldquake which happened to also erase the internet. Her father remarries which results in Effie spending considerably more time with her grandfather, Griffin. She asks him questions about magic which he refuses to answer.
Effie attends the Tusitala School for the Gifted and Strange. When Griffin becomes ill, Effie becomes aware that she will inherit the family library. Her grandfather is murdered and bequeaths her a specific book which sets out to train and equip her with the magical powers she has. The library and the books within it put Effie in danger and risk as the darkest of forces in the universe plan to use the books and the power they have. As Effie acquaints herself with her magical powers, she seeks vengeance for the death of her grandfather and to save the library. Her new schoolfriends, Wolf, Max, Raven and Lexy prove to be a smart and quirky additional friends to have on her adventures where she needs all the help she can get.
This is not an altogether perfect book, but I imagine that children will find this a thrilling, curious, entertaining and absorbing read. It has all the elements in this book to promise an enthralling fantastical series. Thanks to Canongate for an ARC.
Effie attends the Tusitala School for the Gifted and Strange. When Griffin becomes ill, Effie becomes aware that she will inherit the family library. Her grandfather is murdered and bequeaths her a specific book which sets out to train and equip her with the magical powers she has. The library and the books within it put Effie in danger and risk as the darkest of forces in the universe plan to use the books and the power they have. As Effie acquaints herself with her magical powers, she seeks vengeance for the death of her grandfather and to save the library. Her new schoolfriends, Wolf, Max, Raven and Lexy prove to be a smart and quirky additional friends to have on her adventures where she needs all the help she can get.
This is not an altogether perfect book, but I imagine that children will find this a thrilling, curious, entertaining and absorbing read. It has all the elements in this book to promise an enthralling fantastical series. Thanks to Canongate for an ARC.
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October 31, 2016It takes a lot nowadays for an ARC to really excite me. Well, I was lucky enough to read an ARC of this book, and I think it's the most exciting debut in children's fiction since HARRY POTTER. Immersive, engaging, original; delightful in its details (a bun shop that serves as a portal to Otherworld; a library of Last Editions; a Princess School in which girls are trained to be appealing to dragons); playful, warm and yet thrilling, too, kids all over the world are going to be fighting their parents for copies of this book. If it's not massive, I'll eat my hat. Or better still, a giant cake shaped like a hat, to be eaten anyway.
September 8, 2017
OMG.
WAUW.
GEWELDIG.
Eind augustus was ik samen met vriendin en collega Evelyn op een event voor boekverkopers, en we kregen van uitgeverij De Fontein een leesexemplaar in handen gedrukt van dit boek.
Ik had er nog nooit van gehoord, de cover sprak me meteen aan en na het lezen van de achterflap wilde ik eigenlijk daar ter plekke beginnen in het boek. Dat heb ik toch maar niet gedaan, ik heb gewacht op een roostervrije dag met verder geen afspraken, zodat ik me helemaal kon onderdompelen in deze wereld.
En wat ben ik blij dat ik dat gedaan heb, want wat is het een heerlijke wereld. Het is erg lang geleden dat ik op ben gebleven om een boek uit te lezen, maar dat heb ik bij deze echt gedaan! En no regrets over de mindere slaap.
Dit is een boek voor liefhebbers van Harry Potter. Dat wordt vaker bij boeken gezegd, en vaak vind ik ze dan inderdaad leuk, zoals bijvoorbeeld de serie van De alchemist. Maar op een of andere manier is er amper iets dat me het gevoel gaf dat ik vroeger kreeg als er weer een nieuwe Harry Potter was en ik me daar in kon verliezen. Maar nu is het er. Maar echt. Wow.
Tijdens het lezen dacht ik 'wow, dit is echt het beste boek dat ik dit jaar heb gelezen'. Maar dat wilde ik niet zomaar roepen, dus ik ging op mijn 2017 shelf kijken bij mijn 5* rating en jep, met kop en schouders. En dat terwijl ik dit jaar zo veel favorieten heb gelezen! Misschien, nee ik weet het vrijwel zeker, dit is het fijnste en beste boek dat ik gelezen heb sinds ik 3 jaar geleden weer zo intensief ben gaan lezen. Wow
Het is een avontuurlijk boek, voor jongens én meiden, vanaf 10 jaar. Ik zeg expres vanaf en zonder bovengrens, want iedereen die van boeken en lezen houdt en/of vroeger van Harry Potter heeft genoten, gaat genieten van dit boek.
Een clubje vrienden dat avonturen beleeft in een magische wereld, dat klinkt heel erg als HP en het geeft hetzelfde gevoel, maar toch is het HEEL anders. Maar voor mij staat het op eenzelfde hoogte.
Ik hoop dat jullie dit boek nu ook allemaal gaan lezen want ik wil hier met iedereen over kunnen praten! Laat het me weten als je hem op wilt/gaat pakken en laat me weten wat je ervaringen zijn! Vind ik superleuk om te horen!
Ik ben op vakantie als dit boek uitkomt en vlak daarna is eht kinderboekenweek, maar ik laat me in niets tegenhouden om dit boek aan de wereld aan te raden want JE WILT DIT LEZEN. Echt. Als ik je nog niet overtuigd had, geloof me maar gewoon op mijn woord, oké? ;)
De Nederlandse uitgave verschijnt op 26 september en is in hardcover. Dit wil je dan toch hebben? in het Engels is de auteur toch nog niet verder met schrijven, dus dat heeft geen voordeel. En het is goed vertaald! Er zijn mooie woorden en manieren van omschrijven gezocht in onze taal om het magische sfeertje vast te houden, en dat is erg goed gelukt.
En zoals jullie weten ben ik meestal een groot voorstander van de vertaalde boeken. Dit is zodat we in Nederland uitgeverijen en boekhandels kunnen houden, en zodat auteurs naar Nederland kunnen blijven komen. Maar dat is met dit boek helemaal, want de uitgeverij moet weten hoe geweldig de community dit boek gaat vinden! Want jullie gaan dit boek allemaal geweldig vinden, weet ik zeker, durf ik mijn hand voor in het vuur te steken.
Tip: bij een fysieke boekwinkel kun je een boek vaak pre-orderen, en dan staat hij op de dag van verschijnen voor je klaar! Via de webshop kan in de meeste gevallen ook :)
WAUW.
GEWELDIG.
Eind augustus was ik samen met vriendin en collega Evelyn op een event voor boekverkopers, en we kregen van uitgeverij De Fontein een leesexemplaar in handen gedrukt van dit boek.
Ik had er nog nooit van gehoord, de cover sprak me meteen aan en na het lezen van de achterflap wilde ik eigenlijk daar ter plekke beginnen in het boek. Dat heb ik toch maar niet gedaan, ik heb gewacht op een roostervrije dag met verder geen afspraken, zodat ik me helemaal kon onderdompelen in deze wereld.
En wat ben ik blij dat ik dat gedaan heb, want wat is het een heerlijke wereld. Het is erg lang geleden dat ik op ben gebleven om een boek uit te lezen, maar dat heb ik bij deze echt gedaan! En no regrets over de mindere slaap.
Dit is een boek voor liefhebbers van Harry Potter. Dat wordt vaker bij boeken gezegd, en vaak vind ik ze dan inderdaad leuk, zoals bijvoorbeeld de serie van De alchemist. Maar op een of andere manier is er amper iets dat me het gevoel gaf dat ik vroeger kreeg als er weer een nieuwe Harry Potter was en ik me daar in kon verliezen. Maar nu is het er. Maar echt. Wow.
