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Doomspell #1
El maleficio
Una fuerza misteriosa rapta a Raquel y Eric y los arroja a otro mundo. Como miles de niños antes que ellos, los dos hermanos han sido secuestrados por la Bruja para ser convertidos en siervos obedientes. Pero ahora la Bruja se ha encontrado con un verdadero rival. Traducido a catorce idiomas.
232 pages, Hardcover
First published May 4, 2000
35 people are currently reading
2399 people want to read
About the author
Cliff McNish
41 books252 followersI was born in Sunderland, a city in the north-east of England.
I don’t recall too much about my first 8 years of life other than I loved being outdoors especially in the woods near our house. I came home every night covered in scratches.
My first real book memory is being given C.S. Lewis’s The Magician’s Nephew by my English teacher, Mrs Baldwin. I loved that, and all the other Narnia books.
So how did I become an author?
As a parent I was used to making up short and funny stories for my daughter, Rachel. When she was about ten, however, she wanted a story about a really, really nasty witch. This time I put pen to paper and what started off as a tiny scrap of an idea got bigger and bigger and BIGGER. It became The Doomspell.
After I finished it, I continued my love affair with fantasy by creating The Silver Sequence which I still think is probably my best and definitely my most original work. Following that, I tried to scare everyone half to death with a couple of ghost novels – Breathe and The Hunting Ground.
I could tell you more about myself, but the truth is that perhaps the biggest gift we can give anyone is our imagination and everything important I have to offer you about that is in the novels.
I don’t recall too much about my first 8 years of life other than I loved being outdoors especially in the woods near our house. I came home every night covered in scratches.
My first real book memory is being given C.S. Lewis’s The Magician’s Nephew by my English teacher, Mrs Baldwin. I loved that, and all the other Narnia books.
So how did I become an author?
As a parent I was used to making up short and funny stories for my daughter, Rachel. When she was about ten, however, she wanted a story about a really, really nasty witch. This time I put pen to paper and what started off as a tiny scrap of an idea got bigger and bigger and BIGGER. It became The Doomspell.
After I finished it, I continued my love affair with fantasy by creating The Silver Sequence which I still think is probably my best and definitely my most original work. Following that, I tried to scare everyone half to death with a couple of ghost novels – Breathe and The Hunting Ground.
I could tell you more about myself, but the truth is that perhaps the biggest gift we can give anyone is our imagination and everything important I have to offer you about that is in the novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
March 14, 2017
I was bought this book by my foster mother a fairly long time ago (I was about 14 I think) and I really liked it, in fact I loved it. I re-read it so many times that my poor old paperback is nearly falling apart. Recently I picked it up again, I did however read it with something like a sense of dread because I know how much your taste can change over many years, and I really didn't want to read it to find that I hated it! Luckily, this was not an issue.
This book really does remind me of 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' by C.S. Lewis, except it doesn't have the religious references and metaphors and, if I can say this without being stoned to death or other such punishments, it's better written. It is almost a modern version of this literary classic with massive similarities such as an evil witch who rules the world, the children being brought into the world and forced to stay, the snowy frozen world that has been enforced by the Witch and the underground resistance that has grown up over the many, many years of her tyranny. However, the children were dragged into the world instead of coming of their own free will and there are only two children as main characters; Rachel and Eric. Children have been dragged into the World by the Witch for centuries upon end as she has tried to find the one who can end her exile, and Rachel and Eric are just the latest two who were dragged in while their father desperately tried to save them. At the beginning of the book their father is left looking at the hand which had let go of his daughter when she most needed him, cursing it and crying as he doesn't know whether he will ever see his children again.
This is the story of two children brought into a world so dark that it should be impossible to imagine. A world where a single Witch rules and has brought about eternal snow. A world where a series of resistance groups have tried to overthrow the Witch throughout many centuries but have always, and without fail been defeated and destroyed. But it's more than that, this Witch has always used children from earth to do her bidding, and for hundreds and hundreds of years has been looking for the one child she can use who has enough power to release her from her banishment on a world she can never call home. But above all, it's a story of magic. Every child from earth has magic in them, magic placed there by the Wizards of old to protect them from the Witch, and it is this magic which the Witch is trying to use to get back to her original home where the other Witches live. The basis of the story is that there is one child who can either be the people's saviour or the Witch's saviour, and both Rachel and Eric have quite amazing powers which the Witch wants to analyse and use. The inhabitants of the world who were brought there as children are desperately looking for the Child-Hope, whilst the Witch is looking for the Girl-Child. Overall, this probably doesn't sound like an enthralling or an original book, but somehow it seems to be. It is based around two verses; the verse of hope:
'Dark girl she will be,
Enemies to set free,
Sing in harmony,
From sleep and dawn-bright sea.
I will arise,
And behold your childish glee.'
And the verse of darkness:
'Dark girl she will be,
Fair hearts broken,
Ancient wrath awoken,
Children unborn,
Wizards under lawn,
Darkness without dawn.'
And this kind of sums up the book, it is the story of a struggle between hope and darkness. And again, I hear you say, this is nothing new, we are treading on a road that has been travelled so many times before. But somehow Cliff McNish has made it new, somehow he has made this into a fantastic piece of writing and an almost magical journey into another world. What should be yet another rip off of a 'timeless classic', has instead been transformed into a marvellous piece of story telling all of his own. There is a darkness to it which many 'young adult' books don't fully grasp, like the fact that the servants of the Witch are forced to grow older in body for centuries, and are never allowed to die unless the Witch is the one dealing the final blow. However, they keep the size of the children they once were when the first arrived on her world, so that the Witch can be certain that they will never forget her dominion over them and that they will never grow into rational beings into her eyes. Likewise, the punishments which the Witch comes out with to those who displease her also add an extremely dark element to the book. But it is this darkness that allows the novel to carry a sense of desperate hope against all evils, because that is the only thing that the inhabitants of this world have to cling onto. They are desperate for the Child-Hope to arrive because she is the only hope which they have. You can only know true hope, relief or fulfilment when you have first seen and known the worst which the world has to offer.
I have a nasty feeling that I have not been selling this book all too well, but strangely enough this 'children's story' of two children attempting to save a world with the help of a few resistance members is a truly gripping read. It is also very powerfully written by someone who understands just how easily children can be brain-washed and used for someone else's purposes. Even as a 23 year old reading a book which was bought for me 9 years ago, this book still had the ability to make me laugh and cry with the characters. It's been quite a while since a book has actually made me cry, but this one managed it. The characters are written in such a way that you can actually empathise with them, the children aren't so precocious as to be annoying and in total it is a fantastic read - both for teenagers, and for adults who still believe they are teenagers in some tiny portion of their mind!
