Customer Reviews

The Blue Umbrella: A Novel

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

There is an age at which children discover that their parents cannot always prevent Bad Things from happening. Through the gaps in the umbrella of parental protection, they discover the existence of Evil. Childrens' fantasy literature is popular with school age children because it allows them to explore their own power and competence in dealing with life. The Blue Umbrella (and the books that will follow it) is an excellent example of the genre. Kids will enjoy the series immensely, and so will their parents.
Zachary Sparks never knew his father and, as the book opens, his mother has just died. She was walking in the rain when a bolt of lightning struck her umbrella and killed her. After her funeral, two Aunties Zac has never met before, Esmeralda and Priscilla, whisk him off to their stone mansion at Five Corners, promising to take care of him and provide a home for him.
Five Corners is a star-shaped intersection, with a building occupying each intersection. In addition to the Auntie's mansion are the Church of St. Heldred and All Angles, Porter's General Store, Eldy's Balloons and Flowers and The World's Smallest Business Establishment.
The characters who live and work in Five Corners are even stranger than the businesses. Butler is the Aunties' miniature minion. Eldy, of the balloons and flowers, is old and wizened and so bent that you look him in the top of his bald head, and The World's Smallest Business is run by a cranky, dwarfish Barber. The Reverend Cholmondeley and his dysfunctional family live in the church's parsonage. Sky Porter runs the General Store and lives upstairs, along with the ghosts--or whatever they are--who flash lights through the windows at night.
And then there is Dada, the Aunties' Darth Vader-like father, who lives in a mental hospital and is the focus of evil in the book. He is wheelchair bound and paralyzed, but that does not keep him from exerting his will. Unlike Vader, Dada does not have a good heart.
Very Bad Things, indeed, happen to Zac and other residents of Five Corners and the surrounding area. Zac is powerless to right the wrongs on his own, and he does not know who to trust. One adult--Sky Porter--seems trustworthy...until Zac learns that Sky may have killed Zac's mother. As the layers of the story are revealed, however, Zac finds other children who have been caught in Dada's web. Chesterton and Chelsea Chomondeley, Pethybridge and Iris join forces with Zac to defeat Dada and the Aunties.
Weather provides the backdrop for the entire story. From the lightning bolt that kills Zac's mother, through hailbows and wind and rain and sunshine and snow, to the lightning bolt that kills...mmm, you'll have to read it to find out what happens in the end.
The Blue Umbrella is well-written and fast paced. Like other children's fantasy literature, it is a morality play where children are the main actors who overcome evil. It is, however, unique in the genre because it goes deeper than simply good versus evil. There is a sub theme of self-awareness and self-acceptance and being true to oneself, another area pre-adolescent readers are dealing with.
The characters in The Blue Umbrella are unique. Esmeralda and Pris are caricatures. Esmeralda is tall and thin and always wears furs; Pris is very large and wears lurid pink dresses with weird hats. Sky is homely. Iris is a girl who doesn't want to be a girl. Pethybridge is such a homely child that his parents and grandparents abandoned him without naming him. Chesterton is ...odd, and Chelsea lost her power of speech by asserting herself and refusing to participate in Dada's evil plots. The only "attractive" character in the book is Sky's father, who is pretty sure people don't like him because he is attractive.
Each of the children finds something valuable and strong within himself or herself, and together they find the strength and power to fight Dada and the Aunties. They learn that people can be trustworthy even when they are unable to prevent Bad Things from happening. Zac, especially, even begins to learn compassion when he sees how Dada treats his daughters, the Aunties and almost feels sorry for them. These are complex life lessons that school age children are beginning to learn.
The Blue Umbrella is the first book in Mike Mason's children's fantasy series. Book 2 will be Chesterton's story, and Book 3 will tell about Chelsea. I'm hoping there will be books 4 and 5, about Pethybridge and Iris, too. Readers will be grateful that more books are coming; there's so much more of the story we want to know. This book was a great read and I'm eager for the next one.

Have you ever read Job 38? I had, but it had not caught my attention until I read this book, it is lovely scripture, poetical even, questions that God asked Job. Questions about the weather. And that was the preface of this book.

Poor Zachary Sparks, his father died when he was but a young toddler, and now he is an orphan at ten years old. His mother gone, in an instant, struck by lightning as she walked on the golf course near their home. What is going to happen to Zac? Hang on to your seats and fasten your seat belts for the story to come of what become of Zac is a wild ride!!

Two ancient Aunties, sweep down and take Zac home with them, and the first thing he realizes, is they did not allow him to bring any of his things, even his clothing. The second scary thing is, they refuse to call him by his name, he is called Boy. The third thing he realizes, is he is not in a loving home, they lock him in his room, they beat him with a cane and they are evil and cruel old women.