Tijdens het lezen dacht ik 'wow, dit is echt het beste boek dat ik dit jaar heb gelezen'. Maar dat wilde ik niet zomaar roepen, dus ik ging op mijn 2017 shelf kijken bij mijn 5* rating en jep, met kop en schouders. En dat terwijl ik dit jaar zo veel favorieten heb gelezen! Misschien, nee ik weet het vrijwel zeker, dit is het fijnste en beste boek dat ik gelezen heb sinds ik 3 jaar geleden weer zo intensief ben gaan lezen. Wow
Het is een avontuurlijk boek, voor jongens én meiden, vanaf 10 jaar. Ik zeg expres vanaf en zonder bovengrens, want iedereen die van boeken en lezen houdt en/of vroeger van Harry Potter heeft genoten, gaat genieten van dit boek.
Een clubje vrienden dat avonturen beleeft in een magische wereld, dat klinkt heel erg als HP en het geeft hetzelfde gevoel, maar toch is het HEEL anders. Maar voor mij staat het op eenzelfde hoogte.
Ik hoop dat jullie dit boek nu ook allemaal gaan lezen want ik wil hier met iedereen over kunnen praten! Laat het me weten als je hem op wilt/gaat pakken en laat me weten wat je ervaringen zijn! Vind ik superleuk om te horen!
Ik ben op vakantie als dit boek uitkomt en vlak daarna is eht kinderboekenweek, maar ik laat me in niets tegenhouden om dit boek aan de wereld aan te raden want JE WILT DIT LEZEN. Echt. Als ik je nog niet overtuigd had, geloof me maar gewoon op mijn woord, oké? ;)
De Nederlandse uitgave verschijnt op 26 september en is in hardcover. Dit wil je dan toch hebben? in het Engels is de auteur toch nog niet verder met schrijven, dus dat heeft geen voordeel. En het is goed vertaald! Er zijn mooie woorden en manieren van omschrijven gezocht in onze taal om het magische sfeertje vast te houden, en dat is erg goed gelukt.
En zoals jullie weten ben ik meestal een groot voorstander van de vertaalde boeken. Dit is zodat we in Nederland uitgeverijen en boekhandels kunnen houden, en zodat auteurs naar Nederland kunnen blijven komen. Maar dat is met dit boek helemaal, want de uitgeverij moet weten hoe geweldig de community dit boek gaat vinden! Want jullie gaan dit boek allemaal geweldig vinden, weet ik zeker, durf ik mijn hand voor in het vuur te steken.
Tip: bij een fysieke boekwinkel kun je een boek vaak pre-orderen, en dan staat hij op de dag van verschijnen voor je klaar! Via de webshop kan in de meeste gevallen ook :)
August 6, 2019
El Valle del Dragón es un libro que simplemente hizo que regresarán a mi esos mismos sentimientos que tuve al leer Harry Potter, de verdad que es un libro lleo de magia y aventuras.
Hace tiempo que buscaba un libro de fantasía que me hiciera sentir que de verdad todo lo que me estaban narrando era posible en mi mundo, porque normalmente tenía la sensación de que todos los libros de fantasía con los que me topaba ultimamente eran muy poco creibles (aunque se que es fantasía y nada en este género es real jajajaja) pero de verdad que quería un libro que me transmitiera esta misma magia.
Es un libro conmemorativo a la magía de los libros, sencillamente asi, pone a los libros en un pedestal y la trama principal es hermosa, jamás había leido un libro que enalteciera a los libros (no solo como objetos) si no como cosas fuera de este mundo.
La razón por la que no le puse 5 estrellas a este libro es que el final fue demasiado rápido... ¡EXTREMADAMEMTE! me usieron muchos sucesos en tan solo 2 páginas y era como WOOO TRANQUILO VIEJO. TOO MUCH INFORMATION
Pero bueno, mientras iba leyendo el libro me llenaba más y más de magia.
Si me dijeran que libro quisiera leerles en un futuro a mis hijos. Sin duda este sería uno de ellos.
Hace tiempo que buscaba un libro de fantasía que me hiciera sentir que de verdad todo lo que me estaban narrando era posible en mi mundo, porque normalmente tenía la sensación de que todos los libros de fantasía con los que me topaba ultimamente eran muy poco creibles (aunque se que es fantasía y nada en este género es real jajajaja) pero de verdad que quería un libro que me transmitiera esta misma magia.
Es un libro conmemorativo a la magía de los libros, sencillamente asi, pone a los libros en un pedestal y la trama principal es hermosa, jamás había leido un libro que enalteciera a los libros (no solo como objetos) si no como cosas fuera de este mundo.
La razón por la que no le puse 5 estrellas a este libro es que el final fue demasiado rápido... ¡EXTREMADAMEMTE! me usieron muchos sucesos en tan solo 2 páginas y era como WOOO TRANQUILO VIEJO. TOO MUCH INFORMATION
Pero bueno, mientras iba leyendo el libro me llenaba más y más de magia.
Si me dijeran que libro quisiera leerles en un futuro a mis hijos. Sin duda este sería uno de ellos.
July 28, 2017
OH MY HEAVENS WHAT A WONDERFUL AMAZING PRECIOUS BOOK THIS IS. I AM IN LOVE. YES I NEED TO WRITE THIS IN ALL CAPS CAUSE IT IS SO DAMN GOOD. ITS FUNNY, THRILLING, EXCITING, MAGICAL, REALISTIC AND FULL OF AMAZING CHARACTERS. THE WORLD SCARLETT THOMAS HAS CREATED IS AMAZING AND MAGICAL. I love this book to bits and pieces and I just need the rest of the series right now. ITS SO ORIGINAL AND MAGICAL AND WONDERFUL.
November 23, 2017
Effie erft een bibliotheek met 500 boeken wanneer haar opa overlijdt. Effies vader is het niet eens met deze erfenis en verkoopt de boeken aan de boekhandelaar. Dankzij een vriend en een speciale gift van haar opa, blijkt dat er maar 499 boeken zijn verkocht en dat er nog één boek, Dragon's Green, verborgen ligt in het huis van opa. Dragon's Green blijkt een magisch boek te zijn en Effie haar wereld wordt verrijkt met magie. Samen met haar nieuwe vrienden en de giften gaat zij proberen de boeken uit handen van de boekhandelaar te redden, terwijl ze ondertussen worstelen met de leer van de nieuwe gaves.
Scarlett Thomas zet met Dragon's Green echt een fantastisch boek neer. Draken, prinsessen, een schurk en een held, magie en boeken. Wat wil een leesfanaat nog meer? Werkelijk alle ingrediënten voor een heerlijk boek zijn aanwezig en gelukkig heeft Thomas er ook een goed boek mee neergezet. Door de simpel geschreven tekst en een hoge dosis humor ontkom je er niet aan om het boek in één ruk uit te willen lezen.
'Oh.' The dragon looked sad. 'Gosh'. "
Vriendschappen staan centraal in het boek en ondanks de jonge leeftijden van de personages, is het zo fijn geschreven, dat er zeker wel een klik met de personages vormt. Je leeft mee met de groeiende vriendschappen, maar ook met het verdriet wat deze personen moeten verwerken. Maar buiten dit, is het om de zoveel bladzijden tijd voor een grapje en deze uit zich in verschillende manieren. Sarcarsme komt voorbij, maar ook flauwe humor. Hier ontsnapten er zeker een paar flinke gniffels tijdens het lezen! Ook heeft Thomas er spanning in verwerkt. Niet nagelbijtend-spannend, maar spannend op de manier van een jeugdboek die perfect in dit boek past. Door al deze elementen heeft Thomas een boek neergezet dat geschikt is voor jong én oud!
Is het al april 2018? Ik wil zo graag verder lezen, ben zo benieuwd naar de avonturen wat ze nog moeten gaan beleven! Dragon's Green krijgt 4,5 welverdiende sterren.