===Boring Stuff===
Title: The Doomspell - Part One of the Doomspell Trilogy
Author: Cliff McNish
Publisher: Dolphin
Price: Amazon: from 1p plus £2.80 postage on Amazon at time of writing.
===Conclusion===
This is a fantastic book, don't hesitate to buy it for friends or family or for that matter yourself, and I've just realised it's part of a trilogy and am off to buy the rest of them.
This book really does remind me of 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' by C.S. Lewis, except it doesn't have the religious references and metaphors and, if I can say this without being stoned to death or other such punishments, it's better written. It is almost a modern version of this literary classic with massive similarities such as an evil witch who rules the world, the children being brought into the world and forced to stay, the snowy frozen world that has been enforced by the Witch and the underground resistance that has grown up over the many, many years of her tyranny. However, the children were dragged into the world instead of coming of their own free will and there are only two children as main characters; Rachel and Eric. Children have been dragged into the World by the Witch for centuries upon end as she has tried to find the one who can end her exile, and Rachel and Eric are just the latest two who were dragged in while their father desperately tried to save them. At the beginning of the book their father is left looking at the hand which had let go of his daughter when she most needed him, cursing it and crying as he doesn't know whether he will ever see his children again.
This is the story of two children brought into a world so dark that it should be impossible to imagine. A world where a single Witch rules and has brought about eternal snow. A world where a series of resistance groups have tried to overthrow the Witch throughout many centuries but have always, and without fail been defeated and destroyed. But it's more than that, this Witch has always used children from earth to do her bidding, and for hundreds and hundreds of years has been looking for the one child she can use who has enough power to release her from her banishment on a world she can never call home. But above all, it's a story of magic. Every child from earth has magic in them, magic placed there by the Wizards of old to protect them from the Witch, and it is this magic which the Witch is trying to use to get back to her original home where the other Witches live. The basis of the story is that there is one child who can either be the people's saviour or the Witch's saviour, and both Rachel and Eric have quite amazing powers which the Witch wants to analyse and use. The inhabitants of the world who were brought there as children are desperately looking for the Child-Hope, whilst the Witch is looking for the Girl-Child. Overall, this probably doesn't sound like an enthralling or an original book, but somehow it seems to be. It is based around two verses; the verse of hope:
'Dark girl she will be,
Enemies to set free,
Sing in harmony,
From sleep and dawn-bright sea.
I will arise,
And behold your childish glee.'
And the verse of darkness:
'Dark girl she will be,
Fair hearts broken,
Ancient wrath awoken,
Children unborn,
Wizards under lawn,
Darkness without dawn.'
And this kind of sums up the book, it is the story of a struggle between hope and darkness. And again, I hear you say, this is nothing new, we are treading on a road that has been travelled so many times before. But somehow Cliff McNish has made it new, somehow he has made this into a fantastic piece of writing and an almost magical journey into another world. What should be yet another rip off of a 'timeless classic', has instead been transformed into a marvellous piece of story telling all of his own. There is a darkness to it which many 'young adult' books don't fully grasp, like the fact that the servants of the Witch are forced to grow older in body for centuries, and are never allowed to die unless the Witch is the one dealing the final blow. However, they keep the size of the children they once were when the first arrived on her world, so that the Witch can be certain that they will never forget her dominion over them and that they will never grow into rational beings into her eyes. Likewise, the punishments which the Witch comes out with to those who displease her also add an extremely dark element to the book. But it is this darkness that allows the novel to carry a sense of desperate hope against all evils, because that is the only thing that the inhabitants of this world have to cling onto. They are desperate for the Child-Hope to arrive because she is the only hope which they have. You can only know true hope, relief or fulfilment when you have first seen and known the worst which the world has to offer.
I have a nasty feeling that I have not been selling this book all too well, but strangely enough this 'children's story' of two children attempting to save a world with the help of a few resistance members is a truly gripping read. It is also very powerfully written by someone who understands just how easily children can be brain-washed and used for someone else's purposes. Even as a 23 year old reading a book which was bought for me 9 years ago, this book still had the ability to make me laugh and cry with the characters. It's been quite a while since a book has actually made me cry, but this one managed it. The characters are written in such a way that you can actually empathise with them, the children aren't so precocious as to be annoying and in total it is a fantastic read - both for teenagers, and for adults who still believe they are teenagers in some tiny portion of their mind!
===Boring Stuff===
Title: The Doomspell - Part One of the Doomspell Trilogy
Author: Cliff McNish
Publisher: Dolphin
Price: Amazon: from 1p plus £2.80 postage on Amazon at time of writing.
===Conclusion===
This is a fantastic book, don't hesitate to buy it for friends or family or for that matter yourself, and I've just realised it's part of a trilogy and am off to buy the rest of them.
October 30, 2015
Τόσο βαρετό που βαριέμαι κ να μιλήσω για αυτό!
March 31, 2023
I was pleased to acquaint Cliff McNish’s single ghost stories, blown away by the unbelievable originality of “Breathe”. I ordered more used books in mint condition and opened the oldest, from 2000: “The Doomspell”. This comprises a series and for younger readers than the others, even though the scenarios are similarly bleak and impossibly perilous. The imaginativeness from stem to stern is through the roof, in the realm of invented myths instead of spirits. I am not keen enough to buy the rest but thankfully, this novel itself concluded on a happy note for the whole world of kids.
In a terrifyingly unpredictable fashion, an angry witch steals kids from the walls of their own Earth houses, yanking them into slavery on a planet she made for herself.
I suppose I could reflect on the details and have criticisms of the wizards who banished her; powerful enough to return to deal with her whenever the right child initiated the right momentum. Why not save hundreds of children from a century of slavery and in some cases, death from lack of nutrition, warmth, and harsh environments? How can a witch reach anywhere she wishes but not leave her planet? Are her Sisters on their planet unable to take her away?
Fantasies rely on one moment resolving everything. Decades of having nothing to do but get to know that bitter planet should make the first tenants savvy and candidates for heroism; not solely the two new siblings. I suppose the sequel would show if anyone who died would be returned home and if time elapsed for the reunited families.
I love people trusting each other, with talents to combine. My favourite scene is when the children see that magic can be conjured everywhere. The imaginations they unleash are joyous, funny, and unlimited!
In a terrifyingly unpredictable fashion, an angry witch steals kids from the walls of their own Earth houses, yanking them into slavery on a planet she made for herself.
I suppose I could reflect on the details and have criticisms of the wizards who banished her; powerful enough to return to deal with her whenever the right child initiated the right momentum. Why not save hundreds of children from a century of slavery and in some cases, death from lack of nutrition, warmth, and harsh environments? How can a witch reach anywhere she wishes but not leave her planet? Are her Sisters on their planet unable to take her away?
