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drlisak's review against another edition
5.0
I loved the simply, fairy-tale quality of the story. I wasn't surprised, but the journey into learning, and discovering answers to your own questions was beautiful. I always enjoy Yolen's mastery of language, that brings beauty to imagined worlds.
lillygabriella's review against another edition
emotional
informative
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.0
lazygal's review against another edition
3.0
Why so short? I wanted more!
The title may make readers think this is a girls book, but wrong - boys will enjoy this just as much (I know, I tested it on one). James' curiosity, and people's reactions to it, will resonate with them. And the Knight he calls on to help save the Abbey from the unicorn plague? Pretty clever.
More on life in he Abbey, more on James, just more... please!
ARC provided by publisher.
The title may make readers think this is a girls book, but wrong - boys will enjoy this just as much (I know, I tested it on one). James' curiosity, and people's reactions to it, will resonate with them. And the Knight he calls on to help save the Abbey from the unicorn plague? Pretty clever.
More on life in he Abbey, more on James, just more... please!
ARC provided by publisher.
yapha's review against another edition
3.0
Based on a short story she published in Here There Be Unicorns, this books looks at unicorns not as rare, reclusive beasts, but rather as a fierce herd that steals a monastery's apples. The monks want to use these special golden apples for a new kind of cider, but are thwarted by the unicorns who devour them every year. Hero after hero has tried, but none have been apple to drive off the unicorns. When James, the heir to the Duke of Callendar, arrives at the abbey to study, he believes he can come up with a solution to the problem. A different perspective on unicorns, to be sure. Recommended for grades 3-5.
bookbrig's review against another edition
adventurous
3.0
A sweet story that reads like a fairytale. It's charming and funny, with lovely characters and great illustrations. BUT. I would have liked it even more, I think, if it were a bit longer and gave us more of the older sister's story.
This is my entry for "book written by someone when they were over the age of 65" for the Read Harder challenge.
This is my entry for "book written by someone when they were over the age of 65" for the Read Harder challenge.
samantha_randolph's review against another edition
2.0
Short and Sweet:
I really loved the world of this story, but the action fell kind of flat by the end.
To Elaborate...
The monks and unicorns have an ongoing battle over the special golden apples. After countless causalities, they are at a standoff, with the monks trying to find heroes to battle the unicorns. When young future duke, James, is sent to the abbey, he thinks he may just have a solution.
For the first part of this book, I was slowly falling in love. I loved the unique premise, the fairy-tale esque writing, and the way the world sucked you in. Plus, the illustrations are incredibly pretty. However, the story had moments where it kind of dragged. James doesn't actually come in until a good way into the story. Then after he does and he gets sent to the abbey, it felt like the action kept building to something awesome, and then it just fizzled out. It made it feel kind of flat when it started out so well.
I think what I wanted most from this book was more details about the characters. James's sister was really awesome, but we didn't learn much about her. Even with the unicorns, there were hints of an interesting history there, but most of the history with them was focused on their past with the monks.
Overall, I still really enjoyed reading this. I've been wanting to read a Jane Yolen book for a long time, and I will definitely be reading more of her. This one just wasn't a favorite.
* I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from BookLook Bloggers*
Originally posted at I Heart YA Fiction: http://iheartyafiction.blogspot.com/2015/01/review-plague-of-unicorns-by-jane-yolen.html
I really loved the world of this story, but the action fell kind of flat by the end.
To Elaborate...
The monks and unicorns have an ongoing battle over the special golden apples. After countless causalities, they are at a standoff, with the monks trying to find heroes to battle the unicorns. When young future duke, James, is sent to the abbey, he thinks he may just have a solution.
For the first part of this book, I was slowly falling in love. I loved the unique premise, the fairy-tale esque writing, and the way the world sucked you in. Plus, the illustrations are incredibly pretty. However, the story had moments where it kind of dragged. James doesn't actually come in until a good way into the story. Then after he does and he gets sent to the abbey, it felt like the action kept building to something awesome, and then it just fizzled out. It made it feel kind of flat when it started out so well.
I think what I wanted most from this book was more details about the characters. James's sister was really awesome, but we didn't learn much about her. Even with the unicorns, there were hints of an interesting history there, but most of the history with them was focused on their past with the monks.
Overall, I still really enjoyed reading this. I've been wanting to read a Jane Yolen book for a long time, and I will definitely be reading more of her. This one just wasn't a favorite.
* I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from BookLook Bloggers*
Originally posted at I Heart YA Fiction: http://iheartyafiction.blogspot.com/2015/01/review-plague-of-unicorns-by-jane-yolen.html
marythecrazycatlady's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
booksforchristiangirls's review against another edition
4.0
About this book:
“It never was a fair fight.
Young James, the duke’s son, asks too many questions. At least that’s what everyone at Callander Castle thinks after all but the last of his tutors quit and his uncle ships him off to be educated at Cranford Abbey. Unfortunately, the once-beautiful abbey has problems of its own, including cracked walls, a leaking roof, and shattered stained glass windows. Not to mention the pesky herd of unicorns that continues to enter the abbey’s orchards and claim them as their own.
The only hope to save the abbey, it seems, is money raised by Abbot Aelian’s golden apple cider, made from a recipe passed down in his family for generations. But that means getting rid of the orchard’s unwelcome visitors. And as everyone knows, unicorns have very sharp horns. Monks do not.
James has an idea that could help defeat these hungry beasts, but first must find someone to listen to him. For once, he might be the only one asking the right questions. And the only one who knows the perfect hero for the job.”
