Cold Shoulder Road [Hardcover]

Joan Aiken (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1996 | Age Level: 10 and up

When Arun's mother mysteriously disappears, Is Twite is unable to get any information from the Silent Sect she to which she belonged, and in the wake of a smuggling operation, the cousins face two evil villains.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-9-Fans of Aiken's "Wolves Chronicles" (Doubleday) will welcome this latest installment in the adventures of Is Twite and her cousin Arun, seen most recently in Is Underground (Delacorte, 1993). Although colorful colloquialisms and references to events from past stories may discourage some new readers, those who persevere will be rewarded with a fast-paced story of buried treasure, greedy smugglers, a mysterious religious sect, and a kind of matter- of-fact telepathy. The fanciful, semi-historical setting and large cast of quirky characters add to the story's appeal. Here, the cousins return to Arun's home in search of his mother, only to find that she has disappeared, taking with her a neighbor child. After much searching, a few kidnappings, an explosion, and the uprising of the previously down-trodden villagers, all of the villains are vanquished. The triumph of the underdogs is not without cost, however, for at least one child is dead and many innocent people have suffered. Various loose ends suggest the possibility of a future installment, but whether this book is read independently or as part of the ongoing Twite family saga, it should find an appreciative audience among those who enjoy sophisticated storytelling, inventive adventure, and distinctive characters.?Lisa Dennis, The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 5^-9. Cousins Arun and Is Twite (who speak through thoughts) stumble into a smuggling operation while searching for Arun's mother, Ruth, who has disappeared, apparently with Is' older sister, Penny, and a mute child. Mysterious Admiral Fishskin and evil Dominic de la Twite, who can block the cousins' thought communication, are among the richly drawn cast of characters. A complex and engrossing plot is grounded in an English landscape that is both physically real and wildly imaginative. Readers unfamiliar with earlier Twite books in the Wolves Chronicles series, which began with The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, will find initial chapters hard going because of the dialect, but persistence will be rewarded: this is an adventurous yarn filled with humor, chills, and melodrama. Susan Dove Lempke

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 283 pages
• Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (March 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385321821
• ISBN-13: 978-0385321822
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,579,305 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Joan Aiken (1924-2004) was the daughter of Pulitzer prize winning poet Conrad Aiken and started writing herself from the age of five. During her lifetime she published over one hundred books for children and adults, including the acclaimed Wolves of Willoughby Chase series. In the UK she received an MBE from the Queen for her services to Children's Literature.

This year sees the publication of a brand NEW story collection - The Monkey's Wedding - with previously unpublished material that shows Aiken on top form. This collection of funny, spooky, unexpected but classic Aiken stories has received wonderful reviews and will delight her readers. See below for details.

Her work continues to be adapted for film and television; she is established as a consummate storyteller,and recognized as one of the best loved authors of the twentieth century.

"The Wonderful World of Joan Aiken" is at www.joanaiken.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Grim Cliffhanger sequel to 'Is Underground', June 11, 1999

By 

rampageous_cuss (Under Billy Penn's Hat) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Cold Shoulder Road (Hardcover)

'Cold Shoulder Road' is the latest installment in Aiken's juvenile series set in an alternative Victorian England. Beginning (more or less) with 'The Wolves of Willoughby Chase', continuing through 'Black Hearts in Battersea', 'Nightbirds on Nantucket', 'The Stolen Lake', 'The Cuckoo Tree', 'Dido and Pa', and 'Is Underground' the stories present the adventures of the Twite family as they frustrate attempts by 'Hanoverians' to unseat the Stuart dynasty, who in Aiken's fictional universe still rule Britain.

In the previous novel the heir to the throne, the King, AND the Hanoverian 'pretender' died (together with a large chunk of the population of England's east coast.) This story finds the telepathic Is Twite and her cousin Arun wandering through the miserable ruins of England's flooded coastal towns, trying to find Arun's mother, a devotee of a glum, abusive sect known as 'the silent folk'. Arun's mother is in hiding having discovered the identity of the 'Merry Gentry', a brutal gang of murderous smugglers and child - kidnappers. She has with her a depressed child of mysterious heritage left with the silent folk as a kind of counter-hostage.

Aiken's characters and action is imaginative, but the tone of the series is increasingly despairing.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A thrilling adventure mystery!, June 30, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Cold Shoulder Road (Hardcover)

If you are a Joan Aiken fan, you will love her latest book about the Twite family. This exciting sequel to Is Underground continues the story of Is and Arun. They have yet another rollicking adventure filled with telepathy, deceit, and shady characters. The Merry Gentry make a repeat appearance, and Penny is rounded out as a person.

If you haven't read Joan Aiken's books, they're excellent! However, you will need some background to understand the beginning situation in this one. It is best to start by reading The Wolves of Whilloughby Chase, and work your way up through all the adventures of Dido first. Once you start, you'll want to read them all!

Older readers who have already read all these books enough to move on, will be happy to know that there are many Joan Aiken books for adults of varying lengths. You will be pleased to find tiny connections between all her books.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT!!, March 20, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Cold Shoulder Road (Hardcover)

I thought this book was witty and exciting, but a little strange at times. For an example, people have this thing called "Thought Language". And Arun, one of the main people, used to think he was a cat, and some of the times he starts to look like one.
I like the way the whole story fits together, and you have just as much a chance to figure out the mysteries as the people from the book do!!

If you are looking for an exciting book, read this one!!!!!!