Fantasies rely on one moment resolving everything. Decades of having nothing to do but get to know that bitter planet should make the first tenants savvy and candidates for heroism; not solely the two new siblings. I suppose the sequel would show if anyone who died would be returned home and if time elapsed for the reunited families.
I love people trusting each other, with talents to combine. My favourite scene is when the children see that magic can be conjured everywhere. The imaginations they unleash are joyous, funny, and unlimited!
December 26, 2013
This was- lovely!
Rachel & Eric are snatched by the evil witch Dragwena from their home. Rachel has very strong magical powers, while Eric has a power never encountered before.....will they e able to overcome Dragwena's thirst for revenge....?
The back-cover blurb describes this as "Narnia for the 21st Century", & that is a pretty good description: this is a retelling of a battle against ancient evil, although Cliff McNish's child protagonists are considerably more likeable than Lewis'.....
The plot is easy to follow, and moves along well. Characters are fleshed-out and believable: even Dragwena is given enough backstory to not just be a "Wicked Witch" archetype.
I have the final 2 volumes of this series. Expect reviews soon....!
Rachel & Eric are snatched by the evil witch Dragwena from their home. Rachel has very strong magical powers, while Eric has a power never encountered before.....will they e able to overcome Dragwena's thirst for revenge....?
The back-cover blurb describes this as "Narnia for the 21st Century", & that is a pretty good description: this is a retelling of a battle against ancient evil, although Cliff McNish's child protagonists are considerably more likeable than Lewis'.....
The plot is easy to follow, and moves along well. Characters are fleshed-out and believable: even Dragwena is given enough backstory to not just be a "Wicked Witch" archetype.
I have the final 2 volumes of this series. Expect reviews soon....!
August 8, 2018
I wasn't sure what to rate this, because what this book does well it does very, very well (its villain, the descriptions of magic, etc.) and two stars probably makes it seem like I hated it. But that's not case. Instead, I was disappointed because it was enjoyable enough but could have been much better. This is the sort of book you love when you read it as a child, but that doesn't stand up to further scrutiny when read as an adult.
My favorite metaphor when talking to people about genre fiction is the idea of The Shoe. What your shoe is made out of and looks like is determined by the specific characteristics of the genre (sci-fi might be a shiny space boot, mystery a leather loafer, dystopian a combat boot covered in metal studs, fantasy a slipper made of ruby or glass, etc.). But what's the difference between a shoe and a sculpture of a shoe? The fact that a shoe can be worn, can still function as footwear, can bear the weight of the person who would put it on. Similarly, genre stories must still meet the basic rules of storytelling and be prepared to transport the reader who has chosen to walk with them for a while. If they don't, what's the point?
Bad genre fiction gets so distracted in the outer trappings of genre (robots, unicorns, space travel, magic, etc.) that it neglects the basic foundational story. I feel like The Doomspell fell into this trap. The witch was a deliciously evil character. The magic felt deep and rich. But the stakes felt unrealistic. Plus I never really knew the characters well enough to care about them, which is major. The brother character in particular was like a cardboard cutout that spouted useful information when it served the plot. And speaking of this, there were nagging questions that took me out of the story often enough that I really couldn't enjoy what I was reading. I know this is the first of a trilogy, and perhaps some of those questions will be answered later on or we'll finally get to know some of the characters by the end. But I honestly can't be bothered. This is one glass slipper that would shatter under my weight if I dared to take another step. Lovely from the outside, but not for me.
My favorite metaphor when talking to people about genre fiction is the idea of The Shoe. What your shoe is made out of and looks like is determined by the specific characteristics of the genre (sci-fi might be a shiny space boot, mystery a leather loafer, dystopian a combat boot covered in metal studs, fantasy a slipper made of ruby or glass, etc.). But what's the difference between a shoe and a sculpture of a shoe? The fact that a shoe can be worn, can still function as footwear, can bear the weight of the person who would put it on. Similarly, genre stories must still meet the basic rules of storytelling and be prepared to transport the reader who has chosen to walk with them for a while. If they don't, what's the point?
Bad genre fiction gets so distracted in the outer trappings of genre (robots, unicorns, space travel, magic, etc.) that it neglects the basic foundational story. I feel like The Doomspell fell into this trap. The witch was a deliciously evil character. The magic felt deep and rich. But the stakes felt unrealistic. Plus I never really knew the characters well enough to care about them, which is major. The brother character in particular was like a cardboard cutout that spouted useful information when it served the plot. And speaking of this, there were nagging questions that took me out of the story often enough that I really couldn't enjoy what I was reading. I know this is the first of a trilogy, and perhaps some of those questions will be answered later on or we'll finally get to know some of the characters by the end. But I honestly can't be bothered. This is one glass slipper that would shatter under my weight if I dared to take another step. Lovely from the outside, but not for me.
March 14, 2016
No importa cuantas veces me lea este libro, ¡me sigue encantando! Casi esperaba que, después de tanto tiempo y teniendo en cuenta que mi padre me lo leía con 8 años, este libro me acabara pareciendo infantil y dejara de gustarme, ¡pero para nada! Es el único libro que me he leído íntegramente varias veces y seguro que me lo seguiré leyendo. ¡Es TAN original!
Creo que esta saga la conservaré siempre, por los recuerdos tan bonitos que me trae cuando la releo.
Creo que esta saga la conservaré siempre, por los recuerdos tan bonitos que me trae cuando la releo.
March 19, 2021
This book has been compared to the Narnia Series in so many reviews, and I guess I can see the resemblance. But for me it didn't quite have the same magic and wonder that the Narnia books inspired in me as both a child and an adult reader.
That said, it was a good, scary adventure. That is truly one terrifying witch, with four sets of teeth, tattooed eyes and spiders coming out of her mouth! I actually had a bit of a hard job visualising what the author thought she looked like, but that might be a good thing!
I liked the fact that Eric had a bigger role to play than just needing rescuing by his sister! And the ending was suitably sweet for a Children's story, while leaving it wide open for the sequel.
That said, it was a good, scary adventure. That is truly one terrifying witch, with four sets of teeth, tattooed eyes and spiders coming out of her mouth! I actually had a bit of a hard job visualising what the author thought she looked like, but that might be a good thing!
I liked the fact that Eric had a bigger role to play than just needing rescuing by his sister! And the ending was suitably sweet for a Children's story, while leaving it wide open for the sequel.