Series: It is a stand-alone as of now.
Spiritual Content- Abbots, monks and priests; Mentions of those in the Bible; Mentions of prayers & praying; The golden apples are called Hosanna golden apples because the first abbot said “Hosanna!” when he saw them; A mention of a painting of unicorns being in Eden; The monks believe that the unicorn is “thought to be the animal avatar of the Christ”; Mentions of being in the Saviour’s footsteps; James asks “Did Lucifer hurt anyone when he fell to earth?” and other questions about heaven;
*Note: A mention or two of magic, wizardry and incantation; When James sees something he doesn’t recognize “Or perhaps it’s the Wild Hunt headed by Herne the Hunter, who goes racing through the forest hunting down the souls of the damned, the Hound of Hell, baying at his horse’s feet.”; a unicorn is called a “horned imp of Satan!”.
Negative Content- A mention or two of a unicorn’s sharp horn & them piercing monks; A mention that “”Apple pudding” was something frightened children did in their pants.”.
Sexual Content- On the topic of women in the abbey: “And a maiden—as any fool could tell you—is never allowed in a monastery or on monastery lands. No girls. None. Never. It’s an absolute rule.”; James asks where babies come from (no one really answers but there are mumbles about a stork or a cabbage patch, which James doesn’t buy), James then wonders if the monks would know.
-James, age 9
P.O.V. of James with the first three chapters in a story-telling way
Set in the 1600s (I’m guessing on this)
368 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- Four Stars
New Teens- Four Stars (and a half)
Early High School Teens- Four Stars (and a half)
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Four Stars
“A Plague of Unicorns” was aimed for a much younger audience then I normally read (it even had pictures/illustrations!) but I really enjoyed it! I wasn’t quite sure what to expect but I thought I would give it a try. It was so cute! I really liked James’ personality and though the writing style was different, I liked it too!
“”If I didn’t ask questions, how would I know when I had the wrong answers?””
We like how you think, James. ;)
Link to review:
http://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2015/02/a-plague-of-unicorns-by-jane-yolen.html
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Zonderkidz) for this review.
“It never was a fair fight.
Young James, the duke’s son, asks too many questions. At least that’s what everyone at Callander Castle thinks after all but the last of his tutors quit and his uncle ships him off to be educated at Cranford Abbey. Unfortunately, the once-beautiful abbey has problems of its own, including cracked walls, a leaking roof, and shattered stained glass windows. Not to mention the pesky herd of unicorns that continues to enter the abbey’s orchards and claim them as their own.
The only hope to save the abbey, it seems, is money raised by Abbot Aelian’s golden apple cider, made from a recipe passed down in his family for generations. But that means getting rid of the orchard’s unwelcome visitors. And as everyone knows, unicorns have very sharp horns. Monks do not.
James has an idea that could help defeat these hungry beasts, but first must find someone to listen to him. For once, he might be the only one asking the right questions. And the only one who knows the perfect hero for the job.”
Series: It is a stand-alone as of now.
Spiritual Content- Abbots, monks and priests; Mentions of those in the Bible; Mentions of prayers & praying; The golden apples are called Hosanna golden apples because the first abbot said “Hosanna!” when he saw them; A mention of a painting of unicorns being in Eden; The monks believe that the unicorn is “thought to be the animal avatar of the Christ”; Mentions of being in the Saviour’s footsteps; James asks “Did Lucifer hurt anyone when he fell to earth?” and other questions about heaven;
*Note: A mention or two of magic, wizardry and incantation; When James sees something he doesn’t recognize “Or perhaps it’s the Wild Hunt headed by Herne the Hunter, who goes racing through the forest hunting down the souls of the damned, the Hound of Hell, baying at his horse’s feet.”; a unicorn is called a “horned imp of Satan!”.
Negative Content- A mention or two of a unicorn’s sharp horn & them piercing monks; A mention that “”Apple pudding” was something frightened children did in their pants.”.
Sexual Content- On the topic of women in the abbey: “And a maiden—as any fool could tell you—is never allowed in a monastery or on monastery lands. No girls. None. Never. It’s an absolute rule.”; James asks where babies come from (no one really answers but there are mumbles about a stork or a cabbage patch, which James doesn’t buy), James then wonders if the monks would know.
-James, age 9
P.O.V. of James with the first three chapters in a story-telling way
Set in the 1600s (I’m guessing on this)
368 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- Four Stars
New Teens- Four Stars (and a half)
Early High School Teens- Four Stars (and a half)
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Four Stars
“A Plague of Unicorns” was aimed for a much younger audience then I normally read (it even had pictures/illustrations!) but I really enjoyed it! I wasn’t quite sure what to expect but I thought I would give it a try. It was so cute! I really liked James’ personality and though the writing style was different, I liked it too!
“”If I didn’t ask questions, how would I know when I had the wrong answers?””
We like how you think, James. ;)
Link to review:
http://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2015/02/a-plague-of-unicorns-by-jane-yolen.html
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Zonderkidz) for this review.
dmtcer's review
4.0
I loved the magic, mystery, and innocence of this book. I was a little confused at the background story in the beginning, but once I met Young James and his family further in, I understood the timeline and the reason for it. As an adult I would have loved to learn more about the unicorns and more about how the "plague" was tamed (and the Unicorn-tamer, too), yet I liked the mystery around that particular character. IN all, I think this is a good read for children who enjoy fantasy.
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