Witchend: Wings Over Witchend

Lone Pine #9

by Malcolm Saville

190p first armada edition paperback with illustrated cover, covers in very good condition, spine slightly worn, binding tight, minor spotting to page edges and endpapers, pages otherwise clean and bright, excellent condition

Genres: Childrens, British Literature, Mystery

Paperback

First published January 1, 1956

About the author

Leonard Malcolm Saville was an English author best known for the Lone Pine series of children's books, many of which are set in Shropshire. His work emphasises location; the books include many vivid descriptions of English countryside, villages and sometimes towns.

(wikipedia)

Reviews

[Stephen Bigger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have to declare myself a fan and a scholar of Malcolm Saville's stories. This one written and set on the Long Mynd, Shropshire at Christmas time.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm delighted to have the GGBP full version of this book, ninth in the 'Lone Pine' series. It's a well-written, fast-paced adventure story with some humour, a poignant section involving a much-loved dog, and plenty of excitement.

More character-building sections than are found in the abridged Armada version, and a nice wintery setting as the Morton family spend the run-up to Christmas at their holiday home, Witchend, near the Long Mynd in Shropshire.

This was one of my favourite series as a teenager, one I re-read regularly. Best to read this after at least a few of the earlier books in the series, but possible as a stand-alone. The GGBP gives publishing history, but even the Armada editions come with an introduction to the main characters and what the Lone Pine club stands for.

Definitely recommended for older children and young teens, and for anyone who remembers this nostalgically from their own teenage years.

Four and a half stars, really.

Longer review here: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/...

[Greyscotty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another of my favourites. I'll just say that every time I read one of these I discover something new. I don't get that with some of my other series!

[Selaya Morton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am starting to appreciate the complexities of Malcolm Saville's writing and the ongoing liking that my stepfather is imparting to me with every Lone Pine story that I read. I'm not going in any particular order but maybe that is part of the attraction. Hopefully I can complete the entire series by year's end.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

MS is so good with locations, and he captures brilliantly the eeriness of arriving at a place you know well, and finding it blanketed with snow. The geography goes slightly awry for regular readers, as there is now a forest on the side of the Mynd, and a previously undiscovered track on the other side of Witchend. But park that, and we're left with an exciting story about Christmas tree thieves supplying the black market (MS was nothing if not original and the possibility of a black market in Christmas trees had never previously occurred to me). There is a slight shift in tone, as the twins are not only kidnapped, but also roughed up (last time Dickie was abducted he ended up eating as much as he liked in an excellent cafe and came to no harm at all). There is also the usual quota of girl bursts into tears on boy's shoulder after near-miss. But for all the criticisms of gender stereotyping, it's worth noting that it's not Jenny who is scared of going up the watch-tower.