February 8, 2010
I read this when I was a bit younger and LOVED it. There were a few things that I didn't understand back then but after I re-read it I understood it all being that bit older. The world Cliff Mcnish creates is magical and different in its own right. The characters you can relate to and do feel for them. Definitly worth a read
November 24, 2019
I forgot this book existed until I found a copy at work a few years back. I forgot that I had loved it SO much as a pre-teen! It holds up fairly well -- still a solid adventure-fantasy. Such a throwback.
March 17, 2022
Lo mejor del libro es la portada, que es muy bonita. Lo demás me ha decepcionado bastante.
Es una pseudocopia de Narnia en la que una hermana, Rachel, y un hermano, Erik, llegan a un mundo, Itrea, en el que siempre es Invierno porque está bajo el control de una bruja muy mala, Dragwena, que no tiene absolutamente ninguna cualidad redentora. Por supuests, también hay una profecía que dice que Rachel es la elegida que derrotará por fin a la bruja.
La falta de originalidad no me importa y esperaba que el libro fuera entretenido, pero no: se puede resumir todo en que Raquel y Erik son capturadas por la bruja, escapan con la ayuda de gente esclavizada (sarrena) por la bruja, la bruja las encuentra y escapan otra vez. Y así. Cada vez que escapan es gracias al sacrificio de la gente sarrena, que son camisas rojas que no dejan de morir, pero a nadie parece importarle mucho aunque lo intentan hacer tope dramático, ya que la mayoría ni nombres tienen y su muerte es muy anticlimática, en menos de una línea. Para ser tan corto, el libro se hace repetitivo, porque no notas que la trama avance en absoluto ni vaya a ningún sitio, únicamente te cuenta lo mismo de diferentes formas.
Y el sistema de magia tampoco está explicado ni sigue ninguna lógica. La magia tiene que tener reglas o se convierte en un deus ex machina con la que se puede lograr cualquier cosa que convenga a la trama, y eso es lo que pasa aquí.
Una decepción. Odio cuando la gente cree que porque un libro es infantil puede escribir cualquier cosa, sin preocuparse de currarse una historia en condiciones.
Es una pseudocopia de Narnia en la que una hermana, Rachel, y un hermano, Erik, llegan a un mundo, Itrea, en el que siempre es Invierno porque está bajo el control de una bruja muy mala, Dragwena, que no tiene absolutamente ninguna cualidad redentora. Por supuests, también hay una profecía que dice que Rachel es la elegida que derrotará por fin a la bruja.
La falta de originalidad no me importa y esperaba que el libro fuera entretenido, pero no: se puede resumir todo en que Raquel y Erik son capturadas por la bruja, escapan con la ayuda de gente esclavizada (sarrena) por la bruja, la bruja las encuentra y escapan otra vez. Y así. Cada vez que escapan es gracias al sacrificio de la gente sarrena, que son camisas rojas que no dejan de morir, pero a nadie parece importarle mucho aunque lo intentan hacer tope dramático, ya que la mayoría ni nombres tienen y su muerte es muy anticlimática, en menos de una línea. Para ser tan corto, el libro se hace repetitivo, porque no notas que la trama avance en absoluto ni vaya a ningún sitio, únicamente te cuenta lo mismo de diferentes formas.
Y el sistema de magia tampoco está explicado ni sigue ninguna lógica. La magia tiene que tener reglas o se convierte en un deus ex machina con la que se puede lograr cualquier cosa que convenga a la trama, y eso es lo que pasa aquí.
Una decepción. Odio cuando la gente cree que porque un libro es infantil puede escribir cualquier cosa, sin preocuparse de currarse una historia en condiciones.
December 22, 2017
Rating: 4/5
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Pages: 240
Amazon
I was provided a free copy of this book by the author. Thank you so much! All opinons are my own.
After having the same strange dream, siblings Rachel and Eric find themselves being transported to another world where Rachel's special powers come into play to help free the children that have been captured by the evil Dragwena. - Amazon.com
So to start this review off I do want to say that I do love books that have that Harry Potter/Narnia type feel to them and I felt this book fit that perfectly. The book was highly imaginative, the world building was fantastic, and the characters felt like real children instead of mini adults who know how to solve all the world's issues.
However, I did feel like the book didn't keep my interest. I'm not sure why but I could walk off from the book and not feel a need to go back to it. I blame my funky mood I've been in lately. I also felt that the plot was a bit similiar to other middle grade books I've read.
Verdict: If you're looking for a middle grade book that your child might love if they like magical books like Narnia then this book is for you! If you're an older reader this book might drag a bit for you.
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Pages: 240
Amazon
I was provided a free copy of this book by the author. Thank you so much! All opinons are my own.
After having the same strange dream, siblings Rachel and Eric find themselves being transported to another world where Rachel's special powers come into play to help free the children that have been captured by the evil Dragwena. - Amazon.com
So to start this review off I do want to say that I do love books that have that Harry Potter/Narnia type feel to them and I felt this book fit that perfectly. The book was highly imaginative, the world building was fantastic, and the characters felt like real children instead of mini adults who know how to solve all the world's issues.
However, I did feel like the book didn't keep my interest. I'm not sure why but I could walk off from the book and not feel a need to go back to it. I blame my funky mood I've been in lately. I also felt that the plot was a bit similiar to other middle grade books I've read.
Verdict: If you're looking for a middle grade book that your child might love if they like magical books like Narnia then this book is for you! If you're an older reader this book might drag a bit for you.
March 25, 2025
*2.5*
October 7, 2020
Me parece un buen libro es muy interesante y emocionante.
November 30, 2020
With 'The Light of Armath' McNish takes us back into the compelling and mysterious world of Ithrea - to what happened leading up to events in 'The Doomspell'.
As so often with McNish, the fast paced story reads like a thriller. In it, he explains how Morpeth, the forceful and popular character from 'The Doomspell', came to be alongside the enthrallingly foul witch, Dragwena, and he introduces us to Anna and Sarren, two more quite unforgettable characters. There is a kind of enchantment in the lyrical language McNish uses to tell all his stories, not least here. The sound of his words in your head is akin to poetry and works like a spell on the senses. His use of language is sparing yet evocative.The tale itself is quite terrifying in parts, the children being defenceless against a witch who uses her spells, even her appearance, to trick and to torture - and to kill. Knowing how powerful she is, the great wizard, Larpskendya, leaves a verse on the planet to which he has banished her.
'The Light of Armath' is an absorbing and inspirational tale full of light and shadow. Mesmerising! I loved it!
