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thebookedpath's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting read. This story was based on Welsh myth which I was familiar with. I didn't know if this was a retelling of that myth or inspired by so it made it confusing. There is a lot of grief for a children's book so I suggest this for an older child (perhaps 5th grade and up) just to be better able to understand the grief and neglect components. I do like the magical elements but did leave questions. Low 4 star.
tophat8855's review against another edition
3.0
Listened to it on CD on our trip. It's a fine story, but I always felt like I was two steps ahead of the plot. That's probably because the target audience is 10 year olds, though.
hnbb's review against another edition
2.0
I enjoyed her Charlie Bone series. This one appears to have been written long before. The set up takes a very long time and I am not finding this worth my time.
clairevlinney's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
jesikasbookshelf's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I'm not sure how I feel about this one - on one hand it seems like a great exploration of how and why Welsh Mythology remains present in the modern collective consciousness. On the other...I think this was for children, maybe they would accept it more at face value, but the magical elements came out of nowhere and didn't seem to work together properly and it ruined my suspension of disbelief.
slater49957's review against another edition
5.0
One of my most favourite stories from when I was a child. Full of magic and Welsh legends.
mystimayhem's review against another edition
4.0
I love Nimmo's books. They're so enchanting and fun.
hiking_pages's review against another edition
5.0
‘Time to find out if you are a magician, Gwydion Gwyn’.
There is something so magical about being able to share a story that you loved so much as a child, with a child of your own.
The Snow Spider is a story that I both watched and read as a child and it’s unique beauty is still as irresistible to me today.
Now in its 30th year since its release, The Snow Spider’ is the first book in a trilogy, written by Jenny Nimmo and taking inspiration from The Mabinogion - ancient welsh folktales of magicians and magic.
On his 9th Birthday, Gwyn Griffiths is given a selection of strange gifts by his equally strange Grandmother, who believes him to be a magician and the ancestor of the great magicians of the past. In turn, he gives each of the gifts to the wind in the hope of finding out his destiny and to try and win his true heart’s desire - the return of his sister Bethan, he went missing on the mountain four years ago.
Oh what a tangled web Gwyn weaves as he discovers not only that he does have powers, aided by the arrival of Arianwen, a snow spider who can create webs that connect him to another world and a strange yet familiar girl named Eirlys.
This book is truly spellbinding, set against the backdrop of the beautiful Welsh valleys, the gorgeous setting makes for a perfect story of a boy magician and his adventures with the unknown.
There is something so magical about being able to share a story that you loved so much as a child, with a child of your own.
The Snow Spider is a story that I both watched and read as a child and it’s unique beauty is still as irresistible to me today.
Now in its 30th year since its release, The Snow Spider’ is the first book in a trilogy, written by Jenny Nimmo and taking inspiration from The Mabinogion - ancient welsh folktales of magicians and magic.
On his 9th Birthday, Gwyn Griffiths is given a selection of strange gifts by his equally strange Grandmother, who believes him to be a magician and the ancestor of the great magicians of the past. In turn, he gives each of the gifts to the wind in the hope of finding out his destiny and to try and win his true heart’s desire - the return of his sister Bethan, he went missing on the mountain four years ago.
Oh what a tangled web Gwyn weaves as he discovers not only that he does have powers, aided by the arrival of Arianwen, a snow spider who can create webs that connect him to another world and a strange yet familiar girl named Eirlys.
This book is truly spellbinding, set against the backdrop of the beautiful Welsh valleys, the gorgeous setting makes for a perfect story of a boy magician and his adventures with the unknown.
bigbeardedbookseller's review against another edition
5.0
It is on Gwyn’s ninth birthday when his Grandmother gives him an assortment of strange objects and tells him he could be a magician. It was on Gwyn’s fifth birthday when his sister, Bethan, went missing. For those four years his father has blamed Gwyn for Bethan’s disappearance, but so has Gwyn.
Jenny Nimmo’s classic was re-released on it’s 30th anniversary with a lovely new cover by Daniela Terrazzini, before this edition I hadn’t known of this book, which is a great shame as I could have loved it for over 30 years rather than one.
Jenny’s writing is tight and well paced, her characters are so believable that you emotionally invest in their world from the beginning of the story.
Gwyn is sceptical of his Grandmother’s claims that he could be the descendent of the famous magician; Math, Lord of Gwynedd, Gwydion and Gilfraethwy; well you would be wouldn’t you?
But as the story unfolds, we see what he could become and the dangers that could be involved in this.
Literally magical, Jenny developed a wonderful world with wonderful characters and gave me a book that I love, making it one of the best sellers in our shop.
Jenny Nimmo’s classic was re-released on it’s 30th anniversary with a lovely new cover by Daniela Terrazzini, before this edition I hadn’t known of this book, which is a great shame as I could have loved it for over 30 years rather than one.
Jenny’s writing is tight and well paced, her characters are so believable that you emotionally invest in their world from the beginning of the story.
Gwyn is sceptical of his Grandmother’s claims that he could be the descendent of the famous magician; Math, Lord of Gwynedd, Gwydion and Gilfraethwy; well you would be wouldn’t you?
But as the story unfolds, we see what he could become and the dangers that could be involved in this.
Literally magical, Jenny developed a wonderful world with wonderful characters and gave me a book that I love, making it one of the best sellers in our shop.