21 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Rolling right along..., June 5, 2007
In this sixth installment, Charlie faces two challenges: 1) There is a new student, Dagbert Endless, whose talent seems to be drowning other people (and making trouble for Charlie); and 2) Asa, whose talent is to change into a beast at dusk, is missing. You may remember that Asa was a former "henchman" of the petty tyrant, Manfred Bloor, and that he recently helped Charlie. You can be sure that his assistance did not please the Bloor's, and if any of the preceding books tell us anything at all about the Bloor's, it's likely that they have more than a little to do with Asa's disappearance.
Dagbert is a particularly interesting character. He comes off immediately as clever and unprincipled, and this, we know, does not spell FUN for Charlie Bone.
Charlie is given the unfortunate task of introducing Dagbert to Bloor's Academy, and Dagbert responds to this kindness by making snide remarks to all of Charlie's friends, alienating him from some people. That Charlie is upset by his friend's lack of faith in him (i.e., they should know that he wouldn't believe the things Dagbert is saying) is demonstrative of a normal twelve-year-old, and it's nice to see that Charlie is human. It fleshes him out, makes him more enticing and tangible.
Once again, Ms. Nimmo takes us on an enjoyable adventure with a likable protagonist and clearly defined antagonists. I'm always impressed by Nimmo's use of magic - here, specifically that all children have different talents, which is a nice metaphor to real life.
We don't see much of the Bloors in this book, and I'd like to. I'd like to see more of the humanity that Charlie has been infused with given to them. They are, as always, scheming to bring ruin down about them, and sometimes I find myself asking why, and not finding answers.
My main criticism would involve a character that appears toward the end of the book and offers considerable and unlooked for help in Charlie's struggles. I'm uncomfortable with any fantasy that introduces characters (or different likenesses of characters) late in the story with little or no introduction, especially if that character plays a critical role. It feels too manipulated. There's a literary term for that type of solution: Deux Ex Machina. The term finds its roots in Greek Mythology, when the Gods reached down and with a flick of their wrist (or suitable appendage) change the course of the story. In ancient Greece, this device was acceptable. It's not thought well of today - several thousand years later. We demand that our writers be more creative in their solutions. (That's not to say that it's easy to do so.)
By the end of this book all readers will know exactly why the Bloors have had it out for Charlie and his family from the very start. That was a welcome revelation, as their somewhat fanatical hatred for Charlie has often been a cause for confusion.
This is marketed to the younger readers of Harry Potter, and it should appeal greatly to that audience.
This series began with great promise. I remember reading the first book (Midnight for Charlie Bone) in a matter of hours. I'd like to see that immediacy return, and I have every reason to believe that Ms. Nimmo has the ability to do so.
3½ stars, rounded up to 4
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Charlie Bone continues on and on and on, July 11, 2007
I really have enjoyed this series and found this installment as satisfying as the others. These books are not an insult to my intelligence and imagination, and keep me moving. The plots are interesting and build from one book to the next to keep me wanting more. The characters are well developed and their interactions are interesting and make me want to know them even better.
The only thing lacking in this volume, I felt is that it asks too many questions without tying up loose ends. I almost felt like there was too much to wait for for the next installment. I want to feel a little more satified at the end of the book.
All in all, it is an excellent book and I recommend it for all children who are about 8 and up and also adults.
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