Five Corners, the town the Aunties live in, is a very strange town indeed, as if there is a horrible secret, that all the townspeople are keeping. There is!! A secret so wild, that Zac is having a hard time believing it. Strange lights over the store across the street fascinate him, and begin the downward spiral. Drawn like a moth is drawn to light, Zac is caught trying to investigate, and nearly beaten by the aunties, because they think he is trying to steal a fur coat and run away.

A visit to Dada, the even more ancient father of the Aunties, is a horrifying experience that lives Zac physically ill. Told by the old man, that he must steal a blue umbrella owned by the store across the streets, proprietor, Zac begins to learn he is in the middle of a nightmarish reality. Little old people the size of children, strange vendors who do not speak, but you can hear them talking in your mind. Yes life is strange at Five Corners.

This book will keep you enthralled, it is not your typical fantasy book, it is a book full of imagination and it is a story most definitely to read with your children. The book ends with an author interview and discussion questions with Mike Mason. A four star rating is well deserved of this book. 425 pages US $14.99

This is a story of Zac, a young boy whose mother is killed by lightening and he is then sent to live with his aunts. The aunts are cruel to him, and their father, "Dada" is cruel to the aunts.

It has a "Lemony Snicket" flavor to it, as anything that can go wrong seems to. Zac is charged by Dada with stealing a blue umbrella from a neighbor under mysterious circumstances. The anticipation of what is going to happen next keeps you turning the pages over and over.

Although I enjoyed this book, I felt that it would be a little "dark" for my children in the recommended age range. There is a part where Zac is told he will get beaten and have to ask for another as it is happening. In my opinion, it would only be appropriate for older teens because of that.

I decided to read this after reading "The Mystery of Marriage" (also by Mike Mason) and was not disappointed. I couldn't put it down and read most of it in one day. While some of the ideas/occurrences in the book aren't completely new, the way they're all woven together is. I was kept wondering the whole time what was going to happen next. No predictability here. In addition, there were some new and fantastic ideas. I would say it is a fairly dark book for younger readers, though, and reminded me a little of Roald Dahl's "The Witches". Overall, I would recommend this book, but would caution parents to check it out before giving it to younger readers. I'm looking forward to reading book #2, "The Violet Flash."

Reason for Reading: Simply the plot! The folkart cover appealed to me too.

I've had this book on hand since publication but it was unfortunately just one of those books that kept slipping further down the pile for no particular reason. I sure wish I had read this sooner as it was absolutely fantastic! One of the best children's fantasies I've read in a while! The book comes from a Christian publisher and so technically is christian fiction, but this is as mainstream as Madeline L'Engle and C.S. Lewis' children's books. The story is pointing to God, the Creator and this is obvious to me, a Christian, as I went in looking for it but there are no religious themes or preaching, etc. and the book is easily as mainstream as the Time Quartet with a scientific basis. Here the weather is our theme.

Zac has been orphaned and taken in by two unknown "Aunties" who are very nasty, cruel and downright weird. They live in a small town called Five Points and you could say the whole town and everyone in it is a little strange. From the man who runs Porter's General Store who continuously carries a blue umbrella with him all day long outdoors and in, to the aloof, know-it-all, weather fanatic at school who befriends Zac but isn't exactly that friendly, to his sister Chelsea who *can* talk but hasn't spoken a word in years. Then there is Dada whom the Aunties take Zak to meet, their own father, who must be pushing a hundred himself. It is here that Dada introduces Zak to the powers of the cane, which he has previously only been beaten with, but Zac falls unconscious every time he touches the cane with Dada. And Dada sends Zak back with a mission, get the Blue Umbrella and bring it back for him or else ...

A fantastically, unique fantasy with weather as it's main theme. When Zak makes the connection of the blue umbrella's purpose we have entered a strange reality within our own world. But Zac and his two friends must face evil in the form of the Aunties and Dada while along the way they pick up surprising allies and are shocked by who has joined against them on the side of evil. The characters really make this book, along with those mentioned there is Butler, the Aunties' man about the house a tiny old man who at first is not kind to Zak but eventually they strike up an odd friendship only when the Aunties are out of the house. Then there is Eldy another person who cannot talk but he can communicate and he has the tiniest store selling roses and balloons. Finally the children also befriend the neighbourhood Barber, rightfully named Barber, who is an old man with very long hair and a very long beard who won't answer questions, yet if one is smart enough one can still have very informational conversations with him.

Well-written, a tight plot, a unique theme, fun and simply a great read. The book finishes with the complete end of the plot yet ends on a note that leaves room for a sequel, which has already been published. This is a book that really needs to get more attention! A great read! Now, just to get my hands on the sequel "The Violet Flash".

When Zac's mother is killed by lightning, he has to go live with his evil aunts in the tiny town of Five Corners. Strange things are happening in Five Corners. From his bedroom window, he can see bright lights flashing atop Porter's general store across the street. Zac tries to investigate, but whenever his aunts catch him, he is spanked with their cane. Zac eventually makes friends, but he struggles to know which friends are good and which are not. Mr. Porter makes him feel so good about living, but if Mr. Porter is so good, why won't he help Zac get away from his evil aunts?

Since this was a Christy Award finalist, I had to check it out. I found the idea intriguing and unique. It reminded me of Willy Wonka with weather instead of candy. It's a long book, and it was a slow-going read for me. There was a lot of spanking with the cane in the story, which I found a bit strange. But the overall story is quite ingenious. I've heard that this book was published for readers 8 and up, but I can't find that anywhere online. I suggest readers 12 and up would enjoy it more. If you like a bit darker fantasy, you should check it out.

As a professional editor and aspiring novelist myself, I can only say that Mike Mason's "The Blue Umbrella" is easily one of the best books I've ever read. The story itself is an imaginative and redemptive tale that, yes, has its dark and evil moments, but that also shows what a gifted storyteller Mike Mason is. But it goes deeper than that. I think it is a great read for any adult or young adult as a fantasy story, but when you drill down and find layer upon layer of brilliant allegory woven in, you'll want to read it again and experience the depths of the novel that you just couldn't embrace the first time around. I look forward to having my kids read this when they are a little older (definitely recommended for upper middle school to high school, I'd say), and I plan to speak with my son's literature tutor at the study center he attends, because I think it would be a wonderful addition to any literature curriculum for home-schooling parents or Christian school educators. And just wait until the sequel comes out ... "The Violet Flash." These books are worth owning if you love fiction or if you are teaching literature to teens and want some material that can be dug apart for great discussions. Highly recommended. You won't be sorry ... trust me.

Here's an excerpt of my daughter's review of the book:

"I thought the story was intense, mysterious, and suspenseful, so if you like that kind of mystery story, you'll like this book. I like how Mike Mason leaves the reader hanging at the end of every chapter. It made me excited to read more. The author's style of writing made me able to see the people and places he was describing. I'm a pretty good reader and I found the book not difficult to read, but not boring either. Plus, if you do struggle with some words, even the weather terms, there's a helpful glossary in the back. You can also get to know the author a little better by reading the interview with him in the back of the book . . . Read this awesome book!!!"

Sometimes - not often - words on a page bring forth the joyous memories that you buried a long time ago under the 9-to-5 problems that you inevitably have when you reach adulthood. It hardly ever happens that a story can whisk you away into your past and let you remember the fantastic times you had and the fantastic people you once knew. Maybe its because "mass" hysteria only surrounds books these days that are able to be put on the big screen, and cast that perfectly handsome heartthrob that make all the women swoon. But beauty, true beauty that fills your soul, comes around once in a lifetime. This is it, Dear Readers. The Blue Umbrella is THE story that will reach into your heart and make you cry every tear and laugh every laugh that you've ever had. It is a true and complete gift.

Our main character is Zac Sparks; he is a young boy who has just lost the one and only thing in life he can't live without - his mother. She takes a walk on the golf course by their house and gets struck by lightning. At the funeral, the skies darken and the hail pummels the coffin, and Zac is sent into a strange and frightening world to live with his Aunties in the small town of Five Corners. His Aunt Esmeralda has a voice that reminds him of a woman with a file stuck in her throat, "scraping" human warmth off every word she utters. His other Auntie, Pris, is a short, incredibly round woman, who likes to wear funny hats and dress herself in only hot pink. There is a church in this small town run by a Reverend who likes to stand in the pulpit and raise his arms and voice in the air, like he's preening for some invisible camera. There is a small school where the teacher likes to take a "whack" at his students whenever they get out of hand. And...there's a small town grocery called Porter's Store. And Mr. Porter's store is where the action is. Mr. Porter is a mystical man, who has many secrets that make the town talk behind his back. There are strange lights that Zac can see beaming from the roof of his store at night; there are footsteps coming from the second floor where no one lives; and, most importantly, Mr. Porter carries a blue umbrella with him at all times - an umbrella that Zac's mean old Aunties want with all their cold, dead hearts.

Zac is quickly caught up in the whirlwind of this strange town and its people. His Aunties are cruel and love to punish him for anything and everything that's wrong in their world. Aunt Esmeralda carries an old, heavy cane and uses it to punish Zac for things he doesn't clearly understand. Butler, is a wise old man who works for the Aunties. He scurries around their big house taking care of things, throwing birthday parties, and polishing the silver over and over. He's a good employee, but a little off. There is something deep in the man's eyes - a mysterious light - that is begging Zac to figure out the mystery of what is wrong in the small town.