Scarlett Thomas zet met Dragon's Green echt een fantastisch boek neer. Draken, prinsessen, een schurk en een held, magie en boeken. Wat wil een leesfanaat nog meer? Werkelijk alle ingrediënten voor een heerlijk boek zijn aanwezig en gelukkig heeft Thomas er ook een goed boek mee neergezet. Door de simpel geschreven tekst en een hoge dosis humor ontkom je er niet aan om het boek in één ruk uit te willen lezen.
'Oh.' The dragon looked sad. 'Gosh'. "
Vriendschappen staan centraal in het boek en ondanks de jonge leeftijden van de personages, is het zo fijn geschreven, dat er zeker wel een klik met de personages vormt. Je leeft mee met de groeiende vriendschappen, maar ook met het verdriet wat deze personen moeten verwerken. Maar buiten dit, is het om de zoveel bladzijden tijd voor een grapje en deze uit zich in verschillende manieren. Sarcarsme komt voorbij, maar ook flauwe humor. Hier ontsnapten er zeker een paar flinke gniffels tijdens het lezen! Ook heeft Thomas er spanning in verwerkt. Niet nagelbijtend-spannend, maar spannend op de manier van een jeugdboek die perfect in dit boek past. Door al deze elementen heeft Thomas een boek neergezet dat geschikt is voor jong én oud!
Is het al april 2018? Ik wil zo graag verder lezen, ben zo benieuwd naar de avonturen wat ze nog moeten gaan beleven! Dragon's Green krijgt 4,5 welverdiende sterren.
September 16, 2022
Ами много ми хареса! Наистина е интересно и завладяващо приключение за деца. Има ги и магията, и мистерията... и неопитността на децата. Хареса ми!
Децата-герои бяха идеални образи - неуверени, незнаещи, опитващи, изпълнени с надежда и сляпа вяра... Възрастните бяха не толкова симпатични, но може би това бе и целта.
Харесах и идеята за "последния читател" 😏
Препоръчвам! Не само за деца, ами и за по-големите, които още не сме пораснали достатъчно, за да не вярваме в магията 🪄✨
Децата-герои бяха идеални образи - неуверени, незнаещи, опитващи, изпълнени с надежда и сляпа вяра... Възрастните бяха не толкова симпатични, но може би това бе и целта.
Харесах и идеята за "последния читател" 😏
Препоръчвам! Не само за деца, ами и за по-големите, които още не сме пораснали достатъчно, за да не вярваме в магията 🪄✨
June 28, 2017
When you read an entertaining, well-written children's fantasy like Dragon's Green, it often springs to mind just how good Rowling was at what she did. The effortless realism of the characters, the constantly evolving yet easy to follow plot, the heart-warming humour and the patience with which she builds her world and takes us on endless twists and turns so that we're left wondering until the very end. Dragon's Green is a good story and it's an unfair comparison. But Rowling is the yardstick of excellence and Scarlett Thomas's intelligent and atmospheric fantasy falls a little short of that.
Thomas creates a gothic, slanted fairy-tale scape of hidden wizards and sinister plots. It is all very similar to our own world, but locations are never mentioned and Thomas hints at a world history that followed a different path to our own. The big event was the Worldquake, a world encompassing earthquake that sent the world back a few centuries in the technology stakes. It allows her to cleverly give magic its useful place in the world while maintaining it as something occult and not to be believed in. The cast are a group of troubled children, the parents of some with mysteries in the past or unexplained disappearances, in a school which specialises in people of their talents. Unlike Rowling, however, the school setting is not expanded on much in this first installment, and much is left untold. School relationships and friendships are also not the number one priority. This is an altogether more mythical and otherworldly fantasy.
The main characters, Effie and Max, are great. Effie has her traditional old magical mentor (her grandfather) who quickly leaves the story leaving her a trail of mysteries and secrets, convieniently not sticking around long enough to explain everything. Her parents are a bit Dursley-esque and some of the side-characters she meets on her journey to the Otherworld are suitably mysterious and characterful, showing promise for future volumes. The downfall are the minor roles played by the other three children. They join late game for a bit of slash and flash action with the bad guy without ever really being properly introduces or invested in the story. It's a bit of a disappointment, a bit rushed. Max and Effie would have sufficed. The others could be brought in slowly in the next book.
The plot is reasonably complicated, involving layered stories within stories, quite literally as Effie jumps into the book Dragon's Green and must complete its plot computer game style, being rewarding almost "level-up" style with more magical power and a new magical item. Max can even see wizard's magical energy levels with a digital bar through his magical glasses. The children discover their character "type" one by one - healer, scholar, warrior - in the way of roleplay casts, and each has a fitting magical item that only they can use. The numerical satisfaction of M-currency in the book should appeal to computer game fans and thoses who like a fantasy that works according to a RPG rule book. It does make for lots of fun to read and gives Thomas a neat, clever framework for her action scenes which are compact and excitingly written.
There's more to come and plenty left unexplained, but Thomas panicks through too much in the final fifty pages. Effie and Max discover too much about their powers and about their magical world. Too much is revealed too early, without really letting the characters have time to bed in. Unfortunately, characters in books like this can seem a bit like Power Rangers if not given the attention they need to turn into a Ron or even one of the countless minor characters in Hogwarts that Rowling somehow imbues with such personality. But Effie in particular is intriguing and the story of evil magician book burners set in a slightly macabre, spooky world of magical shadows with a history full of mystery does hint at the potential to surprise, the potential to, like Rowling, save all the best secrets for much later on. 6
Thomas creates a gothic, slanted fairy-tale scape of hidden wizards and sinister plots. It is all very similar to our own world, but locations are never mentioned and Thomas hints at a world history that followed a different path to our own. The big event was the Worldquake, a world encompassing earthquake that sent the world back a few centuries in the technology stakes. It allows her to cleverly give magic its useful place in the world while maintaining it as something occult and not to be believed in. The cast are a group of troubled children, the parents of some with mysteries in the past or unexplained disappearances, in a school which specialises in people of their talents. Unlike Rowling, however, the school setting is not expanded on much in this first installment, and much is left untold. School relationships and friendships are also not the number one priority. This is an altogether more mythical and otherworldly fantasy.
The main characters, Effie and Max, are great. Effie has her traditional old magical mentor (her grandfather) who quickly leaves the story leaving her a trail of mysteries and secrets, convieniently not sticking around long enough to explain everything. Her parents are a bit Dursley-esque and some of the side-characters she meets on her journey to the Otherworld are suitably mysterious and characterful, showing promise for future volumes. The downfall are the minor roles played by the other three children. They join late game for a bit of slash and flash action with the bad guy without ever really being properly introduces or invested in the story. It's a bit of a disappointment, a bit rushed. Max and Effie would have sufficed. The others could be brought in slowly in the next book.
The plot is reasonably complicated, involving layered stories within stories, quite literally as Effie jumps into the book Dragon's Green and must complete its plot computer game style, being rewarding almost "level-up" style with more magical power and a new magical item. Max can even see wizard's magical energy levels with a digital bar through his magical glasses. The children discover their character "type" one by one - healer, scholar, warrior - in the way of roleplay casts, and each has a fitting magical item that only they can use. The numerical satisfaction of M-currency in the book should appeal to computer game fans and thoses who like a fantasy that works according to a RPG rule book. It does make for lots of fun to read and gives Thomas a neat, clever framework for her action scenes which are compact and excitingly written.
There's more to come and plenty left unexplained, but Thomas panicks through too much in the final fifty pages. Effie and Max discover too much about their powers and about their magical world. Too much is revealed too early, without really letting the characters have time to bed in. Unfortunately, characters in books like this can seem a bit like Power Rangers if not given the attention they need to turn into a Ron or even one of the countless minor characters in Hogwarts that Rowling somehow imbues with such personality. But Effie in particular is intriguing and the story of evil magician book burners set in a slightly macabre, spooky world of magical shadows with a history full of mystery does hint at the potential to surprise, the potential to, like Rowling, save all the best secrets for much later on. 6
October 2, 2017
Non si può spiegare a parole quanto mi è piaciuto "Il drago verde".