As so often with McNish, the fast paced story reads like a thriller. In it, he explains how Morpeth, the forceful and popular character from 'The Doomspell', came to be alongside the enthrallingly foul witch, Dragwena, and he introduces us to Anna and Sarren, two more quite unforgettable characters. There is a kind of enchantment in the lyrical language McNish uses to tell all his stories, not least here. The sound of his words in your head is akin to poetry and works like a spell on the senses. His use of language is sparing yet evocative.The tale itself is quite terrifying in parts, the children being defenceless against a witch who uses her spells, even her appearance, to trick and to torture - and to kill. Knowing how powerful she is, the great wizard, Larpskendya, leaves a verse on the planet to which he has banished her.
'The Light of Armath' is an absorbing and inspirational tale full of light and shadow. Mesmerising! I loved it!
February 4, 2013
I'm not sure how old I was when I first read this. Fairly young -- probably around nine or ten. Definitely still in primary school, and I think my sister borrowed it for me. Since then I've read it several times, because it's such a creative book. I love the development of the sibling relationship and how, despite their strengths being in different areas of life, they still manage to use them to work together.
I also enjoyed how, although Rachel and Eric are children and have to somehow save the world, they do SEEM like children. In many similar books, the 'children' are like miniature adults, but Rachel and Eric occasionally let their guard down, enjoyed themselves, and behaved like children. And I liked that. It made the whole thing more realistic; as someone of around the age that they were, I felt I could relate to them very well, without being bored if I were to read it now.
The whole series is awesome, and writing this review makes me want to borrow it from the library again...
I also enjoyed how, although Rachel and Eric are children and have to somehow save the world, they do SEEM like children. In many similar books, the 'children' are like miniature adults, but Rachel and Eric occasionally let their guard down, enjoyed themselves, and behaved like children. And I liked that. It made the whole thing more realistic; as someone of around the age that they were, I felt I could relate to them very well, without being bored if I were to read it now.
The whole series is awesome, and writing this review makes me want to borrow it from the library again...
March 4, 2018
I first read this book at about 12, I was poorly and at home one day rather than school and so my Dad popped to the library and borrowed this for me to read. At that age I couldn’t put it down I read cover to cover in one day cosied up on the sofa. The witch was a brilliant villain and I was interested in Morpeth and the underground rebellion. The magic system also captivated me and I would still recommend this to younger readers. However, as an adult having read considerably more since, I can see some minor plot holes and also am not as invested in the characters, I also found I wasn’t nearly as interested, whether or not because I already know the end I can’t tell as I genuinely enjoy re reads ordinarily, but found I had to push myself to finish this time. I mainly enjoyed the nostalgia I felt when I re read this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 4, 2018
At first there was something I didn’t like about this book. As I went on, drawn into the story, I read it in about 24 hours, I realized it’s simply that I am not used to reading or hearing for that matter children from England. That was it. It wasn’t that I didn’t like it, it was just weird for me, and I love that about this book. With that said, I thoroughly enjoyed the story. I see the comparisons to C.S. Lewis and I think they are well deserved. I look forward to digging into the next book!
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review via Voracious Readers Only.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review via Voracious Readers Only.
April 16, 2021
I loved this book when I was, I think, 12. I got it from the school library before going on vacation. I remember not being able to put down the book reading it wherever I could. From the hotel room to the beach and even on the way. I actually tried to find it again and with the help of google found it once again rereading it. It isn’t as good as I remembered it but it brought back so many nice memories that I enjoyed it enough to write about it in my book essay for high school. One of the most special books I ever read.❤️
September 12, 2015
Een spannend fantasieavontuur met een van de meest angstwekkende vijanden die ooit in een boek heb gezien. Vergeet Voldemort, vergeet Sauron, Dracuena is het boosaardigste wezen. Haar wreedheid wordt niet onder stoelen of banken geschoven, net als haar gore uiterlijk. Het is in ieder geval niet geschikt voor mensen met een zwakke maag. De wereld van Ithrea wordt gedetailleerd beschreven en is gevuld met rijke magie. Een goede introductie in de aardskinderen serie.
March 11, 2009
A good first novel. The action keeps moving along nicely, and the evil witch is fabulous. My one regret is that I didn't really care for his characters; the emotions never clicked for me.
May 3, 2015
I really enjoyed it! It was a bit like reading Narnia again!
January 5, 2019
This review covers the entire trilogy:
I like to read children’s books, especially ones that are fantasy based. As a friend of mine put it once, “I have a thing for Portal fantasy”. And this is exactly that!
With a dash of other-world-fantasy too.
The Doomspell Trilogy has very clear influences coming from Tolkien and C S Lewis, with elements such as witches who love winter, animals that can talk, and children’s innocence being very prominent in the stories. The trilogy follows Rachel and Eric, siblings who are among the first of a new race of humans who can control magic. The main villains of the series are witches – beings coming from another planet who can control magic, beings who can change their shape and fly and control the elements and certain animals. Each book in the trilogy takes on a different witch, or race of witches, at a time. From a singular witch, to an entire planet of them, to the witches’ ex-slaves who have now risen up, Rachel and Eric are subject to battle after battle against forces that two pre-teens really shouldn’t be able to battle. But they do.
What I really want to discuss about this series, however, isn’t the plot or the characters, but its themes, which are very prevalent once you look a little deeper into the novels.
Theme One: Innocence
In this universe, adults cannot use magic, but anybody under a certain age (let’s assume 16, for the sake of argument) can. By the third book, magic is a widespread phenomenon across the world, with every single child and young teenager being able to use magic. Adults are left behind, sometimes terrorized in certain parts of the world. Children have free reign, flying everywhere, stealing whatever they want, and doing whatever they please. The world has changed and the kids are in control. But once they start to become adults, it’s over for them, and they lose their magic. Why? What could possibly lead to this?
If you read the header above, then you definitely can see that I think it’s because of innocence. Now whether this be innocence in the term of sex, or maybe cynicism, or maybe even just people starting to become more aware of the world around them. The fact is that children start to lose their powers once they become ‘young adults’, and suddenly they’re no longer allowed into this world that they used to inhabit and enjoy. I think that McNish here is trying to show how magical innocence is, with the magic that they use being pure and wonderful. While there are magical users who are evil (see: witches), their magic is significantly rougher and more dangerous; it is a different brand of magic. The wizards, who control magic that is much stronger and brighter than the children do, can be seen as adults who have retained their innocence and faith in the world, and never became jaded; they are the best magic users because they never let themselves become hardened by the world.
Theme Two: Diversity and Tolerance
There are a group of children within the series who cannot use magic. They have abnormally large ears, do not speak much, and have to be carried around by a faithful magic user at all times if they want to go anywhere. These children can be seen as a reference, name and all, to children on the autism spectrum, who are seen as not being as 100% capable as their peers (although this is definitely not a hard truth). There is also an element of preaching tolerance in the trilogy.
