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Rainbow
Grace is fascinated by the natural world. To increase this precious sense of wonder she is chosen by Nature’s spirit guides and guardians to travel on ‘a funny sometimes fearful journey’ with an amethyst stone as her guide and promise of help along the way. Creatures she expects to assist her are too self-important. Her allies are small, often overlooked plants, flowers and insects. Her main goal seems to be discovering what lies in and beyond the rainbow, but her adventures bring her only slowly nearer to its mysterious garden, bridge and palace. Everything appears to be a long way round. She decides to assist a lost, bitter boy – Downcast Don – to rediscover ‘wonder’ by obtaining for him a specially made silver spade. This takes her through strange and fearful forests, down a well to find an underground forge, and into an overwhelming encounter with an ancient giantess in a bleak desert. Her chief guide, Heartsease, assures her that it’s all part of a search for rainbow wisdom, to recognise the importance of all things and people and to accept ‘not knowing’. She can then ascend the ‘Shining Stairway’ to a stranger country beyond.
Up here Grace is nearer the rainbow but time and distance play tricks and she is in danger of being sidetracked. A knight, Sir Cloudy, a kind dreamer who lives in a time warp, invites her to his ‘Castle in the Air’. Just short of the rainbow garden she is deceived by a Menace and his monstrous Mother, and only just escapes their clutches. The promised places are beautiful and intriguing but she must learn about what lies under the surface. The palace that crowns the bow bridge is where the guides and guardians weave their many-coloured tapestries that reveal perspectives and choices about the future. When Grace descends the vanishing rainbow steps she meets characters who have made her journey so instructive, and once back in the everyday world she is still herself but somehow more so because she can see and understand more acutely.
Up here Grace is nearer the rainbow but time and distance play tricks and she is in danger of being sidetracked. A knight, Sir Cloudy, a kind dreamer who lives in a time warp, invites her to his ‘Castle in the Air’. Just short of the rainbow garden she is deceived by a Menace and his monstrous Mother, and only just escapes their clutches. The promised places are beautiful and intriguing but she must learn about what lies under the surface. The palace that crowns the bow bridge is where the guides and guardians weave their many-coloured tapestries that reveal perspectives and choices about the future. When Grace descends the vanishing rainbow steps she meets characters who have made her journey so instructive, and once back in the everyday world she is still herself but somehow more so because she can see and understand more acutely.
183 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 15, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 7, 2013
This review is also posted at Pages Unbound Book Reviews.
Source: e-copy from publisher
Review: Michael Tolkien brings new life to a charming and instructive children’s story about the nature of wonder, sending his heroine Grace on a number of missions on which she learns to help others and to always stay curious. Readers need not be familiar with Florence Bone’s The Other Side of the Rainbow to enjoy Tolkien’s re-imagination. A thoughtful and intelligent preface, however, (which will remind many of Michael’s grandfather’s J.R.R. Tolkien’s philosophy of literature, even in spite of a desire to appreciate Michael in his own right) presents readers with an overview of Bone’s version and interpretations of Tolkien’s changes, in addition to his musings on the meaning of art and the nature of Faerie. This does mean, of course, that readers who would prefer to interpret the story on their own might wish to read the preface last.
Tolkien makes Bone’s story his own, adding new scenes, lessons, interpretations, and his own voice. He even writes in verse, although since it is free verse the most evident reason for doing so is that children will be less intimidated by 200 pages of story if the lines are short. Nonetheless, Rainbow does have the feel of an older children’s book—something, like The Other Side of the Rainbow, that was published in the early twentieth century. The plot, the morals, and the sheer charm of it give it that tone. (So, yes, this is a good thing, and it fits the story perfectly.)
Tolkien uses a strong narrative voice that occasionally interjects into the story to address the reader. It often offers background information children will need to understand the story or explains the lessons being taught. If there is one thing Rainbow lacks, it is subtlety, although this is probably a good thing if very young readers are going to follow it for 200 pages. The plot, too, is undemanding, despite Grace’s many deviations from her original purpose into other adventures; she never faces danger for long before a solution appears and she is travelling once again. The constant action is likely to keep children interested. Adults will be drawn in by the imaginative world-building and the same type of wonder that Grace is trying to cultivate.
Rainbow is delightful, delicate, and imaginative, just like the illustrations by Maureen Ward. Its story, though featuring Grace and her many exciting adventures, is just as much about the readers, as it strives to teach them to also wonder about the world and to seek their own adventures. Those who have wonder, explains Rainbow, never grow old.