Mi piacciono tantissimo i romanzi per ragazzi, ma sono anche molto critica quando li leggo. Per me devono avere tutti un po' di magia, dei messaggi nascosti tra le pagine, assurdità ed avvenimenti bizzarri insieme a personaggi da amare profondamente e senza alcuna riserve.
Beh, Scarlett Thomas non mi ha affatto delusa in questo (non che mi aspettassi qualcosa di diverso da questa donna).
Sin dal primo capitolo ho capito subito che il libro mi avrebbe fatta ridere a crepapelle con situazioni al di là della realtà. È tutto surreale, così tanto da essere magnifico.
Le avventure di Effie sono vere e mai confuse: mi è piaciuta tanto soprattutto quella con il drago verde. Ho adorato il coraggio della piccola eroina ed odiato a morte suo padre e tutti coloro che limitavano la sua magia. Davvero. Personaggi così sono creati appositamente per essere odiati oltre ogni limite.
Una banda di ragazzini pronti all'azione, nemici da sconfiggere ed avventure tutte da vivere: questo ci aspetta con la serie del drago verde e io già non mi sento in grado di reggere l'attesa per il prossimo libro.
Una cosa però voglio dire a tutti voi lettori: se volete leggere Scarlett Thomas, che voi siate grandi o piccini, dovete essere pronti psicologicamente ad un'autrice che i libri normali non li sa proprio scrivere. Questa donna, anche nei romanzi per ragazzi, deve sempre puntare sul diverso. Che siano un finale alternativo e sospeso, una realtà irreale o personaggi bizzarri Scarlett si distingue sempre.
Amatela per quella che è o non leggetela affatto, il suo genio ha bisogno di essere compreso per essere apprezzato.
Mi piacciono tantissimo i romanzi per ragazzi, ma sono anche molto critica quando li leggo. Per me devono avere tutti un po' di magia, dei messaggi nascosti tra le pagine, assurdità ed avvenimenti bizzarri insieme a personaggi da amare profondamente e senza alcuna riserve.
Beh, Scarlett Thomas non mi ha affatto delusa in questo (non che mi aspettassi qualcosa di diverso da questa donna).
Sin dal primo capitolo ho capito subito che il libro mi avrebbe fatta ridere a crepapelle con situazioni al di là della realtà. È tutto surreale, così tanto da essere magnifico.
Le avventure di Effie sono vere e mai confuse: mi è piaciuta tanto soprattutto quella con il drago verde. Ho adorato il coraggio della piccola eroina ed odiato a morte suo padre e tutti coloro che limitavano la sua magia. Davvero. Personaggi così sono creati appositamente per essere odiati oltre ogni limite.
Una banda di ragazzini pronti all'azione, nemici da sconfiggere ed avventure tutte da vivere: questo ci aspetta con la serie del drago verde e io già non mi sento in grado di reggere l'attesa per il prossimo libro.
Una cosa però voglio dire a tutti voi lettori: se volete leggere Scarlett Thomas, che voi siate grandi o piccini, dovete essere pronti psicologicamente ad un'autrice che i libri normali non li sa proprio scrivere. Questa donna, anche nei romanzi per ragazzi, deve sempre puntare sul diverso. Che siano un finale alternativo e sospeso, una realtà irreale o personaggi bizzarri Scarlett si distingue sempre.
Amatela per quella che è o non leggetela affatto, il suo genio ha bisogno di essere compreso per essere apprezzato.
April 23, 2019
Premisa original y worldbuilding con cositas molonas, aunque un poco confuso. Se me hizo lenta en algunas ocasiones la historia, pero me ha gustado en general.
November 25, 2017
Some books get all the hype internationally before they are translated to Dutch. But others do not. This was the case for Dragon’s Green as well. I had not heard of this book before it was translated to Dutch. But once I did it caught my attention immediately. With that book on the cover and the word dragon in the title I was all ears. Too bad I didn’t actually get a dragon…
Dragon’s Green is a middle grade fantasy book. As I started it, it initially seemed like a somewhat cute children’s story, but as the story progressed I caught some darker undertones here and there. Some characters asking for death. And the general darkness in some of the other side characters. In that regard there is a lot of potential to grow this into more than just a cute story but one that makes an impact. There was also humor regarding certain social norms when it comes to our appearances for instance.
There is a lot that happens in this book and it is a great adventure book. I did feel like the book lost some momentum as the kids were taken into the books and it lost my attention a bit there. Maybe it was the separation of our main characters because once they met up again, the story picked back up again.
The magic system in this book is somewhat different than others I’ve seen. There is clear payment that is needed to be able to use magic in our world. The basic things of this system have been explained in this book so I understand it. But I suspect that it will become a bit more complicated over the course of other books in this series.
As for our characters, Effie, is a bold and interesting main character to follow. She knows what she wants and tries to figure out how to go about that. Having said that, sometimes she does feel quite a bit older than her actual age and maybe a bit too fearless here and there. I was mostly drawn to Maxmillian who seems to have a bit more of a darker edge to him. Even if it doesn’t quite show itself now, there were some subtle hints here and there. Wolf, Lexy and Raven each added to the story but I hope we will learn more about them in the rest of the series.
Overal I think this is a solid start to a middle grade fantasy series.
Dragon’s Green is a middle grade fantasy book. As I started it, it initially seemed like a somewhat cute children’s story, but as the story progressed I caught some darker undertones here and there. Some characters asking for death. And the general darkness in some of the other side characters. In that regard there is a lot of potential to grow this into more than just a cute story but one that makes an impact. There was also humor regarding certain social norms when it comes to our appearances for instance.
There is a lot that happens in this book and it is a great adventure book. I did feel like the book lost some momentum as the kids were taken into the books and it lost my attention a bit there. Maybe it was the separation of our main characters because once they met up again, the story picked back up again.
The magic system in this book is somewhat different than others I’ve seen. There is clear payment that is needed to be able to use magic in our world. The basic things of this system have been explained in this book so I understand it. But I suspect that it will become a bit more complicated over the course of other books in this series.
As for our characters, Effie, is a bold and interesting main character to follow. She knows what she wants and tries to figure out how to go about that. Having said that, sometimes she does feel quite a bit older than her actual age and maybe a bit too fearless here and there. I was mostly drawn to Maxmillian who seems to have a bit more of a darker edge to him. Even if it doesn’t quite show itself now, there were some subtle hints here and there. Wolf, Lexy and Raven each added to the story but I hope we will learn more about them in the rest of the series.
Overal I think this is a solid start to a middle grade fantasy series.
October 2, 2018
RESEÑA ORIGINALMENTE PUBLICADA EN: https://www.instagram.com/p/BoclWQOnOoz/
A mí me dicen dragones y yo: compro. Inmediatamente me dan ganas de leer el libro por eso no saben la terrible decepción que me llevé con #ElValleDelDragon de Scarlett Thomas.
Esta es una novela middle grade que no se entiende muy bien donde está ambientada que trata sobre un futuro regresivo que sería la pesadilla de cualquier millenial: un mundo sin telecomunicaciones ni internet. Pero todo esto compensado con magia, una magia que no se entiende muy bien cómo funciona pero magia al fin. La protagonista es una niña de once años a quien su abuelo le lega una misión: proteger a toda costa su colección personal de libros. Maso menos en eso consiste el argumento de la historia.