All in all, I would definitely recommend this book to anybody who wants to read something not-so-well-known and good. It does have it’s brilliant moments, and it also does fit in with what people who look for fantasy like. It’s a light, summer read that you can swallow in a week, and it’s also one of the only books I know of where magic is treated in a different way than in other literary universes, which can be a breath of fresh air!
Final rating: 3/5. It is for children after all, so the writing style isn’t the best. But it is a good read for the summer!
I like to read children’s books, especially ones that are fantasy based. As a friend of mine put it once, “I have a thing for Portal fantasy”. And this is exactly that!
With a dash of other-world-fantasy too.
The Doomspell Trilogy has very clear influences coming from Tolkien and C S Lewis, with elements such as witches who love winter, animals that can talk, and children’s innocence being very prominent in the stories. The trilogy follows Rachel and Eric, siblings who are among the first of a new race of humans who can control magic. The main villains of the series are witches – beings coming from another planet who can control magic, beings who can change their shape and fly and control the elements and certain animals. Each book in the trilogy takes on a different witch, or race of witches, at a time. From a singular witch, to an entire planet of them, to the witches’ ex-slaves who have now risen up, Rachel and Eric are subject to battle after battle against forces that two pre-teens really shouldn’t be able to battle. But they do.
What I really want to discuss about this series, however, isn’t the plot or the characters, but its themes, which are very prevalent once you look a little deeper into the novels.
Theme One: Innocence
In this universe, adults cannot use magic, but anybody under a certain age (let’s assume 16, for the sake of argument) can. By the third book, magic is a widespread phenomenon across the world, with every single child and young teenager being able to use magic. Adults are left behind, sometimes terrorized in certain parts of the world. Children have free reign, flying everywhere, stealing whatever they want, and doing whatever they please. The world has changed and the kids are in control. But once they start to become adults, it’s over for them, and they lose their magic. Why? What could possibly lead to this?
If you read the header above, then you definitely can see that I think it’s because of innocence. Now whether this be innocence in the term of sex, or maybe cynicism, or maybe even just people starting to become more aware of the world around them. The fact is that children start to lose their powers once they become ‘young adults’, and suddenly they’re no longer allowed into this world that they used to inhabit and enjoy. I think that McNish here is trying to show how magical innocence is, with the magic that they use being pure and wonderful. While there are magical users who are evil (see: witches), their magic is significantly rougher and more dangerous; it is a different brand of magic. The wizards, who control magic that is much stronger and brighter than the children do, can be seen as adults who have retained their innocence and faith in the world, and never became jaded; they are the best magic users because they never let themselves become hardened by the world.
Theme Two: Diversity and Tolerance
There are a group of children within the series who cannot use magic. They have abnormally large ears, do not speak much, and have to be carried around by a faithful magic user at all times if they want to go anywhere. These children can be seen as a reference, name and all, to children on the autism spectrum, who are seen as not being as 100% capable as their peers (although this is definitely not a hard truth). There is also an element of preaching tolerance in the trilogy.
All in all, I would definitely recommend this book to anybody who wants to read something not-so-well-known and good. It does have it’s brilliant moments, and it also does fit in with what people who look for fantasy like. It’s a light, summer read that you can swallow in a week, and it’s also one of the only books I know of where magic is treated in a different way than in other literary universes, which can be a breath of fresh air!
Final rating: 3/5. It is for children after all, so the writing style isn’t the best. But it is a good read for the summer!
May 19, 2020
De pequeña ADORABA esta trilogía. Así pues, aun con miedo a que tras más de 10 años al leerlo ahora me decepcionase, decidí darle una oportunidad. Y lo cierto es que, aunque no ha sido tan alucinante como recordaba, sí que me ha gustado.
El maleficio es la primera parte de la trilogía del Maleficio, donde se nos cuenta la historia de Raquel y Eric. Estos dos hermanos llevan cierto tiempo teniendo unos sueños de lo más extraños, hasta que, de repente, ambos absorbidos por unas garras que salen de la pared de su sótano, y que los arrastra a un extraño mundo.
La obra se encuentra narrada en tercera persona, y está compuesta por capítulos cortos. Además, la narración es ligera, pues está más orientada a niños de entre 9 a 12 años. Eso, sumado a que son tan solo 200 páginas, hace que se pueda leer en nada.
Como comentaba antes, la historia nos habla de un nuevo mundo, y algo que me ha gustado mucho son las descripciones que hace McNish sobre los seres de este mundo y sus paisajes. A mí conseguían absorberme del todo, y podía imaginarme perfectamente que me encontraba ahí con Raquel y sus amigos.
Con respecto a los personajes, no he notado que haya habido una gran evolución en ellos, cosa que suelo apreciar mucho en las novelas. Si bien es cierto que todos muestran claramente una profundidad, pues se llega a entender perfectamente el por qué tienen los objetivos que tienen, por qué los malos son malos y por qué los buenos son buenos. Al mismo tiempo los personajes no me ha parecido que hayan crecido mucho, o madurado de forma evolutiva. De igual forma, como ya he mencionado, el libro es corto y aún quedan dos libros más, por lo que es posible que esta evolución se perciba mejor en las siguientes partes.
Aun y todo, mis dos personajes favoritos han sido Raquel y Dragwena. Raquel por la fuerza interior que tiene y el cómo lucha por lo que cree, y Dragwena porque, a pesar de no madurar o evolucionar mucho, me ha parecido uno de los personajes que mejor están desarrollados.
Con respecto al final, no hay mucho que decir sobre él, solo que es el final que se esperaría para esta obra. No es un final de los que piensas "wooooow, menudo final", pero es el final adecuado.
De igual forma, he disfrutado la obra. Es entretenida y echas unas risas y un buen rato. Por supuesto, como en todo, hay obras mejores, pero estoy completamente segura de que aquellos niños o niñas que estén adentrándose en el mundo de la fantasía disfrutarán muchísimo de esta novela.
Lo que más me ha gustado: la historia de la novela en general, o la idea para la trama, podríamos decir. Para la época en la que se escribió la obra (año 2000), me parece original y diferente.
Lo que menos: que he sentido que los personajes se estancan y, aunque están bien desarrollados, no tienen una gran evolución.
El maleficio es la primera parte de la trilogía del Maleficio, donde se nos cuenta la historia de Raquel y Eric. Estos dos hermanos llevan cierto tiempo teniendo unos sueños de lo más extraños, hasta que, de repente, ambos absorbidos por unas garras que salen de la pared de su sótano, y que los arrastra a un extraño mundo.
