Reviews

The Little Broomstick by Mary Stewart

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patchy_at_best's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful lighthearted tense fast-paced

4.5

jselliot's review

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adventurous lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

It was good! Very different from the movie, but good. (Peter, a minor character in the book as far as how many chapters he was in, was promoted to main character in the movie with Mary.) There were things I feel like the movie did better, but that was inherent to the medium. As far as the book itself, Mary Stewart does a fantastic job with atmosphere.

Another review I felt summed up my opinions nicely:

https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/7d590e5e-9ee5-44cf-b4ec-241e9e64cb26

oliverdervis's review against another edition

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adventurous fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

thebookboy's review against another edition

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4.0

A nice, witchy fantasy that has a lot of fun moments. I think what I like most about Mary Stewart's writing is that she so seamlessly imbues all of her fiction with such a nice sense of humour. There's a real beauty to her prose, too, and she has the unique magic of making everything she writes a memorable delight.

This book is no exception. Plain, unremarkable Mary Smith seems like an unlikely heroine, but alongside Tib the black cat she's a compelling lead in this tale of witchcraft, magic schools, animal transformations and broomstick rides.

Do I wish the book was a little longer? Yes. I also think that the film offers a slightly more compelling plot, especially as it fleshes out the themes explored here. However, it does lack a bit of the charm that the book has, so I would still probably rate the book higher.

Recommended to anyone who wants an easy children's classic to brighten up an afternoon.

magratajostiernos's review against another edition

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3.0

Una historia muy sencillita que hubiera dado para más.
Me encantó la primera parte, tiene unos vibes otoñales muy potentes y eso siempre BIEN xD y crea una atmósfera chula con el tema de college de magia y el ambiente brujeril, pero se queda un poco corto. Una aventurilla que no me hubiera importado que fuera tan plana si no fuera porque realmente la autora parece tener más que contar.
Hay una adaptación "Mary y la flor de la bruja", pero que yo sepa este libro no se ha traducido al castellano.

cgwinters1981's review against another edition

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3.0

Wonderful children's book. It is unique from the film that was adapted from it. There are enough key differences to enjoy both on their own unique merits. I definitely recommend reading it. My rating isn't based on how good or bad it js, just where it rates in terms of my favorite books. It was an average read, but still enjoyable.