Desde el comienzo, tuve muchísimos problemas con esta novela. La construcción de mundo es disparatada, incoherente y, por momentos, incluso absurda. Se tira demasiada información y datos intrascendentes en muy pocas páginas de manera muy caótica y desordenada con pocas o casi ninguna explicación sustancial que nos permitan hacernos idea de cómo es el mundo que la autora quiso construir.
Un mundo fantástico por el hecho de serlo no tiene por qué ser absurdo. No puede saltar un conejo de la nada a resolverte la trama en un capítulo para luego desaparecer en el siguiente (esto sucedió LITERALMENTE. Si, un conejo como ustedes leen). No se puede subestimar de esta manera al lector sólo porque se trate de un niño o un preadolescente que recién se inicia en la lectura.
Los personajes son planos, estereotipados y sin luz propia. Y el libro presenta uno de los clichés que yo más odio en los libros juveniles pero que me parecen más nocivos aún en los infantiles: los padres ausentes.
Una novela aburrida, que me dieron ganas de abandonarla después de tan sólo sesenta páginas. Me duele en el alma ponerle una calificación tan pero tan baja a un libro de fantasía pero es que lamentablemente esta novela no funcionó para mí en NINGÚN sentido y realmente no encuentro ningún aspecto o cualidad que la pueda redimir.
A mí me dicen dragones y yo: compro. Inmediatamente me dan ganas de leer el libro por eso no saben la terrible decepción que me llevé con #ElValleDelDragon de Scarlett Thomas.
Esta es una novela middle grade que no se entiende muy bien donde está ambientada que trata sobre un futuro regresivo que sería la pesadilla de cualquier millenial: un mundo sin telecomunicaciones ni internet. Pero todo esto compensado con magia, una magia que no se entiende muy bien cómo funciona pero magia al fin. La protagonista es una niña de once años a quien su abuelo le lega una misión: proteger a toda costa su colección personal de libros. Maso menos en eso consiste el argumento de la historia.
Desde el comienzo, tuve muchísimos problemas con esta novela. La construcción de mundo es disparatada, incoherente y, por momentos, incluso absurda. Se tira demasiada información y datos intrascendentes en muy pocas páginas de manera muy caótica y desordenada con pocas o casi ninguna explicación sustancial que nos permitan hacernos idea de cómo es el mundo que la autora quiso construir.
Un mundo fantástico por el hecho de serlo no tiene por qué ser absurdo. No puede saltar un conejo de la nada a resolverte la trama en un capítulo para luego desaparecer en el siguiente (esto sucedió LITERALMENTE. Si, un conejo como ustedes leen). No se puede subestimar de esta manera al lector sólo porque se trate de un niño o un preadolescente que recién se inicia en la lectura.
Los personajes son planos, estereotipados y sin luz propia. Y el libro presenta uno de los clichés que yo más odio en los libros juveniles pero que me parecen más nocivos aún en los infantiles: los padres ausentes.
Una novela aburrida, que me dieron ganas de abandonarla después de tan sólo sesenta páginas. Me duele en el alma ponerle una calificación tan pero tan baja a un libro de fantasía pero es que lamentablemente esta novela no funcionó para mí en NINGÚN sentido y realmente no encuentro ningún aspecto o cualidad que la pueda redimir.
Read
May 31, 2017This is the first children’s book from the amazing Thomas, and holy cats, is it fun. And it’s about – wait for it – BOOKS. When Effie’s grandfather becomes seriously ill, she must look after his library of rare and powerful books. But when one of the books falls into dangerous hands, Effie must travel to Otherworld to get it back. Did I mention this is all about books???? Purrrrrrrr.
Backlist bump: Fly by Night by Frances Hardinge
Tune in to our weekly podcast dedicated to all things new books, All The Books: http://bookriot.com/listen/shows/allt...
Backlist bump: Fly by Night by Frances Hardinge
Tune in to our weekly podcast dedicated to all things new books, All The Books: http://bookriot.com/listen/shows/allt...
April 4, 2017
I'm grateful to the publisher for an advance copy of this book via NetGalley.
This is, I think, Thomas's first book not for adults (It's described as YA but I'd have said perhaps YYA... I'm never really sure of the boundaries though). I should confess that I asked to read it because it's one of hers - having read and enjoyed her books for adults, I didn't really know what to expect, but was interested to see what she had written.
Which just shows the wonders of chance and coincidence because - apart from that perhaps rather dry sense of interest - this book was a real joy to read, reminding me a lot of the magical worlds of Diana Wynne Jones. Like them, the world of Dragon's Green is plainly, to a degree our world, though also (changed here, by the 'Worldquake') into one where magic might be real (even if not everyone believes in it). There's a similar sense that old secrets are all around, encrypted somehow, if only we could see them, or sleeping, just ready to be woken.
In this story it's Euphemia Truelove (Effie) who will uncover the secrets. She's a lonely girl: her mother Aurora... gone... in a way which has an air of mystery about (the Worldquake?) and her father, Orwell, distant, preoccupied by his new wife Cait (Cait is perhaps a bit of a wicked stepmother but not really strong enough a character to be really wicked). Effie attends the Tusitala School for the Gifted, Troubled and Strange) where she mingles with a wider group of other misfits and lonely kids (Carl, Maximilian, Lexy) - not all of them to be trusted.
When Griffin, Effie's beloved grandfather, is attacked in the street and taken to hospital, Effie begins a race against time to save his beloved library of rare and magical books - and the even stranger and more magical items he's entrusted to her care. Doing so involves Effie and her classmates sinking themselves into Stories, following Quests - and testing their friendship. All while under the thumb of the awful Mrs Beathag Hide, Effie's English teacher, of Orwell and of Cait (who's got the family on a diet of nutritionless shakes).
It's all great fun, never more so that when Effie actually gets to visit Dragon's Green, where princesses are trained to be fed to the dragon. In a welcome contrast to the typical fairy story treatment of a clanking , metal-clad knight saving a limp and grateful princess, Effie selects a cool outfit and sets out to match wits with him.
Then there's the awful Diberi, evil sorcerers whose worst crime is to use up and destroy books. A creepy book dealer. And a houseful of existential poets (dressed in black, naturally) who guard the secret of the Underworld...
This book is smart, packed with clever literary allusions (the passages spouted by the existentialists; a creepy encounter in the market with some goblin men selling their tempting fruits) as well as genuinely funny asides ('Could one arrive to save one's evil co-conspirator in a minicab? Perhaps not') and sharp observations ('the cruel courtship rituals of celebrities').
In places the tone is perhaps slightly uneven (a vital concept about a kind of otherworld magical life-force that governs what one can do is referred to as 'M-currency' which grates slightly in a book that's full of ingenious names and wordplay and which also shows a real sense of place).
Above all, though, Effie is a true hero (she really is - a True Hero; you'll need to read the book to find out what this means) and a rather magnificent one at that. This is a story of how she finds her mates and how they support her, but she's front and centre of the story and clearly destined for more adventures. They can't come soon enough.
This is, I think, Thomas's first book not for adults (It's described as YA but I'd have said perhaps YYA... I'm never really sure of the boundaries though). I should confess that I asked to read it because it's one of hers - having read and enjoyed her books for adults, I didn't really know what to expect, but was interested to see what she had written.
Which just shows the wonders of chance and coincidence because - apart from that perhaps rather dry sense of interest - this book was a real joy to read, reminding me a lot of the magical worlds of Diana Wynne Jones. Like them, the world of Dragon's Green is plainly, to a degree our world, though also (changed here, by the 'Worldquake') into one where magic might be real (even if not everyone believes in it). There's a similar sense that old secrets are all around, encrypted somehow, if only we could see them, or sleeping, just ready to be woken.
In this story it's Euphemia Truelove (Effie) who will uncover the secrets. She's a lonely girl: her mother Aurora... gone... in a way which has an air of mystery about (the Worldquake?) and her father, Orwell, distant, preoccupied by his new wife Cait (Cait is perhaps a bit of a wicked stepmother but not really strong enough a character to be really wicked). Effie attends the Tusitala School for the Gifted, Troubled and Strange) where she mingles with a wider group of other misfits and lonely kids (Carl, Maximilian, Lexy) - not all of them to be trusted.
When Griffin, Effie's beloved grandfather, is attacked in the street and taken to hospital, Effie begins a race against time to save his beloved library of rare and magical books - and the even stranger and more magical items he's entrusted to her care. Doing so involves Effie and her classmates sinking themselves into Stories, following Quests - and testing their friendship. All while under the thumb of the awful Mrs Beathag Hide, Effie's English teacher, of Orwell and of Cait (who's got the family on a diet of nutritionless shakes).
It's all great fun, never more so that when Effie actually gets to visit Dragon's Green, where princesses are trained to be fed to the dragon. In a welcome contrast to the typical fairy story treatment of a clanking , metal-clad knight saving a limp and grateful princess, Effie selects a cool outfit and sets out to match wits with him.
Then there's the awful Diberi, evil sorcerers whose worst crime is to use up and destroy books. A creepy book dealer. And a houseful of existential poets (dressed in black, naturally) who guard the secret of the Underworld...
This book is smart, packed with clever literary allusions (the passages spouted by the existentialists; a creepy encounter in the market with some goblin men selling their tempting fruits) as well as genuinely funny asides ('Could one arrive to save one's evil co-conspirator in a minicab? Perhaps not') and sharp observations ('the cruel courtship rituals of celebrities').
In places the tone is perhaps slightly uneven (a vital concept about a kind of otherworld magical life-force that governs what one can do is referred to as 'M-currency' which grates slightly in a book that's full of ingenious names and wordplay and which also shows a real sense of place).
Above all, though, Effie is a true hero (she really is - a True Hero; you'll need to read the book to find out what this means) and a rather magnificent one at that. This is a story of how she finds her mates and how they support her, but she's front and centre of the story and clearly destined for more adventures. They can't come soon enough.
September 1, 2019
Ik hoorde veel positieve berichten over dit boek, en toen een heel enthousiaste boekverkoper dit boek als een van haar favorieten bestempelde, kon ik natuurlijk niet anders dan hem ook lezen. Ik merkte dat het best een tijdje duurde voor ik in het boek zat, maar eenmaal daar las ik het boek achter elkaar uit. Toch ben ik niet helemaal om. Er gebeurde veel, te veel eigenlijk. Ontzettend toffe gebeurtenissen werden in drie pagina’s afgehandeld en daar was alweer het volgende obstakel. Dat de auteur veel te vertellen heeft en ontzettend veel fantasie heeft, valt niet te ontkennen. Maar van mij had Scarlett overal beter op in mogen gaan. Dan maar een paar gebeurtenissen minder. Ook merkte ik dat ik nauwelijks een klik kreeg met de personages. Binnen no time was er een bijeen geraapt vriendengroepje waar nog 2 extra vrienden vrij abrupt aan toe worden gevoegd. De karakters hadden beter uitgediept mogen worden, het is immers veel leuker om iedereen echt te leren kennen. Volgens mij valt er ook een helemaal over hen te weten te komen, want naar wat werd vrijgegeven hebben de kinderen geen makkelijk leven gehad. Vond ik het leuk om te lezen? Ja zeker! Zal het verhaal mij lang bijblijven? Ik ben bang van niet.
January 23, 2023
¡Vaya, vaya! ¿Pero qué tenemos aquí?
Una historia con gran (demasiada) influencia a Harry Potter con familias al estilo de Roald Dahl, un tinte de LA HISTORIA INTERMINABLE (mas THE BREAKFAST CLUB) y un comienzo confuso e inverosímil (a partir de la 150 aprox. empieza la acción, digamos) dentro de un mundo que parece estar situado en la post-tercera guerra mundial. Un pastiche que no a todos le salen bien, a ella al parecer no. Tenía las esperanzas de encontrarme con algo mejor pero todo lo emocionante se resolvía en pocas páginas o muy rápido, dejándome un sabor semiamargo.
Con esto digo que no pienso darle una oportunidad a la saga.
RESEÑA COMPLETA EN MI BLOG: https://lavidadeungamerprincipiante.b...
Una historia con gran (demasiada) influencia a Harry Potter con familias al estilo de Roald Dahl, un tinte de LA HISTORIA INTERMINABLE (mas THE BREAKFAST CLUB) y un comienzo confuso e inverosímil (a partir de la 150 aprox. empieza la acción, digamos) dentro de un mundo que parece estar situado en la post-tercera guerra mundial. Un pastiche que no a todos le salen bien, a ella al parecer no. Tenía las esperanzas de encontrarme con algo mejor pero todo lo emocionante se resolvía en pocas páginas o muy rápido, dejándome un sabor semiamargo.
Con esto digo que no pienso darle una oportunidad a la saga.
RESEÑA COMPLETA EN MI BLOG: https://lavidadeungamerprincipiante.b...
September 15, 2017
oooooooohhhhh 😍😍😍😍 GEWELDIG!
ik wil eigenlijk gewoon hetzelfde zeggen als Odette, dus lees maar gewoon haar raving review.
belangrijkste punt: het is voor de fans van Harry Potter, maar heel anders!!! mijn hemel wat een goed boek!
ik wil eigenlijk gewoon hetzelfde zeggen als Odette, dus lees maar gewoon haar raving review.
belangrijkste punt: het is voor de fans van Harry Potter, maar heel anders!!! mijn hemel wat een goed boek!
July 15, 2018
Recensie volgt op mijn blog.
July 21, 2018
Aventuras, brujos, ladrones, magos, guerreros, eruditos, goblins, héroes verdaderos y guardianes así como dragones, son elementos que se presentaran de manera sorprendente creando un mundo especial que aguarda a ser leído y ya os digo que conquistar conquista. Para mi EL VALLE DEL DRAGÓN esta escrito de manera sencilla para enganchar al pequeño lector, con un lenguaje sencillo que te irá llevando de la mano hasta ese punto final. Que si bien, estamos hablando de que es una serie, perfectamente se puede leer este libro y quedar a gusto con el final por lo bien cerrado que ha quedado.
Scarlett Thomas ha sido una sorpresa que ya os digo que voy a tener en mi objetivo, pues para empezar yo si quiero continuar con esta serie y porque creo que vamos a ver un desarrollo en estos chicos.
Scarlett Thomas ha sido una sorpresa que ya os digo que voy a tener en mi objetivo, pues para empezar yo si quiero continuar con esta serie y porque creo que vamos a ver un desarrollo en estos chicos.
April 4, 2018
Magie en boeken zijn twee zaken die me ontzettend aanspreken. Wanneer er een boek verschijnt waarin een bibliotheek voorkomt die gevuld is met magische boeken dan is mijn interesse meteen geprikkeld. Dan kan het me ook totaal niet schelen dat het een jeugdboek is en ik al enkele jaren niet meer thuishoor in die leeftijdsgroep. Gelukkig maar want ik heb me vermaakt met de belevenissen van Fee en haar vrienden.
Wanneer de grootvader van Eufemia overlijdt laat hij haar zijn collectie van boeken na en een aantal kostbare troeven. Wanneer mijn grootvader het over troeven had dan waren we aan het kaarten. Fee’s grootvader heeft het echter over een heel ander soort troeven. Het zijn namelijk magische voorwerpen die op het eerste zicht erg doorsnee lijken tot ze in contact komen met de juiste persoon.