Source: e-copy from publisher
Review: Michael Tolkien brings new life to a charming and instructive children’s story about the nature of wonder, sending his heroine Grace on a number of missions on which she learns to help others and to always stay curious. Readers need not be familiar with Florence Bone’s The Other Side of the Rainbow to enjoy Tolkien’s re-imagination. A thoughtful and intelligent preface, however, (which will remind many of Michael’s grandfather’s J.R.R. Tolkien’s philosophy of literature, even in spite of a desire to appreciate Michael in his own right) presents readers with an overview of Bone’s version and interpretations of Tolkien’s changes, in addition to his musings on the meaning of art and the nature of Faerie. This does mean, of course, that readers who would prefer to interpret the story on their own might wish to read the preface last.
Tolkien makes Bone’s story his own, adding new scenes, lessons, interpretations, and his own voice. He even writes in verse, although since it is free verse the most evident reason for doing so is that children will be less intimidated by 200 pages of story if the lines are short. Nonetheless, Rainbow does have the feel of an older children’s book—something, like The Other Side of the Rainbow, that was published in the early twentieth century. The plot, the morals, and the sheer charm of it give it that tone. (So, yes, this is a good thing, and it fits the story perfectly.)
Tolkien uses a strong narrative voice that occasionally interjects into the story to address the reader. It often offers background information children will need to understand the story or explains the lessons being taught. If there is one thing Rainbow lacks, it is subtlety, although this is probably a good thing if very young readers are going to follow it for 200 pages. The plot, too, is undemanding, despite Grace’s many deviations from her original purpose into other adventures; she never faces danger for long before a solution appears and she is travelling once again. The constant action is likely to keep children interested. Adults will be drawn in by the imaginative world-building and the same type of wonder that Grace is trying to cultivate.
Rainbow is delightful, delicate, and imaginative, just like the illustrations by Maureen Ward. Its story, though featuring Grace and her many exciting adventures, is just as much about the readers, as it strives to teach them to also wonder about the world and to seek their own adventures. Those who have wonder, explains Rainbow, never grow old.
January 2, 2013
In a market overrun with fast-paced page turners full of action and heart-stopping romance, Michael Tolkien weaves a blissful escape from the norm. Rainbow is the story of Grace, a young girl that embarks on a journey of wonder. Her travels fill her with knowledge and prove just how beautiful her heart truly is. She can never leave a downcast soul without doing something to help.
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book when I picked it up. I was surprised and pleased to see that it is written in narrative verse. It was so different from everything else out there. While Tolkien followed the popular movement of rewriting an old fairy tale, he did not choose a Grimm tale, but a lesser known story from Florence Bone.
There was no question as to Tolkien's writing ability. The story was beautifully wrapped up in delicious descriptions and polished off with a splash of adventure. Grace did not encounter much by way of suspense or danger, but her journey was one of learning. It was a nice change of pace. While it is considered a children's book, I honestly felt like it was aimed more at an older audience. It might be too slow and meandering to hold a young child's interest for long.
If you are looking for another Percy Jackson, Twilight, or Harry Potter, you aren't going to find that here. This is a thoughtful journey that is full of whimsy and magic. It's not for everyone, but I definitely enjoyed it.
The Illustrations: I can't decide what to think about the artwork. While it went well with the throw-back style of writing, I couldn't help but think that it was old fashioned. I am not the biggest fan of most computer generated illustrations, but I did feel like this artwork could have been more current.
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book when I picked it up. I was surprised and pleased to see that it is written in narrative verse. It was so different from everything else out there. While Tolkien followed the popular movement of rewriting an old fairy tale, he did not choose a Grimm tale, but a lesser known story from Florence Bone.
There was no question as to Tolkien's writing ability. The story was beautifully wrapped up in delicious descriptions and polished off with a splash of adventure. Grace did not encounter much by way of suspense or danger, but her journey was one of learning. It was a nice change of pace. While it is considered a children's book, I honestly felt like it was aimed more at an older audience. It might be too slow and meandering to hold a young child's interest for long.
If you are looking for another Percy Jackson, Twilight, or Harry Potter, you aren't going to find that here. This is a thoughtful journey that is full of whimsy and magic. It's not for everyone, but I definitely enjoyed it.
The Illustrations: I can't decide what to think about the artwork. While it went well with the throw-back style of writing, I couldn't help but think that it was old fashioned. I am not the biggest fan of most computer generated illustrations, but I did feel like this artwork could have been more current.
November 5, 2013
Beautiful, just beautiful in every way possible. The girls in I fell in love with it in every way as we read it.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews