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A review by leslie_d
Spellbound by Jacqueline West
3.0
Olive could not just leave well enough alone–her curiosity insatiable. And she may have an idea as to how to help Morton become a real boy again and get out of Elsewhere–at least, she’s looking for ideas. If only the cats were not keeping more secrets from her.
A neighbor’s odd grandson Rutherford redeems his interruption with a great idea: surely the witches who lived in the house before the Dunwoodys had a grimoire–a spellbook! Olive begins her hunt and it becomes unclear who is hunting whom as the book seems to be calling to her. With a fascination that reads not unlike the precious of Lord of the Rings, Olive becomes obsessed. Will she be able to come to her senses before it’s too late–before she does something they’ll all regret?
Olive’s attraction to Adventure marks the first volume in The Books of Elsewhere : The Shadows. In this sequel Spellbound, it is Magic’s overwhelming appeal. Ever present is Olive’s curiosity: she gets a hint of intrigue and she needs to find the answer. And lastly, there is the problem with Morton, with whom her difficult relationship continues–a troubled friendship that slowly warms in affection. I really like Morton.
The cats, one of the best features of The Shadows, get better and better. West has a way with her characters and settings that showcase a talent for characterization and strong description. The author shows a steady hand as she follows the first volume with the craftmanship that attracted the reader to the series in the first place. There are a few new characters and some illuminating and disturbing revelations of past ones. And Spellbound provides more creepiness (the precious) and more of a cliff-hanger ending. When is the next installment?
L @ omphaloskepsis
http://contemplatrix.wordpress.com/2011/08/25/the-first-two-books-of-elsewhere/
A neighbor’s odd grandson Rutherford redeems his interruption with a great idea: surely the witches who lived in the house before the Dunwoodys had a grimoire–a spellbook! Olive begins her hunt and it becomes unclear who is hunting whom as the book seems to be calling to her. With a fascination that reads not unlike the precious of Lord of the Rings, Olive becomes obsessed. Will she be able to come to her senses before it’s too late–before she does something they’ll all regret?
Olive’s attraction to Adventure marks the first volume in The Books of Elsewhere : The Shadows. In this sequel Spellbound, it is Magic’s overwhelming appeal. Ever present is Olive’s curiosity: she gets a hint of intrigue and she needs to find the answer. And lastly, there is the problem with Morton, with whom her difficult relationship continues–a troubled friendship that slowly warms in affection. I really like Morton.
The cats, one of the best features of The Shadows, get better and better. West has a way with her characters and settings that showcase a talent for characterization and strong description. The author shows a steady hand as she follows the first volume with the craftmanship that attracted the reader to the series in the first place. There are a few new characters and some illuminating and disturbing revelations of past ones. And Spellbound provides more creepiness (the precious) and more of a cliff-hanger ending. When is the next installment?
L @ omphaloskepsis
http://contemplatrix.wordpress.com/2011/08/25/the-first-two-books-of-elsewhere/