La obra se encuentra narrada en tercera persona, y está compuesta por capítulos cortos. Además, la narración es ligera, pues está más orientada a niños de entre 9 a 12 años. Eso, sumado a que son tan solo 200 páginas, hace que se pueda leer en nada.
Como comentaba antes, la historia nos habla de un nuevo mundo, y algo que me ha gustado mucho son las descripciones que hace McNish sobre los seres de este mundo y sus paisajes. A mí conseguían absorberme del todo, y podía imaginarme perfectamente que me encontraba ahí con Raquel y sus amigos.
Con respecto a los personajes, no he notado que haya habido una gran evolución en ellos, cosa que suelo apreciar mucho en las novelas. Si bien es cierto que todos muestran claramente una profundidad, pues se llega a entender perfectamente el por qué tienen los objetivos que tienen, por qué los malos son malos y por qué los buenos son buenos. Al mismo tiempo los personajes no me ha parecido que hayan crecido mucho, o madurado de forma evolutiva. De igual forma, como ya he mencionado, el libro es corto y aún quedan dos libros más, por lo que es posible que esta evolución se perciba mejor en las siguientes partes.
Aun y todo, mis dos personajes favoritos han sido Raquel y Dragwena. Raquel por la fuerza interior que tiene y el cómo lucha por lo que cree, y Dragwena porque, a pesar de no madurar o evolucionar mucho, me ha parecido uno de los personajes que mejor están desarrollados.
Con respecto al final, no hay mucho que decir sobre él, solo que es el final que se esperaría para esta obra. No es un final de los que piensas "wooooow, menudo final", pero es el final adecuado.
De igual forma, he disfrutado la obra. Es entretenida y echas unas risas y un buen rato. Por supuesto, como en todo, hay obras mejores, pero estoy completamente segura de que aquellos niños o niñas que estén adentrándose en el mundo de la fantasía disfrutarán muchísimo de esta novela.
Lo que más me ha gustado: la historia de la novela en general, o la idea para la trama, podríamos decir. Para la época en la que se escribió la obra (año 2000), me parece original y diferente.
Lo que menos: que he sentido que los personajes se estancan y, aunque están bien desarrollados, no tienen una gran evolución.
January 14, 2019
Biannual Bibliothon, Winter 2019.
Prop: book that got you into reading.
This is the first book I ever remember really reading, and absolutely falling in love with. I was around 6 or 7. My parents had just divorced and I wasn't doing ok. Suddenly, my father wasn't living with me anymore. And suddenly there was a second house I was supposed to call mine, but still it wasn't. It was my dad's. A few months went by and he started dating someone. I was a child. It wasn't something I could comprehend, and I was really sad.
For this reason, my dad bought me this book. He was always an avid reader, and he thought I may enjoy it. It would help me leave my world for a while, to maybe feel a bit better when I got back. I remember loving this book. I read it in about 3 or 4 days, that for a kid that age is pretty fast. I immediately asked for the second one, then the third one, and got really upset when I asked for the fourth one and found out it was a trilogy. That was the first day I remember going into a library (The ateneo grand splendid, in Buenos Aires, Argentina... To be exact. Which was just announced the most beautiful library in the world and I agree, since it's my favourite place in the world, and I've travel to a few places....) and spending hours trying to find my next read.
I was seven that time. And that next read I found was Harry Potter. These two series started my journey as a reader, and I couldn't be more grateful for their existance.
This is a really beautiful middle grade for every kid in the world. Trust me, it will make you feel less alone, less weird, and like you can do anything.
Prop: book that got you into reading.
This is the first book I ever remember really reading, and absolutely falling in love with. I was around 6 or 7. My parents had just divorced and I wasn't doing ok. Suddenly, my father wasn't living with me anymore. And suddenly there was a second house I was supposed to call mine, but still it wasn't. It was my dad's. A few months went by and he started dating someone. I was a child. It wasn't something I could comprehend, and I was really sad.
For this reason, my dad bought me this book. He was always an avid reader, and he thought I may enjoy it. It would help me leave my world for a while, to maybe feel a bit better when I got back. I remember loving this book. I read it in about 3 or 4 days, that for a kid that age is pretty fast. I immediately asked for the second one, then the third one, and got really upset when I asked for the fourth one and found out it was a trilogy. That was the first day I remember going into a library (The ateneo grand splendid, in Buenos Aires, Argentina... To be exact. Which was just announced the most beautiful library in the world and I agree, since it's my favourite place in the world, and I've travel to a few places....) and spending hours trying to find my next read.
I was seven that time. And that next read I found was Harry Potter. These two series started my journey as a reader, and I couldn't be more grateful for their existance.
This is a really beautiful middle grade for every kid in the world. Trust me, it will make you feel less alone, less weird, and like you can do anything.
December 7, 2019
Recuerdo que esta trilogía se publicó más o menos al mismo tiempo que los libros de Harry Potter, y que en aquella época a menudo me encontraba este libro en las librerías. Aunque me llamaba la atención, nunca llegué a leerlo. Hace poco vi que lo tenían en la biblioteca junto con los otros dos y fue en plan "ey, ¿por qué no?". Ahora que ya lo he leído, más que a Harry Potter, me ha recordado un poco a Narnia. No es lo mismo, pero no ha estado mal.
Es entretenido porque no paran de pasar cosas, los protagonistas no han salido de una cuanto están en otra, casi sin respiro. Pero a la vez me ha resultado un poco repetitivo, porque lo que les pasa es que son perseguidos por la bruja, la villana de la historia, una y otra vez. Precisamente la bruja creo que es el personaje más logrado (aunque qué mujer más agobiante, es que no se la quitan de encima ni con agua hirviendo 😂). Porque lo malo también de que haya tanta acción es que no da tiempo a conocer más a fondo a los personajes, o a que se expliquen ciertos elementos de la trama. Aunque quizás haya más de esto en los otros dos libros de la trilogía. Creo que los voy a leer también, aunque seguramente me hubieran gustado más de pequeña, habiendo leído el primer libro, sigo teniendo curiosidad por el resto.
Es entretenido porque no paran de pasar cosas, los protagonistas no han salido de una cuanto están en otra, casi sin respiro. Pero a la vez me ha resultado un poco repetitivo, porque lo que les pasa es que son perseguidos por la bruja, la villana de la historia, una y otra vez. Precisamente la bruja creo que es el personaje más logrado (aunque qué mujer más agobiante, es que no se la quitan de encima ni con agua hirviendo 😂). Porque lo malo también de que haya tanta acción es que no da tiempo a conocer más a fondo a los personajes, o a que se expliquen ciertos elementos de la trama. Aunque quizás haya más de esto en los otros dos libros de la trilogía. Creo que los voy a leer también, aunque seguramente me hubieran gustado más de pequeña, habiendo leído el primer libro, sigo teniendo curiosidad por el resto.