Jammer genoeg heeft iemand het op de boeken van haar grootvader gemunt en die persoon heeft er alles voor over om zijn doel te bereiken waardoor Fee in een voor haar onbekende wereld terechtkomt die heel wat verrassingen in petto heeft.
Ze heeft echter wel het geluk dat ze hier niet alleen in staat. Zo leert ze nieuwe vrienden kennen als Maximillian, Wolf en Lexie. Maar ontmoet ze ook heel wat andere fascinerende mensen. Een Juffrouw Pot bijvoorbeeld die me meteen aan Belle en het Beest deed denken terwijl ze net heerlijke warme chocomelk serveert in plaats van thee. Scarlett Thomas serveert haar lezers dan weer mooie quotes als deze.
“Boeken vormen zich naar jou, net zoals jij hen vormgeeft met je eigen gedachten. Als je de hoofdpersoon van een verhaal wordt, dan zal het boek bepaalde plotlijnen en details zodanig bewerken dat ze precies bij je passen. “
Ik vond het heel leuk dat het concept magie in dit boek alweer een andere uitwerking krijgt. De manier waarom spreuken in Fee’s wereld werken was fascinerend. Het is immers niet zo maar een kwestie van een woord zeggen en met een staf zwaaien. Je moet er echt even goed over nadenken voor je de juiste spreuk kan vinden.
...
Mijn volledige recensie kan je hier terugvinden.
Wanneer de grootvader van Eufemia overlijdt laat hij haar zijn collectie van boeken na en een aantal kostbare troeven. Wanneer mijn grootvader het over troeven had dan waren we aan het kaarten. Fee’s grootvader heeft het echter over een heel ander soort troeven. Het zijn namelijk magische voorwerpen die op het eerste zicht erg doorsnee lijken tot ze in contact komen met de juiste persoon.
Jammer genoeg heeft iemand het op de boeken van haar grootvader gemunt en die persoon heeft er alles voor over om zijn doel te bereiken waardoor Fee in een voor haar onbekende wereld terechtkomt die heel wat verrassingen in petto heeft.
Ze heeft echter wel het geluk dat ze hier niet alleen in staat. Zo leert ze nieuwe vrienden kennen als Maximillian, Wolf en Lexie. Maar ontmoet ze ook heel wat andere fascinerende mensen. Een Juffrouw Pot bijvoorbeeld die me meteen aan Belle en het Beest deed denken terwijl ze net heerlijke warme chocomelk serveert in plaats van thee. Scarlett Thomas serveert haar lezers dan weer mooie quotes als deze.
“Boeken vormen zich naar jou, net zoals jij hen vormgeeft met je eigen gedachten. Als je de hoofdpersoon van een verhaal wordt, dan zal het boek bepaalde plotlijnen en details zodanig bewerken dat ze precies bij je passen. “
Ik vond het heel leuk dat het concept magie in dit boek alweer een andere uitwerking krijgt. De manier waarom spreuken in Fee’s wereld werken was fascinerend. Het is immers niet zo maar een kwestie van een woord zeggen en met een staf zwaaien. Je moet er echt even goed over nadenken voor je de juiste spreuk kan vinden.
...
Mijn volledige recensie kan je hier terugvinden.
July 7, 2022
*edit* I totally forgot about the existence of this book so I won't be reading the following sequels as I don't remember anything and I don't have in mind torturing myself rereading this one.
I had no expectations in this book, it was a birthday present I didn't expect, so as I said, I wasn't expecting anything from it. The story in question follows our main character, which I will speak about later, but at the same time has other protagonists, from one page to another we can see each of their views (a resource that I usually despise and here wasn't the exception). The main problem I have had with history has been, that the whole events in the book, about 400 pages take place in just two days. The development of characters seemed quite forced. There was a scene in question, in which out of nowhere appeared three girls, who surprise! were just the magicians they needed, seriously, that scene seemed too incoherent and convenient. The protagonist has extremely convenient personality changes. Gor example at the beginning of the book she is the typical nerd girl, and the next day, the book is only two days in the life of the characters, she is a super strong and very social girl, it seemed that they had changed the whole characters personality. Of the secondary characters, we are barely shown, because yes, we can read their points of view, but in them we can hardly appreciate a different because they aren't well constructed. One of the biggest points in favor of this story, has been the development of the world, as there is a second part, the world that Scarlett Tomas has built, has only shown us a few brushstrokes. The truth is that I hope that in upcoming books to the story improve and the truth is that if it explodes more the world that has created, it will end up being a great saga.
I had no expectations in this book, it was a birthday present I didn't expect, so as I said, I wasn't expecting anything from it. The story in question follows our main character, which I will speak about later, but at the same time has other protagonists, from one page to another we can see each of their views (a resource that I usually despise and here wasn't the exception). The main problem I have had with history has been, that the whole events in the book, about 400 pages take place in just two days. The development of characters seemed quite forced. There was a scene in question, in which out of nowhere appeared three girls, who surprise! were just the magicians they needed, seriously, that scene seemed too incoherent and convenient. The protagonist has extremely convenient personality changes. Gor example at the beginning of the book she is the typical nerd girl, and the next day, the book is only two days in the life of the characters, she is a super strong and very social girl, it seemed that they had changed the whole characters personality. Of the secondary characters, we are barely shown, because yes, we can read their points of view, but in them we can hardly appreciate a different because they aren't well constructed. One of the biggest points in favor of this story, has been the development of the world, as there is a second part, the world that Scarlett Tomas has built, has only shown us a few brushstrokes. The truth is that I hope that in upcoming books to the story improve and the truth is that if it explodes more the world that has created, it will end up being a great saga.
January 19, 2019
„Поляната на дракона” (изд. „Прозорец”) е десетият поред роман на Скарлет Томас, но е неин пръв опит в детското фентъзи, както и първа книга от поредицата „Светотръс”. Какво пък е това „Светотръс” ще попитате вие? Епичен катаклизъм, който е променил света ни завинаги. А ние дори и не подозираме, че нашият свят далеч не е единствен! На младата Ефи й предстои да прекрачи границите между света на магията и съвременния свят, в който живеем ние с вас. И при все, че повечето хора смятат магиите за приказните създания за плод на въображението, персонажи, които населяват единствено страниците на книгите, тяхното съществуване съвсем не е „бабини деветини”, с които възрастните да залъгват децата преди лягане. Че останаха ли изобщо хора, които четат приказки на децата си, те гледат клипове и анимация в YouTube, нали? Вече не! Май забравих да спомена… Светотръсът е заличил целия интернет! Прочетете ревюто на "Книжни Криле": https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/201...
July 5, 2020
If you're looking for a cute middlegrade fantasy with a cool main character, here's your pick! It's clear to see what inspired the author to write this book: Harry Potter, Alice in Wonderland, Inkheart, and a bunch of old myths and legends as well. That means this isn't the most original book ever, but it was still refreshing and very entertaining.
September 21, 2017
4 stelline e mezzo!
La recensione qui ---> http://www.leggereromanticamente.com/...
La recensione qui ---> http://www.leggereromanticamente.com/...
December 6, 2020
Vermakelijk!
March 1, 2025
This book has such a charming and interesting magical world. The world quake, boons, the great split, kharakter (Fantasy spelling aside). And all of it is introduced in a digestible way.
The cast of characters is charming. Effie, the protagonist, is an amazing girl. She's brave to her core, a trait befitting a true hero. Her friends are also great, Wolf is my favourite, bless him. The scene where he has to cry and acknowledge his trauma to save himself is really powerful and something we need more of. The group is a ragtag group of loners who are all desperate to find community in each other and discover joy in magic. The dangers of this discovery are just below the surface and waiting to ruin everything for them which makes for a really interesting plot.
