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gmamartha's review
3.0
Another "weird" story.
The reader understands what's going on as Jack does, which sometimes can be very fragmented and resistant to the knowledge. (Exactly how I felt.)
Written well with great characters, I'm afraid "my" kids will think it's "too complicated" but the high school kids will think it's "too young."
We'll see.
The reader understands what's going on as Jack does, which sometimes can be very fragmented and resistant to the knowledge. (Exactly how I felt.)
Written well with great characters, I'm afraid "my" kids will think it's "too complicated" but the high school kids will think it's "too young."
We'll see.
thebrainlair's review
3.0
3.5 stars
Despite a slow start and a tendency to go on a little long (what is with the length in some middle grade fantasy books) overall this was decent. It's a little too aware of itself with the Random Capital Letters and trying to be clever through repetition, and not getting to the story until about 3/4 of the way in, though you could guess what had happened.
Jack and Clive had clear, distinct voices but the rest were merely stand-ins especially Clayton, the town bully and Wendy the scrappy bully fighter.
Despite a slow start and a tendency to go on a little long (what is with the length in some middle grade fantasy books) overall this was decent. It's a little too aware of itself with the Random Capital Letters and trying to be clever through repetition, and not getting to the story until about 3/4 of the way in, though you could guess what had happened.
Jack and Clive had clear, distinct voices but the rest were merely stand-ins especially Clayton, the town bully and Wendy the scrappy bully fighter.
hello_sunshine's review
4.0
Very cool and creepy. I liked it a lot- part mystery and part paranormal. Unique story with really clever writing.
aoosterwyk's review
2.0
I read this story in my search for a 6th grade read aloud. It would not suit them. This is a tale of deep magic and love and family, but to really get it, you need familiarity with the genre and a mature viewpoint. I think my students would still be waiting for something to happen after it was over and this is not a traditional A-Z plot.
I enjoyed the mystery surrounding Jack and how his odd little life slowly began to make sense. The small town is "owned" by the richest man in town, whose family has made a deal with the devil generations ago. People disappear and are forgotten and strange things happen and only a few people notice. It is these sensitive and "prickly" souls who made the book for me. These are the ones who welcome Jack into their community and help him figure out his true nature and purpose.
I enjoyed the mystery surrounding Jack and how his odd little life slowly began to make sense. The small town is "owned" by the richest man in town, whose family has made a deal with the devil generations ago. People disappear and are forgotten and strange things happen and only a few people notice. It is these sensitive and "prickly" souls who made the book for me. These are the ones who welcome Jack into their community and help him figure out his true nature and purpose.
bunicole's review
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
It was intriguing at the start but as it went on it became tedious. It set up a lot of mystery but when it all came together, it fell flat, and didn't quite fit together. There were a lot of unanswered questions... I literally didn't understand the point of Anders' character, why was he in the book and why did he know so much about magic (he was obviously the author's favorite)??? And why did all the characters have British names??? There was a weird British feeling to the book which made the setting hard to grasp. And also, a lot of mentions of "swollen corn"...
thrynnies's review
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
At first, I was so intrigued with what was happening, the plot encapsulated a familiarness mixed with something that tickled my brain with something notably different. The happenings were both mysterious and whimsical. ...But somewhere in the final quarter of the book, things just unraveled and fell apart in a strange way. Ultimately, there was an early draft feeling to the ending, like the author didn't quite figure out how all the pieces fit at the final lap but was doing her best to jam them together. I didn't really believe some of the attachments and relationships and there were a lot of loose ends that never got tied satisfyingly enough. Overall, there was a lot of beauty, intrigue, and folklore in this book that I really loved, but the story needed a bit more finessing, a bit more attention. Reading this at times transported me into Ghibli-flavored world--and ending aside, I REALLY enjoyed that part of it.
(Also, this is a bit strange but, though I liked the sense of atmosphere the author evoked, sometimes the language felt so KEENLY BRITISH and I forgot we were in the cornfields of the Midwest. That vibe took me out of the story a few times haha)
(Also, this is a bit strange but, though I liked the sense of atmosphere the author evoked, sometimes the language felt so KEENLY BRITISH and I forgot we were in the cornfields of the Midwest. That vibe took me out of the story a few times haha)
brandypainter's review
3.0
Originally posted here.
The book is, for the most part, a mystery. Puzzle pieces are handed out one at a time and the reader has to put them together to see the big picture. How quickly this happens and how much enjoyment is to be gotten form it will depend on how much experience the reader has with these types of stories. In the end the puzzle is complete but not perfect. Some of the pieces are a little warped and, while they fit, leave you wondering what they are doing in the final picture at all. (Such as the Portsmouth, it fit with the story and helped move the plot but what it was, how and why it was there, etc. were never really clear. Same with the character of Anders.)