October 6, 2020
This is the first book for which I will write a review, because it is a book that meant a lot to me.
I used to read this book every year when I was younger. I once discovered it in my local library, a big purple trilogy about magic and I fell deeply in love with it, as it was so different from other magical books I used to read. I once bought the first part in English for my grown-up bookshelf and I recently saw it standing there again and it all came back to me.
Reading it, it definitely is a children’s book. The writing isn’t the best, it’s overtly repetitive in its plot and it moves much faster than I remember. A grown up version of this story would be at least 500 pages, this one is 200. Yet I cannot give it a lower rating that 4 stars because I remember the magical feeling it gave me when I was younger: spells that live in your eyes, truly terrifying witches, and magic for all children in earth. I will be reading book 2 and 3 too, for completeness sake, but it was a conflicting read.
I used to read this book every year when I was younger. I once discovered it in my local library, a big purple trilogy about magic and I fell deeply in love with it, as it was so different from other magical books I used to read. I once bought the first part in English for my grown-up bookshelf and I recently saw it standing there again and it all came back to me.
Reading it, it definitely is a children’s book. The writing isn’t the best, it’s overtly repetitive in its plot and it moves much faster than I remember. A grown up version of this story would be at least 500 pages, this one is 200. Yet I cannot give it a lower rating that 4 stars because I remember the magical feeling it gave me when I was younger: spells that live in your eyes, truly terrifying witches, and magic for all children in earth. I will be reading book 2 and 3 too, for completeness sake, but it was a conflicting read.
March 16, 2023
The Doomspell series was a collection of books I was hoping to dive into to and really enjoy as it sounded like such a promising change to the current books on the market at the moment.
Its opening chapter was incredibly gripping, and at first made for a promising story about an evil witch dominating a world and kidnapping children in hope of finding extra strength.
However, I found myself thinking it was just a remake of the snow queen, which I don't overly like anyway. As the story progresses it loses my interest. I put the book down and left it for ages without a second thought hence why it took me so long to read.
The characters were likable but if any of them died in the story I would just shrug it off as an 'Oh well sh** happens' moment.
Overall this book let me down, its opening was the most gripping point and I think i'll politely pass on the second.
Its opening chapter was incredibly gripping, and at first made for a promising story about an evil witch dominating a world and kidnapping children in hope of finding extra strength.
However, I found myself thinking it was just a remake of the snow queen, which I don't overly like anyway. As the story progresses it loses my interest. I put the book down and left it for ages without a second thought hence why it took me so long to read.
The characters were likable but if any of them died in the story I would just shrug it off as an 'Oh well sh** happens' moment.
Overall this book let me down, its opening was the most gripping point and I think i'll politely pass on the second.
May 31, 2021
Just finished reading 'The Doom Spell'.
It is written for 'Young Adults' but that does not mean that only YA's can read it. The cover said that it was 'Narnia for the 21st Century.
I found it, 'a bit weird' in parts, I get the gist of the story, but I would rather describe it as more of an 'Alice in Wonderland' than a Narnia type story.
The story is about two children who are 'snatched' from this world to another place to be tortured by a witch who controls everything. The initial story started okay, but just got difficult to follow for me.
This is NOT a bad book or story, just not totally for me.
I rate this with two stars, as I would describe it as 'Okay'.
It is written for 'Young Adults' but that does not mean that only YA's can read it. The cover said that it was 'Narnia for the 21st Century.
I found it, 'a bit weird' in parts, I get the gist of the story, but I would rather describe it as more of an 'Alice in Wonderland' than a Narnia type story.
The story is about two children who are 'snatched' from this world to another place to be tortured by a witch who controls everything. The initial story started okay, but just got difficult to follow for me.
This is NOT a bad book or story, just not totally for me.
I rate this with two stars, as I would describe it as 'Okay'.
May 13, 2020
Βιβλίο 3ο της εβδομάδας που αποφάσισα να διαβάζω αγαπημένα παιδικά βιβλία :
Το συγκεκριμένο είναι βιβλίο φαντασίας που έχει πολλές επιρροές από Το Χρονικό της Νάρνια. Υπάρχουν κάποιες πρωτότυπες ιδέες, μου άρεσε ο τρόπος χρήσης της μαγείας και γενικά η δεύτερη ανάγνωση μετά από τόσα χρόνια ήταν μια ευχάριστη εμπειρία. Ωστόσο, η γραφή δεν με εντυπωσίασε, η ηρωίδα μερικές φορές μου έσπαγε τα νεύρα και δεν υπήρχε κάποια εξέλιξη στον χαρακτήρα των ηρώων ή κάποιο μήνυμα που να περνάει το βιβλίο στο τέλος. Βαθμολογία:3.5/5
Το πιθανότερο είναι ότι θα ολοκληρώσω τη σειρά.
Το συγκεκριμένο είναι βιβλίο φαντασίας που έχει πολλές επιρροές από Το Χρονικό της Νάρνια. Υπάρχουν κάποιες πρωτότυπες ιδέες, μου άρεσε ο τρόπος χρήσης της μαγείας και γενικά η δεύτερη ανάγνωση μετά από τόσα χρόνια ήταν μια ευχάριστη εμπειρία. Ωστόσο, η γραφή δεν με εντυπωσίασε, η ηρωίδα μερικές φορές μου έσπαγε τα νεύρα και δεν υπήρχε κάποια εξέλιξη στον χαρακτήρα των ηρώων ή κάποιο μήνυμα που να περνάει το βιβλίο στο τέλος. Βαθμολογία:3.5/5
Το πιθανότερο είναι ότι θα ολοκληρώσω τη σειρά.
March 4, 2021
I just can't wait to read the second part now.
Such a fast pacer this book is. It keeps you hooked till the very last and makes you look for more and more. My only regret is not reading this earlier.
It genuinely makes you imagine the dark , snowy world of Ithrea where the wolves are chasing you and the prapsies are uttering nonsense and the forest of dragwood is mesmerising and the caves are magnificently described and so much more.
Can't wait to take on this journey with Rachel and Eric again in Part 2.
Such a fast pacer this book is. It keeps you hooked till the very last and makes you look for more and more. My only regret is not reading this earlier.
It genuinely makes you imagine the dark , snowy world of Ithrea where the wolves are chasing you and the prapsies are uttering nonsense and the forest of dragwood is mesmerising and the caves are magnificently described and so much more.
Can't wait to take on this journey with Rachel and Eric again in Part 2.
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