One of Zac's punishments is to hammer bent nails for the Reverend. He goes to this man's home and becomes fast friends with the Reverend's son - Chesterton. This young man is all about one thing and one thing only...the weather. He loves everything meteorological - obsessed with it, in fact. He doesn't laugh or play like regular kids; he's like an old soul who is usually deep inside his own faraway thoughts. Chesterton's sister's name is Chelsea. She's a tiny girl with a huge smile that's as bright as the sun. But she doesn't speak; she can only offer Zac answers to his questions with the whirling and twirling of her small fingertips. And she tries, with all her might, to send him a warning....

There is horror in this town. There is an old man living in the Big City that Zac can see in the distance; an old man named Dada who wants something from Zac. A very special something...the blue umbrella. Zac is torn between pain and freeedom. The only person he even likes in the horrible town is Mr. Porter and he doesn't want to hurt him or lose his friendship by stealing his umbrella. But the Aunties and Dada will hurt him if he doesn't do what they ask, so he sets out to become a thief in order to save himself from the pain of Esmeralda's cane. When Zac begins working for Sky Porter, however, he uncovers the mysteries that the amazing man holds dear. Zac is filled with wonder, love, awe, friendship, warmth, and fear. How will this work out? How can he steal the umbrella? How can he not? Add to this story a man named Eldy, who sells balloons and flowers that are filled with a magic nobody has ever seen, and you have a book, literally, to die for.

I was born in a small town like Five Corners. And I had a father who sat in front of the television every night to listen to the next day's weather reports. He'd be walking down our driveway sometimes, with his amber sunglasses covering his eyes, and stop all of a sudden. He'd look up at the sky like he, alone, was being told the future by the white puffy clouds, or the gunmetal gray sky, depending on the day. He knew when it would snow, rain, shine - the man knew it all. I loved this book because it reminded me of that wonderful man I call Dad, whose now polishing the golden doors up in Heaven. In fact, there was a line this author wrote when he described Mr. Porter: "He had a face full of such character that Zac understood what a face is, or could be: a clear image of the soul." Mr. Porter had a beautiful soul and so did my father. I want to thank Mr. Mason for that line, and a ton of others, because I was able to see my beloved father's eyes again.

Weather is a great metaphor to use for life - not to mention the "fads" that happen in book publishing. There are times in our history when the clouds rush past us like vapor trails in a bright blue sky and we race through the crimes stories cover to cover; then, in the blink of an eye, twilight comes, the stars begin to twinkle, and romance descends upon us and makes us wish for that prince charming to come along and save us from ourselves. Other days we rush through the rain, thunder and lightning that tries to stop us from our action and adventure, as we speed through tunnels, caves, and history to decipher a "DaVinci-like" code. Then, the next month, we decide to go out in that moonless dark night and scare ourselves to death with the blood-curdling screams that come from the lieks of King and Koontz. Now, a new age is dawning. And we should be, as a reading public, extremely happy about this. Young adult fiction is coming and coming...each book I'm reviewing in this category is getting better and better...like a freight train of thought provoking, fun, sweet, scary, adventurous, romantic stories that are truly illuminating the shelves of our local libraries. You can thank people like this author, Mike Mason, for this wonderful event. His book is certainly among the "best of the best." I couldn't put it down and neither will you. Take my advice: I guarantee you that you will open up these pages and end up reading it so many times that the cover will fall right off, so don't buy one copy of The Blue Umbrella, buy two. You'll need a spare.

Mike Mason had a good recipe for his new children's novel:
* One, desperate, 10 year old little boy, who just lost his mother
* A Lemony Snicket styled tragedy, where everything that can go wrong for the little boy, does
* An other-worldly setting, called Five Corners, that supposedly is a part of the real world
* Evil aunts and a more evil granddad
* Mute friends and midgets
* Sci-fi subplot having to do with the creation of the weather
* Redemptive characters that represent the Trinity

All in all this book had the potential to be a very good novel, but in the mixing together of the ingredients it fell a bit short of its goal. The book always stayed interesting, but was never captivating. My 11 year old daughter, 9 year old son and I started reading it together but he lasted 1/3 of the way through the book and her affection for it waned a little over half way through. I finished the book alone--too many other bright lights to capture the kids' attention in this fast-paced world.

I would suggest that parents read this story alongside or with their children as the darker themes are good discussion points regarding some of the difficult realities in our world, including death, abuse, and suffering. The book has a very redemptive theme and does not leave these issues without some form of healing and closure.

The writing itself is picturesque with Mason often using words that may be over the heads of his younger readers. He does this on purpose, providing several pages of glossary at the end of the book in the hopes that his young readers will expand their literary vocabulary. As a parent I appreciated this.

Blue Umbrella is Mason's first attempt at a novel (being an accomplished author in nonfiction). I've read that this book is the beginning of a series and that the author will now go into the background of other characters in the story. As with any recipe sometimes the first time through is a learning experience. I'll gladly read Mason's next book in the series, expecting him to grow in this genre. I hope others will read this book so they will be prepared for the future treats to come.