I will say though that it took a little too long for my liking to get the group together, Raven coming in just before the climax of the plot. She is still well linked to the story and appears earlier so maybe I'm nitpicking. It does feel like a very full cast which is good in some ways but it's obvious the author was writing for a series because some characters are set up to have more play later. This isn't necessarily an issue because the series definitely has enough charm to pull me in for the long haul but it does make this book a bit crowded.
I like the way this book does the "a magical society just under the surface" trope a lot of children's fiction does, characters aren't limited to one world or the other and many characters introduced before Effie realises there's magic are infact aware of magic. Maximillian knows about magic from the dim web, his mother is fully aware and practices magic, Lexy and her aunt run a magic bun shop. Magic is baked into these characters lives even if it's hush-hush, Effie's just now coming into the world but it's been there the whole time. It feels more realistic than finding out about magic then meeting a bunch of new people who are always hiding from non-magic people like in a Harry Potter or Skulduggery Pleasant way.
I'll definitely be picking up the other two books in this series! Really want to see more from the group
The cast of characters is charming. Effie, the protagonist, is an amazing girl. She's brave to her core, a trait befitting a true hero. Her friends are also great, Wolf is my favourite, bless him. The scene where he has to cry and acknowledge his trauma to save himself is really powerful and something we need more of. The group is a ragtag group of loners who are all desperate to find community in each other and discover joy in magic. The dangers of this discovery are just below the surface and waiting to ruin everything for them which makes for a really interesting plot.
I will say though that it took a little too long for my liking to get the group together, Raven coming in just before the climax of the plot. She is still well linked to the story and appears earlier so maybe I'm nitpicking. It does feel like a very full cast which is good in some ways but it's obvious the author was writing for a series because some characters are set up to have more play later. This isn't necessarily an issue because the series definitely has enough charm to pull me in for the long haul but it does make this book a bit crowded.
I like the way this book does the "a magical society just under the surface" trope a lot of children's fiction does, characters aren't limited to one world or the other and many characters introduced before Effie realises there's magic are infact aware of magic. Maximillian knows about magic from the dim web, his mother is fully aware and practices magic, Lexy and her aunt run a magic bun shop. Magic is baked into these characters lives even if it's hush-hush, Effie's just now coming into the world but it's been there the whole time. It feels more realistic than finding out about magic then meeting a bunch of new people who are always hiding from non-magic people like in a Harry Potter or Skulduggery Pleasant way.
I'll definitely be picking up the other two books in this series! Really want to see more from the group
December 5, 2017
Wat een uniek verhaal. Zeker een aanrader voor fantasy fans. I LOVE IT!
September 17, 2019
Оставям тази книга с доста смесени чувства. От една страна, много ми допадна хуморът на Скарлет Томас, както и някои от хитроумните ѝ идеи – за свят, в който мистериозно събитие е преустановило развитието на модерните технологии, за побърканата учителка Бетаг Хайд, за читателите на Последните издания и т.н. От друга, някъде след средата тотално ме отегчи и я завърших от чиста доза инат.
Не смятам, че проблемът се корени в стила или езика, а главно в структурата. Типично за първа част от поредица, романът изобилства от описания на света и обяснения за магическата система и нейните правила, които буквално те заливат на всяка страница. Толкова са чести и обстоятелствени, че в някакъв момент просто се изключих и се отказах от опитите да запомня каквото и да било.
Вярвам, че поднасянето на подобен тип информация по интересен, увлекателен и естествено вплетен в сюжета (който на свой ред те запраща в прекалено много посоки) начин си е изкуство, но Томас сякаш не го владее. Поради тази причина така и не можах да си представя в цялост нейния свят или да усетя атмосферата му – всичките му елементи ми се сториха ужасно разпилени.
Подразни ме е и че героите уж трябва да образуват някаква задруга, крепена от силното им приятелство, но де факто прекарват цялата история разделени един от друг. Накрая, когато най-после се събират за "финалния сблъсък", не почувствах нищо, понеже не бях проследила създаването на въпросната връзка помежду им – просто ми се заяви, че я има, и дотам.
Част от мен е убедена, че продължението ще е по-стегнато и подредено, най-малкото защото вече сме отметнали задължителното изложение. Не мога да отрека и че фантазията и сарказмът на Скарлет Томас нерядко успяваха да ме грабнат. Въпреки това не съм съвсем убедена, че ми се продължава нататък с поредицата. Ще видим.
Не смятам, че проблемът се корени в стила или езика, а главно в структурата. Типично за първа част от поредица, романът изобилства от описания на света и обяснения за магическата система и нейните правила, които буквално те заливат на всяка страница. Толкова са чести и обстоятелствени, че в някакъв момент просто се изключих и се отказах от опитите да запомня каквото и да било.
Вярвам, че поднасянето на подобен тип информация по интересен, увлекателен и естествено вплетен в сюжета (който на свой ред те запраща в прекалено много посоки) начин си е изкуство, но Томас сякаш не го владее. Поради тази причина така и не можах да си представя в цялост нейния свят или да усетя атмосферата му – всичките му елементи ми се сториха ужасно разпилени.
Подразни ме е и че героите уж трябва да образуват някаква задруга, крепена от силното им приятелство, но де факто прекарват цялата история разделени един от друг. Накрая, когато най-после се събират за "финалния сблъсък", не почувствах нищо, понеже не бях проследила създаването на въпросната връзка помежду им – просто ми се заяви, че я има, и дотам.
Част от мен е убедена, че продължението ще е по-стегнато и подредено, най-малкото защото вече сме отметнали задължителното изложение. Не мога да отрека и че фантазията и сарказмът на Скарлет Томас нерядко успяваха да ме грабнат. Въпреки това не съм съвсем убедена, че ми се продължава нататък с поредицата. Ще видим.
August 16, 2023
DNF 60%
I struggled with this one, sorry.
Why does one of the 'languages' have to be called 'Old bast**d English'?! It just seemed like an unnecessary and unfunny joke for adults.
The references to drugs and drug use when they encounter magic for the first time also seemed very unnecessary.
But worst of all was the very weird relationship between the dragon and these young girls. Especially when they started talking about spending the night before getting eaten the next day (nothing actually happened, but the references to it were all very weird), and the talk about how the girls he requested became attracted to him and how he liked specifics about how they looked. And then when she's there someone gets Effie changed into her nightgown while she's sleeping. And the dragon later wants to marry Effie, who's what 10-12? And then the other girl her age arranging a date with the dragon for a few years time when she's a bit older. I don't know if the author was going for a pedophilic dragon, but that was what she gave us.
This book was already a bit random for me anyway and then this whole creepy dragon thing was the last straw. Ugh, it's so dodge. So I cut and run. And maybe it got better to be fair to the author and maybe the dragon got condemned for being a creep.
I struggled with this one, sorry.
Why does one of the 'languages' have to be called 'Old bast**d English'?! It just seemed like an unnecessary and unfunny joke for adults.
The references to drugs and drug use when they encounter magic for the first time also seemed very unnecessary.
But worst of all was the very weird relationship between the dragon and these young girls. Especially when they started talking about spending the night before getting eaten the next day (nothing actually happened, but the references to it were all very weird), and the talk about how the girls he requested became attracted to him and how he liked specifics about how they looked. And then when she's there someone gets Effie changed into her nightgown while she's sleeping. And the dragon later wants to marry Effie, who's what 10-12? And then the other girl her age arranging a date with the dragon for a few years time when she's a bit older. I don't know if the author was going for a pedophilic dragon, but that was what she gave us.
This book was already a bit random for me anyway and then this whole creepy dragon thing was the last straw. Ugh, it's so dodge. So I cut and run. And maybe it got better to be fair to the author and maybe the dragon got condemned for being a creep.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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