The cast of characters is varied. Some of them are quirky, but most of them are not. I like how the author tried to show different sides to Clayton Avery, the bully. I found Frankie to be the most interesting character by far. I would love to have had the whole story from his point of view. I may have gone from simply liking the story to loving it were that the case because I did feel like the other characterizations were a bit weak. Wendy was rather two dimensional and Anders seemed like he was there to move the plot more than anything. Jack was not as developed as I thought a main character should be. This may have been done on purpose as a way of emphasizing his otherness. For me the result was that I didn't care much what happened to him. Plus I knew where this was going long before it got there.
The mythos of the book is an interesting one. It includes Green Man legend and the idea of nature guardians and magical eruption points. None of that is original, but plopping it in the middle of an Iowa farm town is. The main magical being is a nature guardian who controls the movement of magic in the area of the town of Hazelwood. Due to evil greedy intentions the guardian has split into her dark side and her good side and is at war with herself. Balance can only be restored when she is whole again. Oh and her darker side likes to suck up the souls of children (herein lies the creepy factor). Overall interesting like I said but, to me, it wasn't captivating.
This was an enjoyable read but certainly not one of my favorites this year. This may just be me though as it has received several rave critical reviews.
The book is, for the most part, a mystery. Puzzle pieces are handed out one at a time and the reader has to put them together to see the big picture. How quickly this happens and how much enjoyment is to be gotten form it will depend on how much experience the reader has with these types of stories. In the end the puzzle is complete but not perfect. Some of the pieces are a little warped and, while they fit, leave you wondering what they are doing in the final picture at all. (Such as the Portsmouth, it fit with the story and helped move the plot but what it was, how and why it was there, etc. were never really clear. Same with the character of Anders.)
The cast of characters is varied. Some of them are quirky, but most of them are not. I like how the author tried to show different sides to Clayton Avery, the bully. I found Frankie to be the most interesting character by far. I would love to have had the whole story from his point of view. I may have gone from simply liking the story to loving it were that the case because I did feel like the other characterizations were a bit weak. Wendy was rather two dimensional and Anders seemed like he was there to move the plot more than anything. Jack was not as developed as I thought a main character should be. This may have been done on purpose as a way of emphasizing his otherness. For me the result was that I didn't care much what happened to him. Plus I knew where this was going long before it got there.
The mythos of the book is an interesting one. It includes Green Man legend and the idea of nature guardians and magical eruption points. None of that is original, but plopping it in the middle of an Iowa farm town is. The main magical being is a nature guardian who controls the movement of magic in the area of the town of Hazelwood. Due to evil greedy intentions the guardian has split into her dark side and her good side and is at war with herself. Balance can only be restored when she is whole again. Oh and her darker side likes to suck up the souls of children (herein lies the creepy factor). Overall interesting like I said but, to me, it wasn't captivating.
This was an enjoyable read but certainly not one of my favorites this year. This may just be me though as it has received several rave critical reviews.
amibunk's review
5.0
Sometimes you read a book at just the right time, in just the right mood, and it reaches in and touches a place inside of you. "The Mostly True Story of Jack" was that kind of book to me.
The plot is complex and rich, while the language is beautiful. The story begs you to internalize it, while you are filled with the desire to read as fast as possible.
While this remains at it's center a children's book, I would caution against introducing it to young readers. It would be most appreciated by older children, teens, and adults.
The plot is complex and rich, while the language is beautiful. The story begs you to internalize it, while you are filled with the desire to read as fast as possible.
While this remains at it's center a children's book, I would caution against introducing it to young readers. It would be most appreciated by older children, teens, and adults.
hafsa's review
3.0
3.5 stars
This book had a good opening, pulling you right into the story, and throughout kept a good pace. I had started and put down a few books before this one, not finding myself engaged enough to read, so I was glad to come across a book that kept me reading until the end. The writing of this book fluctuated between good and almost-bad, and the characters at times seemed to react in a way the plot required them to, instead of how their character would lead them to react, which led to a lower rating. All in all, however, this was a fine book.
This book had a good opening, pulling you right into the story, and throughout kept a good pace. I had started and put down a few books before this one, not finding myself engaged enough to read, so I was glad to come across a book that kept me reading until the end. The writing of this book fluctuated between good and almost-bad, and the characters at times seemed to react in a way the plot required them to, instead of how their character would lead them to react, which led to a lower rating. All in all, however, this was a fine book.
caitmarie24's review
5.0
Once again, Kelly Barnhill doesn't disappoint. This is an excellent story, full of magic and love and loss. I hope she writes forever.